Empire and the Meaning of Religion in Northeast Asia
Manchuria 1900–1945

This book reveals how religion shaped ideas and propelled the lightning-quick development of Manchuria at the start of the twentieth century.

Thomas David DuBois (Author)

9781107166400, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 December 2016

260 pages, 18 b/w illus. 3 maps
23.4 x 16 x 1.8 cm, 0.5 kg

'In this exhilarating and original study of early twentieth-century Manchuria in global context, Thomas DuBois paints a lively picture of the politics and history of spiritual governance in a time and place that seems far removed from our own - but isn't as far as you might think. From an original and provocative account of the Boxer Uprising, to the politics of knowledge generation in Japanese and East Asian social science circles, to the designation of certain groups as 'religious bandits' in the Japanese owned Shengjing Times, to the politics of religious freedom and Protestant and Catholic mission in Japanese colonial Manchukuo, to the emergence of philanthropy as a civic sphere distinct from religion by groups such as the Daoyuan and the World Red Swastika Society, this book never quits. A fascinating, fun and indispensable read for anyone interested in the shifting and entangled fields of spirituality, sovereignty, empire, nationalism, and law.' Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, Northwestern University

Manchuria entered the twentieth century as a neglected backwater of the dying Qing dynasty, and within a few short years became the focus of intense international rivalry to control its resources and shape its people. This book examines the place of religion in the development of Manchuria from the late nineteenth century to the collapse of the Japanese Empire in 1945. Religion was at the forefront in this period of intense competition, not just between armies but also among different models of legal, commercial, social and spiritual development, each of which imagining a very specific role for religion in the new society. Debates over religion in Manchuria extended far beyond the region, and shaped the personality of religion that we see today. This book is an ambitious contribution to the field of Asian history and to the understanding of the global meaning and practice of the role of religion.

Introduction
1. Foundations of religion in society in Manchuria
2. From the blood of the martyrs
3. The mind of empire
4. Piety in print
5. The laws of men
6. A charitable view
7. Manchukuo's filial sons
8. May God bless Manchukuo
Conclusion
Appendices
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Buddhism [HRE], Church history [HRCC2], Asian history [HBJF]