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9781666944600 Academic Inspection Copy

Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts

Creating the Dragon
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Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts: Creating the Dragon is a study of the role of myth and ideology in the formation of social identity, focusing on a variety of communities of practice involving the martial arts in East Asian and Western history. Myths of the martial arts should not be understood as "falsehoods", created as means of legitimizing modern practices, but should instead be understood as narratives that enable individuals and communities to formulate social identities and to accord meaning to their practices. This book covers six influential sources of myth and identity formation in the history of martial arts, including early Chinese and Indian philosophy, the formation bushido thought in the Edo period of Japan, Republican-era Chinese conceptions of nationhood and physical culture, Western contributions and the innovations of Bruce Lee, African-American conceptions of martial arts as response to oppression in the 20th century, and the contemporary ideologies of mixed martial arts.
Alexus McLeod is professor of religious studies at Indiana University.
Introduction: Creating the Dragon Chapter 1. "I Want to Create a New Chamber"- Historical Foundations and Development of the Martial Arts Chapter 2. "A Finger Pointing to the Moon"-Dance, Ritual, and the Arts of War Chapter 3. "One Should Consider Himself as Dead"-Martial Arts and Deconstruction of the Self Chapter 4. "What's Your Style?"-National, Ethnic, and Cultural Identity in the Martial Arts Chapter 5. "Honestly Expressing Yourself"- Bruce Lee and the Idea of Expression of the "True Self" in the Martial Arts Chapter 6. "Who's The Master?"-Martial Arts Ideologies of Empowerment Chapter 7. "No Mercy"-Contemporary Martial Arts Myth of "Real" Fighting, Control, and Potency Conclusion: Commitment and the Martial Arts as Way of Life
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