[KS] new book on San-shin

[David A. Mason]

Dear List-members,

my new book ---

_SPIRIT OF THE MOUNTAINS: 
  Korea's San-shin and Traditions of Mountain-Worship_  

was finally published in December, by Hollym of Seoul. ["San-shin" 
means Mountain-spirit].   ISBN#1-56591-107-5.   225 pages, 300+ color
photos, looks handsome if I do say so myself.  

Some of you will remember my 1997 M.A. thesis on San-shin and
Korean Buddhism; this book is much revised and quadruple the 
length, including much new material.

This book covers the origins and development of Korean mountain-
worship, which is central to Korean religious culture in general;  

  shows over a hundred of the colorful paintings and statues of the 
  San-shin created over the last 3 centuries, explaining their dozens
  of iconic elements, with results from my 550-icon database;  

  explores the complex connections between San-shin and Korean Zen 
  Buddhism, Shamanism, Daoism, Neo-Confucianism, nationalism, 
  geomancy (pungsu-jiri), and even Christianity;  and

  speculates on the future of Korean mountain-worship in the 21st cen:
  as symbol of national identity (thus important for re-unification),
  and as symbol of environmental protection (possibly useful for the 
  "Green movement"). 

A translated-to-Korean edition is in the works.  The Korean media 
are pretty interested in it so far -- several interviews have 
appeared on TV networks and newspapers.  

It got caught up in the debates over romanization here, with strange
results -- the consonants are done in the new NAKL style, except k/g,
while the vowels are done in M-R!   I hope to get this "straightened
out" somehow in the 2nd printing this spring...

It may not be available in overseas bookstores until this Spring.  
The cover and a brief description can be seen on the Web at 
www.hollym.co.kr/newtitles/spirit.html
It'll retail for $50 overseas, w30,000 in Korea.  Those who might 
like to have a signed copy mailed to them at a discount, e-mail me
at mntnwolf at yahoo.com

David Mason 

P.S.:
There will be a good interview with me about this book, 
live on KBS International Radio, on the air from 
22:10 to 22:25 Saturday, January 15th Korea-time. 
(that will be 06:10 1/15 San Francisco-time).
You can listen to it via RealAudio at http://rki.kbs.co.kr



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