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This article explores intersections between critical theory, Buddhism (Chan/Zen in particular), and film studies in what Jürgen Habermas characterizes as the current ‘post-secular society’. I use Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger,… Click to show full abstract
This article explores intersections between critical theory, Buddhism (Chan/Zen in particular), and film studies in what Jürgen Habermas characterizes as the current ‘post-secular society’. I use Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) as a case in point to unveil a hidden kōan/gong'an structure or subtext. I view the medium of film as a technology of Chan eudaimon that is capable of deconstructing a reified self and helping the viewer develop compassion for cultivating an awakened mind. Cinema, in this light, can be recruited to foster a collective, self-less mind and culture that is urgently needed in China and beyond.
Journal Title: Paragraph
Year Published: 2019
Link to full text (if available)
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