Religion, Secularism, and Love as a Political Discourse in Modern China

What is the meaning of love in modern Chinese politics and why has it been a crucial political discourse over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries through to the present day? How has it been appropriated by generations of political leaders as a powerful instrument? This book offers a systematic examination of the ways in which the notion of love has been introduced, adapted, and engineered as a political discourse for the building and rebuilding of a modern nation, all the while appropriating Confucianism, Christianity, popular religion, socialism, and their religious affects. The insights of this exploration expand not only the discussion of the role of emotions in the project of Chinese modernity, but also the study of post-secular politics around the world today.