The Ledgers of Merit and Demerit

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Examining the ledgers of merit and demerit, which gained popularity in sixteenth and seventeenth-century China, Cynthia Brokaw reveals their evolution from guides for salvation to tools for social status through civil service exams. Initially rooted in Taoist and Buddhist traditions, these ledgers were adapted by Confucian thinkers, who refined self-cultivation methods and explored the complexities of fate and human action. By the late seventeenth century, their role shifted towards promoting social stability, emphasizing adherence to established social hierarchies.