Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

27 p.

Publication Date

2008

Publisher

Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

Source Publication

Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion

Source ISSN

1476-6086

Abstract

We introduce management and spirituality scholars to the “knack” passages from the c. 4th century B.C.E. text, the Zhuangzi. The knack passages are parables about low status figures, such as wheelwrights, furniture makers and cooks, whose actions offer insights into the spirituality of ordinary work and, we argue, of entrepreneurship. Such non-corporate settings are lesser-studied domains for spirituality. Ancient Chinese writings have been noticed by spirituality and management writers but we call for deeper scholarly textual attention. We seek also to model more attention to the renaissance in scholarship on classical China. More ambitiously, we hope to show that these passages are not only germane but worthy of careful consideration. Our efforts reflect the influence of Slingerland's (2003) study of “effortless action” as a central soteriological goal in ancient China.

Comments

Accepted version. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2008): 29-55. DOI. © 2008 Taylor & Francis (Routledge). Used with permission.

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