Beyond the Kingly Metaphor: A Sociological Reading of the Scripture of the Jade Sovereign.

The article discusses the scriptural reception and structure of the Daoist text known as the "Scripture of the Jade Sovereign" (YHJ). It examines the meaning of the Jade Sovereign and its model of divinity and scriptural authority, the Jade Sovereign as a national deity, and the description of personal welfare in the YHJ. The article also examines the reception of the Jade Sovereign prior to modern scholarship, the identity of the Jade Sovereign, and historical records of the late Chinese imperial period. It also discusses Daoism, ritualized behaviors in the YHJ, and reaction among Buddhist readers of the YHJ.