Asian Religions in America

"Please note, the version published by the Journal of Black Mountain College Studies was edited by that journal and the version that appears in there is thus different to the version that appears on this page. My original longer version can be read or downloaded from this page. The version published by the Journal of Black Mountain College Studies can be viewed by clicking on the link.

The development of the influential artistic and philosophical theories of John Cage has been a subject of particular interest in the study of the composer. Nevertheless, questions still remain regarding elements of that development, the sources Cage borrowed from, and the meanings of his theories. The landmark research of David Patterson provided a clearer picture of the chronology of that development, but could not cover all angles. This paper focuses on Cage’s friendship with the comparative-mythologist Joseph Campbell (1904–1987). Focusing chiefly on the years between 1942 and 1952, it combines recent and original research to provide an updated history of Campbell’s influence on Cage and aspects of the development of Cage’s theories. Because of the importance of the theories of C. G. Jung to Campbell’s work, it also details Cage’s references to Jung. By concentrating on Campbell and his circle rather than the figures Cage more frequently cited as influences, the importance of Campbell to the development of Cage’s theories is revealed. As usual with Cage’s borrowings, what is discovered is not that he faithfully adopted theories but that he creatively—sometimes opportunistically—adapted them. These findings have particular relevance for researchers investigating Cage’s two summers spent teaching at Black Mountain College in 1948 and 1952, as well as to investigations into the development of Cage’s interest in Asian traditions.
This paper is divided into three sections. The first supplies relevant background information on Campbell’s life and work; the second presents a chronology of Cage’s readings, highlighting his connections to Campbell. The final section analyzes specific compositions and lectures by Cage, detailing how he used material drawn from texts written or edited by Campbell or Jung and providing relevant explanations of that material.

Keywords: John Cage, Joseph Campbell, C.G. Jung, Black Mountain College, Asian Religions in America, D.T. Suzuki, Alan Watts, Heinrich Zimmer, Nancy Wilson Ross, The Perilous Night, the story of the prince and the shaggy nag, I Ching, Bollingen, Pantheon Books, The King and the Corpse, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, The Integration of the Personality, Lecture on Something, Defense of Satie."