Handbook of the History of Religions in China II

ibidem-Press, Stuttgart

Contents

Preface

About the authors

About the translator

Major Dynasties in Chinese History

Chapter Six Religions in Liao, Song and Jin Dynasties and Western Xia (the Tangut Empire)

An Overview

Primitive Religions and Flourishing Buddhism in Liao

1) Traditional Khitan beliefs and the tendency of Sinicization

2) The prevalence of Buddhism and its characteristics

Religions in Song Dynasties: Syncretism and Evolution

1)Revising and perfecting the sacrificial codes applicable to the state religion

2) The equal importance of meditation and doctrine in Buddhist practice and the syncretism of Buddhism and Confucianism

3) Thriving Daoism

4) Manichaeism, Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrianism

Religions in Jin dynasty

1) Conventional customs of the Jurchen people and the creation of institutions with respect to the Jurchen state religion

2) The growing popularity of Buddhism

3) The emergence and growth of new Daoist schools in areas north of the Yellow River

Religions in the Western Xia Dynasty

1) Primitive sorcery and the cult of spirits

2) The introduction and growth of Buddhism

3) The Tangut Tripitaka and its significance

The second diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet and the formation of Buddhist sects

1) Well-known Buddhist figures and their contributions in the Houhong (Second Diffusion) Period

2) Sects of Tibetan Buddhism and their theories

Chapter Seven Religions in Yuan Dynasty: A Boom in Faith

An Overview

The Reconstruction and Characteristics of Official Religious Rituals

1) The grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to Heaven

2) The (Royal) Ancestral Temple

3) The Imperial shrine for Earth and Grain gods

4) The Imperial ceremony advocating the Kingship of Confucius

5) Offering sacrifices to gods of mountain, river and sea

6) Traditional Mongol customs

The development of Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism and the practice of the “Imperial Preceptor”

1) The Mongol aristocrats’ adoration of Buddhism

2) The development and administration of Buddhism in Yuan

3) The unique practice of the Imperial Preceptor in Yuan

4) The growth of Buddhist sects in the Central Plains

5) Buddhism and Yuan culture

The Introduction and Growth of Theravada Buddhism in Yunnan

1) The introduction of Theravada Buddhism into Yunnan

2) Theories and sutras of Theravada Buddhism

3) The sects, monastic hierarchy and monasteries in Theravada Buddhism

4) Theravada Buddhism and the Dai society

The Prevalence and Popularity of All Truth Daoism in the Lower Reaches of Yangtze River

1) Qiu Chuji and the rise and fall of All Truth Daoism

2) The flourishing Way of Orthodox Unity in the lower reaches of Yangtze River

3) The growing popularity of Jingming Dao in the lower reaches of Yangtze River

The Resuscitation of Yelikewen (Erkeun/Arkagun), Islam and Judaism

1) Yelikewen (Erkeun/Arkagun): The re-introduction of Christianity into China

2) The rapid growth of Islam in Yuan

3) The development of Judaism in Yuan

The Rise of the White Lotus Sect and Social Changes in Late Yuan Dynasty

1) The birth and growth of the White Lotus Sect

2) The White Lotus rebellions in the late Yuan

Chapter Eight Religions in Ming Dynasty: The Pluralistic Syncretism and Popularization

An Overview

Development and Perfection of Rituals and Ceremonies of the Patriarchal Religion

1) The grand ceremony of sacrificing to Heaven and Earth

2) Sacrifices to the Earth and Grain gods, the Sun and Moon, the Divine Farmer, the Goddess of Silkworms and the God of Matchmakers

3) Altars of various deities and Earthly and Celestial gods

4) Sacrifices to Emperors, holy Masters, men of virtue and outstanding Ministers of all ages

5) The Royal Ancestral Temple

6) Funerals and related dressing codes

Buddhism in the Syncretism of the Three Great Teachings

1) Ming’s religious policies and administration of Buddhism

2) Tsongkhapa’s religious reform of Tibetan Buddhism

3) Two great branches of the School of Meditation and their representative figures

4) Other Buddhist schools

5) The Great Four Buddhists in the late Ming dynasty

The Secularization of Daoism and the Growing Prosperity of the Daoist School of Fulu (Mysterious Symbols, Drawings and Incantations)

1) The royal family and Daoism

2) Two major Daoist schools: The Way of Orthodox Unity and All Truth Daoism

3) Zhengtong Daozang 正统道藏 and万历续道藏 Wanli xu Daozang

The Reintroduction of Christianity into China and Clashes with Traditional Chinese Culture

1) Missionaries entered China in every possible way

2) Matteo Ricci’s strategy of Confucianizing Catholicism

3) Nanjing Incident: The first conflict between Christianity and Chinese culture

4) The revival of Christian churches in the late Ming

The Growth of Islam in Ming

1) Islam and the Ming dynasty

2) The emergence of “Scripture-Hall Education”

3) The production of Chinese editions of Islamic writing

The Great Development of Popular Religions in Ming

1) The prosperity of popular religions and the evolution of White Lotus Teaching

2) The Luo Sect and its derivatives

3) The Yellow Heaven Sect and the Red Sun Sect

4) The Three-in-One Teaching

5) General characteristics of popular religions in Ming

Chapter Nine Religions in the Qing Dynasty: Differentiation, Development and Decline

An Overview

Sacrifices in the State Religion

1) Imperial Codes regarding state sacrifices

2) Changes in state sacrifices in the late Qing dynasty

3) The veneration of and sacrifice to Confucius

4) The preservation and evolution of traditional Manchu religious customs

5) The decline and persistence of traditional patriarchal religion

The Development and Decline of Buddhism in Qing

1) The Emperor’s adoration of Buddhism and the Imperial administration of Buddhism

2) The decline of Buddhist schools

3) The predominance of lay Buddhists

4) Secular scholars’ Buddhist studies

5) Tibetan Buddhism in Qing

The Continuity, Diffusion and Decline of Daoism

1) The decline of Zhengyi 正一 Daoism or the Way of Orthodox Unity

2) Quanzhen 全真 Daoism in Qing

3) Daozang jiyao 道藏辑要 and new Daoist writings

4) The continued diffusion of Daoism in the Chinese society

Popular Religions in Qing

1) The Ba’gua 八卦 (Eight-Trigram) Sect

2) Popular religions in the late Qing

The Growth of Islam in Qing

1) Chinese Tariqas

2) Chinese translations of Islamic writings

3) Chinese translations of the Koran

Christianity in Qing

1) A great progress of missionary work in the early Qing

2) The Controversy of Rites and the change of Kangxi’s policy on Catholicism

3) Stricter bans on Catholicism and missionary incidents in three reigns

4) Christianity in the late Qing

5) Christianity in the early modern China: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Chapter Ten Religions in the Republican China (1912–1949)

An Overview

The Resuscitation and Reformation of Buddhism

1) The efforts to modernize Buddhist organization

2) The efforts to modernize Buddhist activities

3) The Grotto of Storing Scriptures in Dunhuang 敦煌

4) Buddhist gurus in modern China

5) Prominent Buddhist scholars’ remarkable achievements

6) Tibetan Buddhism in Republican China

The Fall and Rehabilitation of Daoism in Republican China

1) Political situations and the fate of Daoism

2) Efforts to rehabilitate Daoism

3) The rise of secular scholars’ studies of Daoism

New Growth of Islam in the Republican China

1) The birth and growth of Islamic social organizations

2) The vivid development of Islamic scholarship and culture

3) Eminent Chinese Muslim scholars and their contributions

4) Yang Zenxin 杨增新 (1864–1928) and Xinjiang

Rapid Growth of Christianity and its influence in Chinese society

1) The internal and external conditions for the rapid growth of Christianity

2) The growth of Christian orders

3) Christianity and Republican politics

4) Contributions Christianity made to Chinese society

Preface

Overall Description

Digging into the long history of China, this highly-acclaimed book investigates a variety of religions in a comprehensive and systematic way. These religions include: primitive religions and worship; archaic patriarchal religions; traditional Daoism; popular religions; and non-indigenous religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Furthermore, the book discusses in detail the origin, growth, introduction—as well as dissemination—of religions in China. With insightful analysis, the two authors illuminate sects, doctrines, rituals and disciplines of Chinese religions, along with exchanges and interactions between religions, thoughts and cultures. To put it in a nutshell, this revised two-volume General History of Religions in China pulls together vast knowledge and understanding of the cultural roots, characteristics and impact of religions throughout Chinese history.

About the authors

Professor Mou Zhongjian 牟钟鉴 was born in 1939 in Yantai, a beautiful coastal city of Shandong Province. He studied in the Department of Philosophy at the prestigious Peking University. He devoted himself to the history of Chinese philosophy and was awarded his Master of Arts degree. Then, he spent more than 20 years (1966–1987) at the Institute of World Religions at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), where his research focused on the Chinese philosophy and religions. In November 1987, he began teaching at Minzu University of China (i.e. Central University for Nationalities). Mr. Mou has been appointed to the highest level of professorship and is responsible for supervising Ph.D. programs in the University’s Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. He has been rewarded with prestigious titles such as the National Outstanding Teacher Award. Prof. Mou’s major publications include: Lüshi Chunqiu yu Huainanzi sixiang yanjiu 《吕氏春秋》与《淮南子》思想研究 (An intellectual inquiry into The Spring and Autumn of Master Lü and The Master Huainan); Zoujin Zhongguo jingshen 走进中国精神 (Walking into the Chinese spirit); Ruxue jiazhi de xin tansuo 儒学价值的新探索 (Ground breaking explorations of the value of Confucianism), and so forth.

Professor Zhang Jian 张践 works for the famous Renmin University, or the People’s University of China. He is also a Guest Research Fellow at the MOE’s Research Center for Buddhism and Theories of Religious Study and a Guest Professor at Minzu University. The International Confucian Association offered Prof. Zhang membership of Council and Directorship of the Committee of Dissemination. In addition, he serves as the Vice President of the China Society for Practical Learning. Prof. Zhang is a leading scholar in the fields of history of religions in China and history of Chinese philosophy. He has published numerous monographs such as: Zongjiao, zhengzhi, minzu 宗教·政治·民族 (Religion, politics, and ethnicity); 中国民间宗教史 (History of popular religions in China); and Dexing yu gongfu—Zhongguo ren de xiuyang guan 德性与功夫——中国人的修养观 (A priori virtues and a posteriori moralities: Chinese ideas of self-cultivation).

About the translator

Chi Zhen, Ph.D. (2007), National University of Singapore, is Associate Research Fellow at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS). He has published monographs and articles on Chinese intellectual history. He devotes himself to the English translation of academic works authored by highly intellectual Chinese scholars. His latest translation work was Marxism and Religion (Brill, 2014).

Chapter Six Religions in Liao, Song and Jin Dynasties and Western Xia (the Tangut Empire)