Description
Book SynopsisFirst published in 1981, Chün-fang Yü’s
The Renewal of Buddhism in China challenged the conventional view that Buddhism had reached its height under the Tang dynasty (618–907) and steadily declined afterward. This fortieth anniversary edition features an updated introduction by the author speaking to the ongoing relevance of this classic work.
Trade ReviewThe Renewal of Buddhism in China changed my understanding of Chinese Buddhism when it was first published forty years ago. It revealed, as it still does, that Buddhism is not just an idea but a social movement that has been shaped by real people working in the real world. A classic that is still a classic. -- Timothy Brook, author of
Great State: China and the WorldIn demonstrating how domesticity assumed central place in the theology and practice of monk Zhuhong's syncretic Buddhism, Chün-fang Yü has shifted the ground of historical analysis once and for all. Although the word "gender" did not appear in these pages because it had yet to appear in common language, this germinal book is a classic in the history of women and gender of China. -- Dorothy Ko, author of
Teachers of the Inner Chambers: Women and Culture in Seventeenth-Century ChinaWithout a doubt, this new edition of
The Renewal of Buddhism in China is much needed. In 1981, the original book set a new standard in the field, and there still remains no single monograph on the figure of Zhuhong aside from this one. Chün-fang Yü’s work is still groundbreaking after forty years. -- Stephen F. Teiser, coeditor of
Readings of the Platform SūtraForty years after its publication, Chün-fang Yü’s book on Chinese monk Zhuhong, presented here with a new introduction, has stood the test of time and become a classic in the field. Its lucid style, balanced coverage, and reasoned analysis not only serve a broad audience but also provide a model for studying any religious figure whose life and thought are as complicated and profound as Zhuhong’s. -- Jiang Wu, coeditor of
Spreading Buddha’s Word in East Asia: The Formation and Transformation of the Chinese Buddhist CanonThe Renewal of Buddhism in China remains a crucial touchstone for all scholarship on post-Tang Buddhism. * Reading Religion *
This volume is as relevant today as it was in 1981. * Religious Studies Review *
Table of ContentsForeword by Daniel B. Stevenson
Preface to the Fortieth Anniversary Edition
Preface to the Original Edition
On the Illustrations
1. Introduction
2. Zhuhong’s Life and Major Works
3. Zhuhong and the Joint Practice of Pure Land and Chan
4. Zhuhong and the Late Ming Lay Buddhist Movement
5. Syncretism in Action: Morality Books and
The Record of Self-knowledge6. The Condition of the Monastic Order in the Late Ming
7. Internal Causes of Monastic Decline in the Ming Dynasty
8. Zhuhong’s Monastic Reform: The Yunqi Monastery
9. Conclusion
Appendix 1. A Translation of
The Record of Self-knowledgeAppendix 2. Personnel at Yunqi and Their Duties
Appendix 3. Regulations Regarding Good Deeds and Punishments at Yunqi
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
