scholarly journals Conceptualizing the Interaction of Buddhism and Daoism in the Tang Dynasty: Inner Cultivation and Outer Authority in the Daode Jing Commentaries of Cheng Xuanying and Li Rong

Religions ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike Assandri
Keyword(s):  
Tang Dynasty ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Tang Dynasty ◽  
Daode Jing ◽  
Early Tang

This paper takes the different interpretations of one and the same sentences in the Daode jing as “inner cultivation” or “worldly power” respectively, in the commentaries of two closely related early Tang Daoist authors, Cheng Xuanying 成玄英 and Li Rong 李荣, as a starting point to approach the question of interaction of Buddhism and Daoism from a new angle. Instead of trying to pinpoint influences, origins, and derivatives, I propose to delineate philosophical discourses that cross the boundaries of the three teachings. Parallel excerpts from both commentaries show how Cheng reads the Daode jing as a guidebook for cultivation, and how Li Rong reads it as a guideline for governing. I argue that the differences could be read as the authors’ participation in different philosophical discourses, and I will show, for the case of Cheng Xuanying, how terminological overlap with contemporary Buddhist authors indicates that Buddhists and Daoists both participated in the discourse on inner cultivation with commentaries to their respective sacred scriptures.

COASTAL ALTERATION AND CHANGES IN SHORELINE MORPHOLOGY DUE TO ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURES IN MIIRAKU TOWN ON FUKUE IS. IN THE GOTO ARCHIPELAGO

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryo Sakamoto ◽  
Ryo Sakamoto ◽  
Satoquo Seino ◽  
Satoquo Seino ◽  
Hirokazu Suzaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tang Dynasty ◽  
National Park ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Sand Transport ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Tang Dynasty ◽  
Coastal Changes ◽  
Century Poetry ◽  
Nagasaki Prefecture

A construction of breakwaters and other shoreline structures on part of a coast influences drift sand transport in the bay, and causes comprehensive topographic changes on the beach. This study investigated shoreline and coastal changes, taking as an example of Shiraragahama Beach in Miiraku on the northwestern end of Fukue Island, Nagasaki Prefecture (Kyushu, Japan). Miiraku, adjacent to Saikai National Park, appears in the revered 8th century poetry collection “Manyoshu” and served as a port for a ship taken by the Japanese envoy to China during the Tang Dynasty (618-709). Because of the recent development of breakwaters for a fishing harbor, the shore environments of this beach have changed significantly. In this study, the status of silt deposits and topographic changes on this beach arising from the construction of a harbor breakwater were evaluated by comparing aerial photographs taken in different years. Next, the changes in the shoreline visible from aerial photographs from 1947 to 2014 were analyzed. Lastly, the altitude of the beaches was measured using accurate survey methods. The following results were obtained: 1) coastal erosion made rock cliffs to fall off along the shore and deposited sand on this beach; 2) the more serious advances or retreats of the shoreline took place around shoreline structures; 3) sandbars and beach cliffs were formed.

scholarly journals Technical features of a ninth-century silver vessel of southern China uncovered from Famen Monastery, Shaanxi province

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Panpan Tan ◽  
Junchang Yang ◽  
Xinlai Ren
Keyword(s):  
Tang Dynasty ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Eighth Century ◽  
Shaanxi Province ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Cu Alloy ◽  
Scientific Analysis ◽  
The Tang Dynasty ◽  
Technical Details ◽  
Technical Features

AbstractSilver art is an important feature of the Tang dynasty in China and the manufacturing center for silver shifted from north to south after the mid-eighth century CE. The typology, stylistics, and iconography of silver vessels from both regions have been studied in detail. However, their technical characteristics have rarely been discussed, in particular, those of the southern ones. The current study presents a non-invasive scientific analysis on a partially-gilded silver box from Jiangnanxidao of Tang (southern China), uncovered from the pagoda crypt of the Famen Monastery, Shaanxi province. The results reveal that the box was made of refined silver from cupellation, and composed of five pieces, brazed together with hard solder. Ag–Cu alloy was identified to braze the ring foot and the box bottom. Brazing, hammering, engraving, repoussé, chasing, punching, and partial fire-gilding were employed to shape and decorate the box. More strikingly, the comparative analysis of technical details between this southern box and the previously reported northern silver vessels demonstrates that the former is more precise. Moreover, the similarities in motif expressions of southern-origin silver vessels after the mid-eighth century CE and northern-origin silver vessels before the mid-eighth century CE reflect the inheritance of decorative style. These differences and inheritance indicate that southern artisans after the mid-eighth century CE inherited the decorative technology of the northern-origin silver vessels before the mid-eighth century CE and developed them to greater perfection. The current study presents novel insights into the silver technology of southern China during the late Tang dynasty.

Women's travel in the Tang Dynasty: Gendered identity in a hierarchical society

2021 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 103231
Author(s):  
Xiangli Fan ◽  
Jingqiang Wang ◽  
Honggen Xiao
Keyword(s):  
Tang Dynasty ◽  
Gendered Identity ◽  
The Tang Dynasty ◽  
Women's Travel

scholarly journals What about Rats? Buddhist Disciplinary Guidelines on Rats: Daoxuan’s Vinaya Commentaries

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 508
Author(s):  
Ann Heirman
Keyword(s):  
Tang Dynasty ◽  
Seventh Century ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Strict Adherence ◽  
Early Tang

Buddhist texts generally prohibit the killing or harming of any sentient being. However, while such a ban may seem straightforward, it becomes much more complex when annoying or dangerous animals are involved. This paper focuses on one such animal—the rat. These rodents feature prominently in monastics’ daily lives, so it should come as no surprise that both Indian and Chinese Buddhist masters pay attention to them. In the first part of the paper, we investigate the problems that rats can cause, how monastics deal with them, and what the authors-compilers of Buddhist vinaya (disciplinary) texts have to say about them. In the second part, we focus on how Daoxuan 道宣 (596–667)—one of the most prominent vinaya masters of the early Tang Dynasty—interprets the vinaya guidelines and their implementation in Chinese monasteries. As we will see, he raises a number of potential issues with regard to strict adherence to the Buddhist principles of no killing and no harming, and so reveals some of the problematic realities that he felt monastics faced in seventh century China.

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