The monastic title of BaZhiTouTuo (1851-1912) is Jing-an, who is also named as Ji-Chan. He once swore to devote himself fully to the Buddhism and titled himself as BaZhiTouTuo. BaZhiTouTuo had a twisted life journey, which made him a person of self-abnegation, a Buddhist leader of the late Ching Dynasty, and a magnificent poetic monk. This article centers on BaZhiTouTuo, investigates the plural meanings of his poems, and gauges the achievement of monk poets in the late Ching. On one hand, the study tackles personal friendships and Huxiang culture that shapes BaZhiTouTuo’s temperament and moral practices situated in the context of political environment and Buddhism reforms in the late Ching. On the other hand, it observes BaZhiTouTuo’s interaction with the poet community in the social and cultural context of the late Ching and probes into his social participation in the age of political revolt. In addition, this study looks into BaZhiTouTuo’s sensibility, rationality and spirituality and discusses the embodiment of his personal emotion, care for the society and spiritual cultivation. Uncovering different dimensions and spheres of spirituality in BaZhiTouTuo’s life, the study analyzes his works, including his letters, talks, autobiography and inscription, in order to understand and construct a cultural image of him, which represents his personal dedication to life and cultural subjectivity. Finally, the study evaluates the values of creation and position of BaZhiTouTuo in the circle of poetic monks and in the history of the late Ching.
