Marcus Bingenheimer Assistant Professor, Department of Religion, Temple University
關鍵詞
Mount Putuo=普陀山; Ningbo=寧波; Ming Buddhism and the military=明代佛教與武官; travelogue=遊記; Puji Temple=普濟寺; Fayu Temple=法雨寺; Buddhist sacred sites=佛教聖地
摘要
Mount Putuo, the Chinese Potalaka, is located in the Zhoushan archipelago not far off the coast from Ningbo. The abode of Avalokiteśvara/Guanyin was not only a popular pilgrimage site, but also played a strategic role for the naval control of the archipelago, especially in the Ming and Qing dynasties. In late imperial China, a number of military officials patronized the temples on Mount Putuo. In this paper we will follow Regional Commander Hou Jigao to Mount Putuo through a close reading of his travelogue (1588). Hou’s travelogue offers a firsthand account of how a high-ranking military official experienced the island. As a case study, it serves as reference for future research into the connection between the military and institutional Buddhism in late imperial China, a topic that has received little attention so far.
