This article uncovers the Buddhist cultural relations between Chang’an and Dunhuang in the High Tang Era through the study of a Dunhuang document preserved in the Russian Collections. The Da Anguo Si (Great Anguo Monastery) was once the residence of Prince Anguo Xiangwang (later Ruizong Emperor), who gave up the purple to his son Xunzong in 712 A.D. During the Kaiyuan Era (713-741), The Great Anguo Monastery accommodated every kind of Buddhist scholars and thus became one of the most important royal monasteries. This certificate shows that Daojian, a monk from the Great Anguo Monastery, was authorized to preside over the ritual held in Shazhou (Dunhuang) in 741. At the same time, he preached the imperial commentary on the Diamond Sutra, and the Lotus Sutra as well as the Fanwangjing (Brahmajāla-sūtra). This indicates that a culture bridge was set up between Chang’an and Dunhuang, through which the newly published sutra, paintings, and articles could transported to the border city.
