Republican-era Buddhism; Sichuan Buddhism; Suining; Guanyin; Princess Miaoshan; Monk Qingfu; Chinese Buddhist nuns; yuanshi Fojiao (Original Buddhism)
摘要
Research on Buddhism in modern Sichuan has been limited mostly to a few case studies and places. However, the in-depth research undertaken here reveals a richer picture, involving several rural and urban centers, and overlapping monastic and lay networks. One of these understudied yet crucial places is Suining 遂寧. The development of Buddhism in Republican-era Suining centered on three elements: the local belief that Suining was the home of Guanyin 觀音; the life and practice of the monk Qingfu 清福 (1862–1940); the "invisible" yet growing female communities there. Based on fieldwork encounters and written documents, this article is a microhistory that zooms in on lived religious practices and unique local narratives. At the same time, it shows that Suining Buddhism also reflected key features of Buddhism in modern Sichuan, and it engaged in significant Chinese and regional discourses, such as the call for a new model of sangha education, and the quest for Original Buddhism (yuanshi Fojiao 原始佛教).
目次
Abstract 127 Introduction 127 Buddhism in Suining: History and Context 131 Premodern History: Lingquan and Guangde Monasteries 131 Development in the Late Qing and the Republican Period 133 The Legend of Princess Miaoshan: The "Suining Version" 137 The Monk Qingfu 清福 (1862–1940): Modern Xuanzang or Nirmāṇa-kāya of the Young Sudhana? 143 Qingfu's Biography: Life, Practice, Ideals 144 Qingfu's Journey to the West and the Quest for Original Buddhism 148 Buddhist Women and Nuns: Miaoshan's Legacy in Republican Suining 158 Song-Dynasty Nuns of Suining: Huiming Nunnery (Huiming yuan 慧明院) 158 Revival in the Republican Period: Qingfu and the Aidao Buddhist Society 160 From Qingfu to Guanyi: The Development of a Shifang conglin 十方叢林 for Nuns 167 Conclusion 172 List of Abbreviations 173
