Buddhist Kingship; the Chinese Buddhist Canon; manuscripts; book culture; prefaces of emperors
摘要
This article discusses how and why the authority of Tang makes “prefaces of emperors” and intervenes the production and circulation of the Chinese Buddhist Canon 大藏經 to construct and disseminate the role of Buddhist sacred kingship by inspecting both the material and text of manuscripts of Dunhuang library cave. Through the investigation of Dunhuang manuscripts, ancient Japanese manuscripts, stone inscriptions and historical records, we could confirm the authority of Tang not only supports the activity of translations of Buddhist scriptures but also makes the prefaces of emperors to participate the production of Buddhist sacred scriptures to convey official political / religious discourses from the reign of Emperor Taizong 太宗 to Emperor Dezong 德宗. It's worth noting that it is possible that the authority of Tang set the prefaces of emperors at the first place of Buddhist scriptures in order to shape the ideal Buddhist kingship and strengthen the authority of official productions of Buddhist scriptures. Also, official production of Buddhist scriptures supported and sponsored by emperors could imply the making of whole body of Buddha. In Tang dynasty, for the readers of Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist manuscripts are not limited to sacred and spiritual texts, but also regarded as knowledge for individual and outside world. The prefaces of emperors could affect the perception and imagination of Tang empire and its land in readers’ mind.
