The serial works of History of the World Buddhism, written or translated by Master Sheng Yen, are all Buddhist works concerning with the general history, and only when we examine his historical works in the context of modern Chinese Buddhist historiography, can we reveal their features and contributions historically and objectively. Chinese Buddhist studies, in the sense of modern knowledge, were formed during the second decade to the fourth decade of 20th century. Studies on the formation of the Chinese Buddhist studies in this period would have an important academic- historical significance to the understanding of the evolvement and the characteristics of modern Chinese Buddhist studies. This article is specified in the transition from classic- hermeneutics to historiography, that is, how the Chinese Buddhist research paradigm in modern China changed from classic- hermeneutics-centered to historiography-centered, the formation of the Buddhist general historical books in modern China and its influence on the general historical works written or translated by Master Sheng Yen. It will expound how his writings on Buddhist general history made new progress as well as inheriting the tradition of Buddhist historiography of the modern age.
