《北山录》=Bei Shan Lu; 神清=Shen Qing; 服制=Mourning Apparel System
摘要
Since introduced into China from the Han Dynasty, Buddhism faced many challenges. Especially because of the special ritual norms and teaching doctrines,Buddhism was often rejected by Confucianism, which was the mainstream indigenous system of thought. In contrast, Buddhists also argued in defense of their own religion, and there were heated debates between Confucians and Buddhists.
Among them, discussions on the aspect of ritual occupied a very important position. The problem of the mourning apparel system can be traced back to the ancient rites in the dynasties prior to the Qin. Over time, the mourning apparel system also evolved on the basis of the previous customs, and although various differences can be seen at each stage, it was always regarded as one of the guiding principles of legislation. From the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, many Buddhists had both ability and political integrity, and they made strong arguments about this significant ritual issue, which relieved the contradictions between Buddhism and Confucianism, and also made a very important contribution to the development of Buddhism at that time.
Until the Middle Tang Dynasty, the status of Buddhism again changed. Shi Shenqing, the author of Bei Shan lu, was faced with anti-Buddhist trends, and in response to this difficult situation, composed this work. Through the Bei Shan lu,he responded to major contradictions and important questions, with the aim of making Buddhism conform to the development of the times, and to retain its status in society. Because Shen Qing was knowledgeable and talented, he was able to （54） discuss the relationship between “three religions” clearly in the Bei Shan lu. Shen Qing especially articulated his point of view in the chapter “Mourning Clothes”.
Therefore, this article focuses on the chapter “Mourning Clothes” in the Bei Shan lu, which aims to compare two kinds of mourning apparel systems and to recognize the similarities and differences between the Buddhism and Confucian rituals. I take the position that the Buddhist rituals explained by Shi Shenqing represent a kind of fusion of Confucian ritual and ethical concepts. Also, it was an active rational choice rather than a forced choice. This kind of transformation gradually gave form to the unique funeral rituals of Buddhism, which had a great influence after the Tang and Song Dynasties. It is worth mentioning that while Buddhism was influenced by Confucian traditional ideas, Buddhism also gradually influenced Confucianism. Because of the frequent debates and communication, the connection between them was also constantly strengthening. It did not fully satisfy to the original expectations of the Confucians, but such an outcome was inevitable.
