Palace Temple: Between the Sacred and Profane of the Tang and Song Empires

Author: Duan Yuming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: As one of the most influential temples in ancient China, the Xiangguo Temple played a significant role in the religious and social life of the Tang and Song dynasties due to its unique status. This paper, based on historical methods and widely employing theories and methods from religious studies, sociology, anthropology, and postmodern cultural studies, conducts a systematic, comprehensive, and in-depth examination of the Tang and Song Xiangguo Temple. It explores aspects such as its construction, successive repairs and expansions, sculptures and murals, miraculous manifestations, eminent monks, its relationship with imperial political life, its connection with the urban economy, and its position in the cultural and entertainment life of the urban elite and commoners. In the coexistence and interaction of multiple forces—religious, secular, and imperial—the characteristics of the Tang and Song Xiangguo Temple offer a new perspective for understanding Chinese religion, belief, and certain aspects of Chinese culture.