Buddhism and Late Tang Poetry

Author: Hu Sui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: This book explores the influence and penetration of Buddhism on late Tang poetry from multiple perspectives, including the sorrow of survival, reflection on history, avoidance of reality, spiritual reliance, and the modeling of personality. It provides a relatively specific discussion on this literary phenomenon. The core argument is that the integration of Buddhist thought in late Tang poetry revolves around the concepts of suffering (), emptiness (), stillness (), and tranquility (). Suffering reflects the realities of life, emptiness reflects the understanding of history and life, stillness represents the cessation of worldly troubles and delusions, and tranquility signifies calming the mind and purifying one's nature. Additionally, by examining the poets' journeys of self-injury, self-consolation, self-comfort, self-mastery, and self-realization through Buddhism, the book concludes that Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism emerged along this line of thought, drawing on the experiences and lessons of late Tang literati in finding a sense of purpose and stability in life.