Two Thousand Years of Chinese Buddhism (Super Deluxe Hardcover, 2,000 Limited Editions Printed as Art Books)

Author: Wang Zhiyuan, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-09-01
Features: Officially launching China's largest, thickest, and heaviest classic reference album! — Zhonghua Fojiao Ertian (Two Thousand Years of Chinese Buddhism) as a temple treasure, collected by over 1,000 temples nationwide! Its grand scale has been submitted for the Guinness World Record!
Selected with over 15,000 real-life photographs: Introducing more than 1,000 Chinese temples, featuring commemorative artworks by over 150 renowned figures! Exploring the formation, development, and philosophy of Buddhism from historical, cultural, and artistic perspectives!
Price: RMB 56,000 (USD 6,500)
This is a single-volume, large 4-fold album, priced at RMB 56,000, printed in color on copper paper. As a temple treasure, it introduces over 1,000 Chinese temples (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan), featuring a total of over 15,000 color real-life photographs and commemorative artworks by over 150 distinguished figures. It elaborates on the formation, development, and philosophy of Buddhism from historical, cultural, and artistic perspectives. The cover is made of natural camphor wood, with the back cover of fragrant sandalwood, weighing over 100 jin. The dimensions of this book are 65 cm × 42 cm × 23 cm, with gold leaf gilding on three sides of the book spine.
On the inside back cover, a pure gold commemorative emblem with a diameter of 10 cm and weighing 12 grams is embedded.
The large-scale album Zhonghua Fojiao Ertian was solemnly consecrated on August 28, 1999, at the site of the Chinese Buddhist Association—Guangji Temple in Beijing. The Venerable Chuanyin, Vice President of the Chinese Buddhist College, presided over the ceremony. Monks and abbots from over 200 temples nationwide recited scriptures for the album. The Chinese Buddhist Association immediately designated it as the temple treasure of Chinese Buddhist temples.