"Revised Notes on the "Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang"

Author: Zhou Zhenfu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: There are over a thousand temples both inside and outside the old capital of Beijing, but today they are empty, and the sound of bells cannot be heard. It is feared that they may not be passed down to later generations, so this record is written. However, the number of temples in Luoyang is too great to be written about comprehensively. What is recorded here are only the major temples, while the smaller ones are chosen for their uniqueness, secular or Buddhist significance, and thus are noted. Starting from the city center, it proceeds in order to the suburbs. A table is used to list the names of the gates and to record the distances. There are five parts in total. I lack the talent for writing, and there are many omissions. Only wait for later generations with talent and virtue to fill in the gaps. When the Wei Dynasty received the celestial map, it settled in the area between Mount Song and the Luo River, and the faith became even deeper, with the Buddhist teachings flourishing. The nobles and officials abandoned elephants and horses as if shedding their shoes; the common people and wealthy families gave up their wealth as if leaving traces behind. Thus, the temples were densely packed like teeth, and the pagodas were arranged in rows, competing to depict the posture of the Buddha descending from the heavens and imitating the image of the Buddha in the mountains.
—Yang Xuanzhi, Preface to The Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang
When the Wei Dynasty accepted the celestial map, it settled in the area between Mount Song and the Luo River, and the faith became even deeper, with the Buddhist teachings flourishing. The nobles and officials abandoned elephants and horses as if shedding their shoes; the common people and wealthy families gave up their wealth as if leaving traces behind. Thus, the temples were densely packed like teeth, and the pagodas were arranged in rows, competing to depict the posture of the Buddha descending from the heavens and imitating the image of the Buddha in the mountains.
—Zhou Zhenfu's translation of The Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang is one of the four great literary masterpieces of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, alongside The New Tales of the World (Shishuo Xinyu), The Waterways of the Empire (Shuijing Zhu), and The Family Precepts of Yan Xing (Yan Shi Jiaxun). It provides a detailed account of the rise and fall of Buddhist temples in Luoyang over more than forty years, covering the origins, scales, structures, and even strange tales of the major temples. At the same time, it also touches on various aspects of the Northern Wei Dynasty, including politics, economy, culture, folklore, customs, and historical legends, making it highly valuable both literarily and historically. Based on the annotated edition by the renowned scholar Zhou Zumo, Mr. Zhou Zhenfu has translated the entire text of The Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang into modern Chinese, accompanied by detailed annotations, providing an invaluable reference for and studying this masterpiece.