Research on Buddhist Historical Literature of the Song Dynasty

Author: Cao Ganghua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: Chinese Buddhist historical records are rich in content and diverse in form. They not only document the development and origins of Chinese Buddhism but are also closely related to the politics, economy, and culture of Chinese history. Therefore, they are important resources for studying the history of Chinese culture and also for studying Chinese historiography. This book primarily studies the Buddhist historical records of the Song Dynasty, reflecting the general picture of their compilation and transmission during that period. It explains the characteristics of the development and changes in the genres and formats of Song Dynasty Buddhist historical records, and elaborates on their ideological and cultural value as well as historical value in Chinese history. Overall, since the Wei and Jin periods, Chinese Buddhism has played an undeniable role in the entire history of China, involving almost every research field of Chinese history. To study the history of Chinese Buddhism, Buddhist historical records are indispensable, and the Buddhist historical records of the Song Dynasty hold a particularly important position among them. Therefore, placing the Buddhist historical records of the Song Dynasty within the broader context of the development of Chinese Buddhism, the history of scholarship, and the history of thought will provide a systematic examination, thereby contributing to the study of Buddhist historical records and offering significant theoretical and practical value.