A History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties Periods. Revised Edition (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Tang Yongtong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-04-01
Features: A History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, two volumes. Written by Tang Yongtong in modern times, completed in 1938. Published by the Commercial Press in Changsha the same year. Reprinted by the Zhonghua Book Company in 1955, and reprinted again in 1962. In 1983, the Zhonghua Book Company published a new edition in horizontal simplified characters. A History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties is a historical work that narrates the introduction of Buddhism into China during the Han Dynasty and its development during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties periods. Regarding the origins of its composition, the author explains in the postscript at the end of the book: "Since childhood, I have been instructed by my family. Early in life, I delved into the classics. My father, Mr. Yu San, taught people to be diligent in moral conduct, but in enlightening the ignorant, he often recounted past words and deeds as warnings. As I grew older, I devoted myself to the profound study of philosophy and often loved reading the Buddhist scriptures. I also had a strong interest in tracing the evolution of ancient thought and the changes in schools of thought. Over the past decade, I have taught in both the north and south, often instructing scholars in the history of Chinese Buddhism. My lecture notes, accumulated over the years, have been compiled into this volume. I am aware that my understanding of the Dharma is limited, and my knowledge of language, history, and geography is scarce. Therefore, my explanations are superficial, and the organization is disordered, with nothing that meets expectations. However, as the country faces turmoil (referring to the outbreak of the War of Resistance), with war raging in the suburbs, I have managed to complete this work and entrust it to the publisher. I do not claim that the study of textual research can alleviate the hardships of the times, but I cherish this work as if it were a precious broom. I hope to use the results of my long-term research as a conclusion. I only hope that in the future, when the nation flourishes and the land is peaceful, scholars will continue to write about the history of Chinese Buddhism by reading this work." In short, this book is the result of the author's decade of teaching and research, a masterpiece that has been meticulously compiled. A History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties is divided into twenty chapters. Chapters to are titled "Part One: Buddhism in the Han Dynasty", while Chapters to are titled "Part Two: Buddhism in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties". The first volume covers Chapters to , which includes the entire "Part One: Buddhism in the Han Dynasty" and the first part of "Part Two: Buddhism in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties". The second volume covers Chapters to , which includes the latter part of "Part Two: Buddhism in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties". A History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties is well-organized, rich in materials, and its arguments are based on facts. Since its publication, it has gained fame both domestically and internationally, becoming one of the most influential masterpieces in Tang Yongtong's entire body of work. No one who studies the history of Chinese Buddhism or Buddhist philosophy considers it a treasure. To this day, no other work has surpassed it in accumulating historical materials on Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties periods.