Selected Works of Nan Huaijin (Volume 5) Zen Sea Glimpses · Zen Talks · A Brief History of the Development of Chinese Buddhism · A Brief History of the Development of Chinese Taoism

Author: Nan Huaijin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-17
Features: Zen Buddhism, which originated in Northern Wei and flourished during the Tang and Song dynasties, has a unique theoretical system and practice style that has profoundly influenced people's values, emotions, and ways of thinking. To a certain extent, without understanding Zen Buddhism, one cannot truly grasp the essence of Chinese Buddhism or the ideological connotations of countless cultural and artistic works passed down through the centuries. This book is a research work on Zen Buddhism written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin. Through vertical narration and horizontal comparison, the author categorically discusses the evolution, purpose, transmission, and practical cultivation of Zen Buddhism, as well as its differences from Pure Land Buddhism, Esoteric Buddhism, Daoist alchemy, Neo-Confucianism, and Western philosophy, offering many unique insights. Zen Buddhism is one of the major sects of Chinese Buddhism, with its distinctive attitudes toward life, values, aesthetic tastes, and ways of thinking, having had an extremely profound and widespread influence on people from all walks of life in ancient society, particularly the scholar-official class, forging an inseparable bond with the history of Chinese thought and culture. Studying the formation, development, and evolution of Zen Buddhism, as well as exploring its characteristics in different periods, has become a major topic in academic research. This book, written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin, introduces the figures and historical events of early Zen Buddhism. It is easy to understand, concise, and very suitable for beginners.
Buddhism originated in India. Since its introduction to China at the end of the Han Dynasty, it has taken root, flourished, developed, evolved, and continued to this day, becoming an indispensable part of Chinese history and culture. This book, originally titled A Brief Overview of the Development of Chinese Buddhism, is a historical work on Buddhism written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin. The book is divided into five chapters, providing a concise and clear account of ancient Indian society and religion, the life and deeds of the Buddha Shakyamuni, the rise and fall of Buddhism from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, the current state and reflections on Chinese Buddhism in the 20th century, and an overview of Buddhism in various countries in Asia and the West. At the end of the book is the article The Monastic System of Zen Buddhism and Chinese Society, which is an important study on the origins, content, and social impact of Buddhist monastic systems, highly valuable for reference.
Daoism, with its ideological origins in pre-Qin Daoism, gradually developed by absorbing and integrating other theories and practices, has become a native religion of China. Over its long history, it has had a broad influence on ancient politics, economy, philosophy, literature, astronomy, calendar calculation, medicine, geography, physics, chemistry, folk customs, and art, becoming one of the mainstreams of Chinese culture. This book, written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin, is a historical work on Daoism. The book is divided into eight chapters, providing a concise and systematic account of the academic origins of Daoism, its establishment, growth, expansion, and evolution, its sects, figures, and classics, the relationship between emperors and Daoism, as well as the current state of Daoist studies. At the end of the book are Daoist references and an introduction to the Daozang, which can be used for reference.