Nan Huaijin Selected Works (Volume 5)

Author: Nan Huaijin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: Nan Huaijin, a renowned scholar with international acclaim, was born in 1918 into a scholarly family in Leqing County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. At 85 years old, he was nurtured in early education and studied the classics in his youth. During the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the young Nan Huaijin took up arms and served on the southwestern frontier. Later, he returned to Sichuan and taught at the Central Military Academy and Jinling University. With exceptional talent and detachment from worldly matters, he often traveled with straw sandals and bamboo staffs, exploring famous mountains and rivers to seek enlightened masters. He once secluded himself at the Big Platform Temple on Mount Emei for three years, diligently reading the vast Great Treasury of the Buddha’s Words. He then traveled to Tibet, studying with masters of Vajrayana Buddhism and gaining profound knowledge of its various schools. After leaving Tibet, he moved to Kunming, initially teaching at Yunnan University and later at Sichuan University. After the war, he returned to his hometown and later retired to Mount Tianzhu in Hangzhou and Mount Lu in Jiangxi, dedicating himself to scholarly pursuits. After moving to Taiwan, he was appointed to teach at Cultural University, Fu Jen University, and other universities and research institutes, spreading his knowledge to Japan, the United States, and Central and South America. In recent years, he has resided in Hong Kong, contributing significantly to cultural exchange between the Taiwan Strait regions. Nan Huaijin is well-versed in classics, history, and philosophy, bridging Eastern and Western cultures with extensive knowledge and numerous works. Especially notable is his method of combining classics and history to explain the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, drawing on diverse sources and presenting profound insights in a vivid and humorous manner. His works have gained widespread popularity among readers across all levels in both Taiwan and mainland China. Fudan University Press is the earliest domestic publisher of Nan Huaijin’s works and the one that has published the most and widest variety of his writings. They have published a total of 24 works, most of which are his representative works. With the authorization of the author and the original publisher, these works have been compiled into ten volumes in hardcover to meet the needs of readers for reading and collecting. The contents of each volume are as follows:
Volume 1: The Analects Decoded
Volume 2: The Way of Lao Tzu and His Sayings, Mencius Explained
Volume 3: The I Ching Unveiled, The I Ching Systematic Commentaries
Volume 4: Zen and Taoism, Taoism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Eastern Mysticism, Meditation for Self-Cultivation and Immortality
Volume 5: Exploring the Zen Sea, Zen Talks, A Brief History of the Development of Buddhism in China, A Brief History of the Development of Taoism in China
Volume 6: Experiences from History, A New Generation Between Tradition and Modernity, General Remarks on Chinese Culture
Volume 7: How to Practice Buddhism, The Perspective of the Sariputra Sutra on the Healing of the World, Basic Beliefs of Buddhist Practitioners
Volume 8: What the Diamond Sutra Means, The Contemporary Interpretation of the Lankavatara Sutra
Volume 9: A Concise Explanation of the Adhyatma-University Sutra, Initial Practices of Meditation and Wisdom, The Contemporary Interpretation of the Lengya Sutra
Volume 10: The Subtle Meaning of the Great Learning
Zen Buddhism, originating in Northern Wei and flourishing during the Tang and Song dynasties, has a unique theoretical framework and practice style that profoundly influenced people’s values, emotions, and ways of thinking. To a certain extent, understanding Zen is essential to understanding the essence of Chinese Buddhism and the intellectual content of countless cultural and artistic works passed down over centuries. This book, personally written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin, is a study of Zen Buddhism. Through a vertical narrative and horizontal comparison, the author discusses the evolution, purpose, transmission, and practical practices of Zen, as well as its differences from Pure Land Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, alchemy, Neo-Confucianism, and Western philosophy. The book presents many original insights. Zen is one of the major schools of Chinese Buddhism, with its unique philosophy of life, values, aesthetic tastes, and ways of thinking deeply influencing 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, as well as its characteristics in different periods, has become a significant academic topic. This book, written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin, introduces the figures and historical events of early Zen Buddhism. It is written in an accessible and concise manner, making it particularly suitable for beginners.
Buddhism originated in India. Since its introduction to China at the end of the Han Dynasty, it has taken root, flourished, evolved, and persisted to this day, becoming an indispensable part of Chinese culture and history. Originally titled A Brief History of the Development of Buddhism in China, this book, written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin, is a historical account of Buddhism. It is divided into five chapters, providing a concise overview of ancient Indian society and religion, the life of the Buddha Shakyamuni, the rise and fall of Buddhism from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, the current state and reflections on Buddhism in 20th-century China, and an overview of Buddhism in Asia and the West. At the end of the book is an important article, The Monastic System of Zen Buddhism and Chinese Society, which explores the origins, content, and social impact of Buddhist monastic institutions, offering valuable insights.
Taoism, with its philosophical roots in pre-Qin Taoism, gradually developed by absorbing and integrating other theories and practices, becoming a native religion of China. Over its long history, it has profoundly influenced ancient politics, economy, philosophy, literature, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, geography, physics, chemistry, folklore, and art, becoming one of the main currents of Chinese culture. This book, written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin, is a historical account of Taoism. It is divided into eight chapters, systematically narrating the academic origins of Taoism, its establishment, growth, expansion, and evolution, its schools, figures, and classics, its relationship with emperors, and the current state of Taoist studies. The book also includes Taoist references and an introduction to the Daozang, providing valuable material for further study.