Nan Huaijin Selected Works. Volume 5

Author: Nan Huaijin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-09-01
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. When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, 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 freedom from worldly constraints, he often traveled with straw sandals and bamboo staffs, exploring famous mountains and rivers, seeking out eminent monks and scholars. He once retreated to the Pingping Temple on Mount Emei for three years of seclusion, thoroughly reading the vast Great Tang Tripitaka. He then traveled to Tibet, studying with masters of Vajrayana Buddhism and gaining deep insights into the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism. 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. Soon after, he 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 Ren University, and other universities and research institutions in 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 profound knowledge and extensive writings. Especially notable is his method of combining classics and history to explain the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. His works are rich in references, insightful, vivid, and humorous, making significant contributions to popularizing traditional Chinese culture and earning widespread admiration among readers across both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Fudan University Press is the earliest publisher of Nan Huaijin’s works in China and the publisher with the most extensive and varied collection of his writings. They have published a total of twenty-four works by Nan Huaijin, 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, bound 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 Confucius, Mencius in Perspective
Volume 3: The I Ching Unveiled, Commentary on the I Ching Systematic Transmission
Volume 4: Zen and Taoism, Taoism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Eastern Mysticism, Meditation for Self-Cultivation and Longevity
Volume 5: Exploring the Zen Sea, Zen Talks, An Outline of the Development of Buddhism in China, An Outline 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 Worldly Perspective of the Sariputra Sutra, Fundamental Beliefs of Buddhist Practitioners
Volume 8: What the Diamond Sutra Means, A Contemporary Interpretation of the Lankavatara Sutra
Volume 9: A Brief Explanation of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Initial Practices of Meditation and Wisdom, A Contemporary Interpretation of the Lankavatara 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 theory and practice style that profoundly influenced people’s values, emotions, and ways of thinking. To a certain extent, without understanding Zen, one cannot fully grasp the essence of Chinese Buddhism or the ideological connotations of countless cultural and artistic works passed down over centuries. This book is a scholarly work on Zen Buddhism written by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin. 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 Buddhism is one of the major schools of Chinese Buddhism, with a unique outlook on life, values, aesthetics, and ways of thinking that deeply influenced 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 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 written in an accessible and concise manner, making it very suitable for beginners.
Buddhism originated in India. Since its introduction to China in the late Han Dynasty, it has taken root, flourished, evolved, and persisted to this day, becoming an indispensable part of Chinese culture and history. This book, originally titled An Outline of the Development of Buddhism in China, is a historical work by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin. 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 China in the 20th century, and an overview of Buddhism in Asia and the West. At the end of the book is the important article Zen Monastic Institutions and Chinese Society, which explores the origins, content, and social impact of Buddhist monastic institutions, making it a valuable resource for study.
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, 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 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 research on Taoism. The book also includes Taoist references and an introduction to the Daozang, providing valuable material for study.