Research on Buddhist Temples in the Sui and Tang Capital Chang'an

Author: Gong Guoqiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The Sui and Tang periods were extremely important stages in the history of Buddhist development in China. As the capital Chang'an, being the most important Buddhist center at the time, played a pivotal role in the development of Buddhism across the country and even in East Asia. Therefore, the study of Buddhist monasteries in Sui-Tang Chang'an holds significant academic importance for research in ancient Chinese capital archaeology, ancient Chinese Buddhist archaeology, and related fields.
The author employs historical archaeology methods to systematically integrate documentary records and archaeological data on Buddhist monasteries in Sui-Tang Chang'an. Divided into several different periods, the book discusses the establishment and distribution patterns of city monasteries, exploring their mutual relationship with the capital. Additionally, it conducts restorative research on the various types of architectural layouts of Sui-Tang Chang'an monasteries, as well as the individual buildings and structures within them, and preliminarily classifies the developmental stages of Chang'an monasteries' architectural layouts.
Finally, the book conducts both vertical and horizontal comparative studies on the origins of Sui-Tang Chang'an monasteries in relation to early capital monasteries and ancient Indian monasteries, as well as their influence on Buddhist monasteries in contemporary Korean Peninsula and Japan.