Sectarian and Secular: Lay Perspectives in <i>Stūpa</i> Burials at Mount Zhongnan During the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–906)
The canonical limitations on <i>stūpa</i> burial for ordinary monks and prohibitions on non-Buddhist <i>stūpas</i> underwent significant changes in medieval China. A key question emerges when considering how the use of <i>stūpas</i> expanded beyond honoring the Bu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/1/53 |
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| Summary: | The canonical limitations on <i>stūpa</i> burial for ordinary monks and prohibitions on non-Buddhist <i>stūpas</i> underwent significant changes in medieval China. A key question emerges when considering how the use of <i>stūpas</i> expanded beyond honoring the Buddha and saints to include lay individuals. People’s interpretation of <i>stūpas</i>—whether they were clergy or lay followers—varied based on their distinct social contexts, living circumstances, and religious beliefs. This article examines lay participation in the <i>stūpa</i> forest at Mount Zhongnan in Chang’an during the seventh and eighth centuries, drawing primarily on inscriptions evidence. By reassessing funerary <i>stūpas</i> erected for laypeople at Mount Zhongnan, this article calls for a reconsideration of the traditional sectarian view of lay-oriented funeral rituals. Even within the laity, motivations for constructing funerary <i>stūpas</i> differed. For some lay Buddhists, the Three Stages teachings influenced their burial practices, while for others without a direct connection to this community, <i>stūpa</i> burials were often more personal, centered on family commemoration. This study highlights the interplay between religious rituals and social structures, as evidenced by the historical and cultural significance of specific material culture. |
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| ISSN: | 2077-1444 |