Mount Lu Revisited : Buddhism in the Life and Writings of Su Shih

IT WOULD be difficult to mention by name all of the people to whom I owe heartfelt gasshos of gratitude. There are a few, however, whom I simply cannot let pass without more formal acknowledgment. I am particularly grateful to Hilda Chen-Apuy, who opened her home and her library of books on Asia to me so many years ago; to the late James J. Y. Liu, who carefully nourished my love of Chinese poetry; and to Chou Hsien-shen of Peking University, with whom I spent many happy and fruitful hours reading and discussing Su Shih's writings. I am also deeply grateful to Ronald Egan, who knows Su Shih even better than I do, and who has been extremely generous with both scholarly advice and moral encouragement. I am thankful for the suggestions and patient support tendered by my colleagues at Washington University, in particular Professors George Hatch, Robert Hegel, Robert Morrell, and James Shih. I have also benefited greatly from the expertise of Robert Gimello and Miriam Levering who steered me away from some of the more dangerous pitfalls that await a student of literature who dares venture into Buddhological terrain. Working with Sharon Yamamoto and Cheri Dunn of the University of Hawaii Press has been a pleasure, and, as someone who can edit everyone's work but her own, I am endlessly grateful for the editorial expertise of Susan Stone. My largest debt of gratitude, however, must surely go to my parents who, although they may not have fully comprehended why I lavished so much energy on such a seemingly obscure topic, have supported me from beginning to end. I dedicate this book to them. vii Buddhism in Eleventh-Century China NORTHERN SUNG BUDDHISM is a complex and rich topic that, until fairly recently, has been relatively neglected by scholars of Chinese religion and history. However, there are now a number of excellent studies that reveal the limitations of the traditionally accepted characterization of Sung Buddhism as a decadent and demoralized faith. 1 The brief overview that follows will draw from many of these studies. Its primary aim is to present, at the risk of simplification and overgeneralization, some of the major Chinese Buddhist personalities, doctrines, and texts of the eleventh century and thus to set the stage for a discussion of the Buddhism in Su Shih's writings. In this way, we can better appreciate Su's personal response to his spiritual environment as well as more clearly understand the extent to which he shared this response with contemporaries.An account of early Sung Buddhism is largely a story of revival and recovery from the shock inflicted by the violent anti-Buddhist persecutions of 845, when, according to contemporary accounts, over 260,000 monks and nuns were defrocked and more than 4,600 temples and 40,000 shrines systematically destroyed. 2 The revival began almost immediately. Two months after the first Sung emperor, T'ai-tsu, ascended the throne in 960, the court sponsored the ordination of 8,000 young monks. The ordinations were continued by his successor, and by 1021 there were nearly 400,000 monks and over 61,000 nuns, more than twice the number that had been secularized under Emperor Wu-tsung of the T'ang. 3 In addition, the court supported the establishment of temples and monasteries, which sprang up in great numbers throughout China: between 1004 and 1007, for example, there were 25,000 Buddhist temples in China, but by 1077 there were 40,613." Sung T'ai-tsu also sponsored large-scale translation projects. In 966 he sent 157 monks to Su Shih (1037-1101) Is Regarded As One Of The Greatest Chinese Literary And Intellectual Figures Not Only Of The Northern Sung But Of All Time. He Has Been The Subject Of Many Studies But, Until Now, None Have Attempted To Address Fully The Vital Question Of Buddhism In His Work. Beata Grant Has Uncovered Among Su Shih's Voluminous Writings An Extraordinarily Wide Range Of Buddhist-related Poems, Hymns, Essays, And Other Writings That Attest To Buddhism's Importance In The Literary Culture Of This Period. In Mount Lu Revisited, Grant Significantly Alters Current Perceptions Of Both Su Shih And Of High Sung Culture By Showing The Deep And Pervasive Influence Of Buddhist Language, Imagery, And Ideas On Su's Work. The Study Opens With A Concise Overview Of The Complex And Multifaceted But Little-studied World Of Eleventh-century Chinese Buddhism And Su's Role Within It. This Is Followed By A Detailed Study Of The Ways In Which The Nature Of This Great Poet's Engagement With Buddhism Was Shaped By The Constantly Changing Circumstances Of His Life And How These Changes Are Reflected In His Art. What Emerges Is A Vivid Portrait Of Su's Struggle To Resolve Creatively The Psychological, Intellectual, And Spiritual Tensions In His Life, Including The Classic Tension Between A World-centered Confucianism And Buddhism's Promise Of Personal Liberation. Because Many Of These Struggles Reflect Larger Ones Taking Place In Eleventh-century China As A Whole, The Light Thus Shed On Su Shih's Life And Art Also Illumines The Relation Between Religious And Literary Culture During This Time. This Original And Comprehensive Work Will Be Of Interest Not Only To Students Of Su Shih And Sung Literature But To All Those Broadly Interested In This Important Period Of Chinese Medieval History. 1. Prologue -- 2. Buddhism In Eleventh-century China -- 3. Of Arhats And Altruistic Monks -- 4. In Buddha Country -- 5. In A Wilderness Of Mulberry And Hemp -- 6. An Ant On A Millstone -- 7. A Thousand Kalpas In The Palm Of His Hand -- 8. Like A Withered Tree -- 9. Epilogue. Beata Grant. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 231-240) And Index.