Painting Faith: Li Gonglin and Northern Song Buddhist Culture (Sinica Leidensia)

Drawing from previously untapped Buddhist sources, this book contextualizes Li Gonglins Buddhist faith and art through the Chan environment in his hometown (Longmian) and the prevailing Tiantai, Pure Land, Huayan and Chan schools of the Northern Song Dynasty. Contents 8 Acknowledgments 12 Abbreviations 16 List of Illustrations 18 Diagrams 24 Introduction 26 Chapter One Longmian Chan and the Foundation of Li Gonglin's Buddhist Learning 40 Longmian Chan Circles: Institutional Environment and Cultural Ambiance 46 Fushan Yuanjian Fayuan 46 Baiyun Shouduan 50 Touzi Yiqing 55 Wuzu Fayan and Touzi Pucong 57 The Two Lis and Longmian Chan Circles: Early Contact and Lifelong In? uence 59 Huayan, Chan, and Tiantai Pure Land Synthesis in the Longmian Chan Community 65 Huayan Philosophy and Longmian Chan Circles 65 Tiantai Pure Land in the Longmian Mountains Region 73 Chapter Two Longmian Mountain Villa as Earthly Paradise 84 The Mountain Villa as Part of the Longmian Chan Landscape 86 Buildings in the Mountain Villa: Names, Designs, and Functions 90 Lodge of Establishing Virtue and the Country of Emptiness 90 Ink Chan Hall 94 Flower Garland Hall 98 Hut of Secret Perfection 100 Landscape: Abodes and Bodily Manifestations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas 107 Raining Blossoms Cliff 107 Necklace Cliff 108 Precious Blossom Cliff 113 Avalokitesvara Cliff 113 Peak of Accumulated Gems 115 Surpassing Gold Cliff 116 Reassessing the Identity of Longmian Mountain Villa: an Earthly Paradise 119 Chapter Three Li Gonglin, an Early Chinese Chan Painter 122 Perceptions of Chan Painting 122 Foundation of Li Gonglin's Buddhist Painting 131 Dingxiang (Chan master portraits) 131 Li Gonglin and Chan Subjects 140 Picture of Transmitting the Dharma and Bestowing the Robe 140 A Monk Gazing at Fish: Portrait of Xuansha Shibei 158 Danxia Visits Layman Pang (Danxia fang Pang Jushi ) 161 Avalokitesvara 171 Chapter Four Li Gonglin's White Lotus Society Picture 198 Myths of the Lotus Society and Li Gonglin's Interpretations 201 Nature as a Preferred Site for Buddhist Practice 203 The Genre of Three Worthies Not Included in the Society 205 Xie Lingyun on Horseback 206 Tao Yuanming in a Carrying Basket 210 The Two Laughers, Huiyuan and the Daoist Lu Xiujing 216 The Snake Expeller 219 In the Society 223 Two Scenes of Appreciating Nature 223 Zhang Ye Viewing a Waterfall 223 Zong Bing and Tanshun Returning from a Walk in Nature 227 Scenes of Buddhist Activities 230 The Sutra-translation Scene 230 The Sutra-preaching Scene 235 The Mañjusri Image and the Buddhist Ritual Scene 238 Chapter Five White Lotus Society Picture and Li Gonglin's Pure Land Faith 254 White Lotus Society Picture as a Diagram of the Bodhisattva Path 255 Tao Yuanming and Xie Lingyun—Hongzhou Chan Ideology of the Bodhisattva Path 261 The Three Buddhist Scenes in White Lotus Society Picture and the Dunwu Jianxiu Bodhisattva Path 272 Daosheng Represents Maitreya 272 Mañjusri Represents Himself 274 Sutra-translation Scene: Completion of the Bodhisattva Path 281 White Lotus Society Picture and Li Gonglin's Pure Land Faith 287 Pre-Song Bodhisattva Pure Land Ideology 292 Yongming Yanshou's Wanshan tongguiji and Bodhisattva Pure Land Cultivation 294 Xingchang's Pure Conduct Society 301 Yongming Yanshou, Xingchang, and Li Gonglin's Pure Land Ideology 305 Epilogue 308 Appendix Three Extant Versions of White Lotus Society Picture 314 The Nanjing Hanging Scroll Version 314 The Zhang Ji Version in the Liaoning Provincial Museum 322 The Shanghai Handscroll Version 328 Pictorial Design of Li Gonglin's White Lotus Society Picture 331 The 1081 Version Given to Li Chongyuan: Format and Composition 332 Original Format and Composition of Li Gonglin's 1081 White Lotus Society Picture 337 Pictorial Design of the 1081 Version 342 Pictorial Arrangement of Li Gonglin's White Lotus Society Picture Prior to 1081 as Recorded by Li Desu 347 Li Gonglin's Late Depictions of the White Lotus Society as Revealed in the Zhang Ji Handscroll 350 Glossary 356 Bibliography 382 Index 394 Figures 422

Despite Li Gonglin’s (ca. 1049-1106) deep faith in Buddhism and the large number of recorded and extant Buddhist paintings associated with or ascribed to this great painter, twentieth century scholarship on Li Gonglin has focused primarily on his literatus identity and Confucian art oeuvres. This book departs from this traditional view to establish Li Gonglin’s importance in Chinese Buddhist art history through both the local Longmian Chan and the larger Northern Song religious contexts. It offers a fresh understanding of the impact the intermingling of Tiantai, Pure Land, Huayan and Chan philosophies and practices had on Li Gonglin’s faith and art. Painting Buddhist subjects to Li Gonglin was an expression of faith.