Jiang Wu, Lucille Chia, eds.. Spreading Buddha's Word in East Asia: The Formation and Transformation of the Chinese Buddhist Canon. Sheng Yen Series in Chinese Buddhist Studies. New York: Columbia University Press, 2015. 405 pp. $75.00, cloth, ISBN 978-0-231-17160-1.

Reviewed by Courtney Bruntz

Published on H-Buddhism (July, 2016)

Commissioned by Gregory A. Scott (University of Edinburgh)

This volume is a signifcant contribution with‐ After a preface by Lancaster and an introduc‐ in the Sheng Yen Series in Chinese Buddhist Stud‐ tion by the editors, the volume includes nine ies. Authors focus on the publication of the Sinitic chapters divided into four sections: part 1, “Over‐ Buddhist canon, and they bring together textual view”; part 2, “The Formative Period”; part 3, “The and social histories to examine not only the dif‐ Advent of Printing”; and part 4, “The Canon be‐ culties in compiling, editing, and publishing these yond China.” Two appendices provide a useful texts but also the motivations for doing so. Among survey of the printed editions of the Chinese Bud‐ monographs examining canonical texts (notably dhist canon as well as an update of the CBETA those by Lewis Lancaster, Gregory Schopen, and (Chinese Buddhist Electronic Text Association) Albert Welter), this collection shines for it re‐ Electronic Tripitaka. In each of the nine chapters, draws the boundaries of how the canon is studied. authors emphasize canonical intersections with Rather than limiting the analysis to a particular politics and technology, thus advancing studies of geographical locale, this volume takes a transna‐ Chinese Buddhism as well as discussions of can‐ tional approach. Further, authors push scholar‐ onization. The canon was an object of devotional ship by broadening how the texts are analyzed, writing for earning merit, and an object of vener‐ thus providing future works a model of analysis ation. It was also a mechanism for emperors to embedded in fuidity. Contributors detail imperi‐ gain cultural capital and international allegiances al, monastic, and lay actors who sponsored and for monastics to enhance prestige of their fundraising and production activities necessary monasteries. Additionally, the mechanics for pro‐ for constructing these texts. Incorporating an ar‐ ducing the canon required the collaboration of di‐ ray of disciplines, they focus on social histories of verse actors, including donors, printers, editors, the Kaibao Canon 開寶藏, Qisha Canon 磧砂藏, commercial distributers, and state supporters. Goryeo Canon 高麗藏, and Taishō Canon 大正藏. Nine chapters thoroughly detail these activities, H-Net Reviews drawing the reader into rich cultural contexts sur‐ canon’s openness must be clarifed. While the rounding Sinitic canonization. canon went through an open phase for many cen‐ Chapter 1, “The Chinese Buddhist Canon turies, the Chinese canon “became based on a through the Ages: Essential Categories and Critical core body of texts stipulated by monk Zhisheng’s Issues in the Study of a Textual Tradition” by Jiang Kaiyuan Catalog” (p. 36). Premodern canons in Wu, familiarizes the reader with the Chinese Bud‐ East Asia used this core of translated texts for lat‐ dhist canon—its origin, historical development, er canon compilation, and thus they may be structure, materiality, and critical issues for viewed as extensions, transformations, or even studying it. In discussion of the Chinese Buddhist reductions of this catalog. This provides a useful canon’s origin, Wu highlights the intrigue of the introduction for the next chapter in which Wu Mahayana Canon for Chinese Buddhists. While In‐ presents the “Cult of the Canon.” dic Buddhist culture was orally based, the Chinese In the second chapter, “From the ‘Cult of the imagined the Buddhist canon as a set of written Book’ to the ‘Cult of the Canon’: A Neglected Tradi‐ texts. From the frst to the ffth centuries, the Chi‐ tion in Chinese Buddhism,” Wu contextualizes the nese collected all available Buddhist sources and “Cult of the Canon” movement within the “Cult of drew on Confucian modes of cataloging practice the Book,” a Mahayana Buddhist devotion to writ‐ for formulating nondenominational/nonsectarian ten texts. He includes activities of creation, distri‐ compilations. Wu introduces the various forms of bution, and maintenance within his description of the Chinese Buddhist canon—manuscript edi‐ the “Cult of the Canon.” Devotion, sponsorship, tions, the stone canon, and the printed editions, as and the creation of the canon occurred within well as signifcant emperors and Buddhist schol‐ commoner (clergy and laity) and imperial con‐ ars who sponsored the publication of canon edi‐ texts. Royal families, Wu notes, generally support‐ tions—in order to acquaint the reader with per‐ ed the canon, because not only did it hold wisdom sons and topics taken up in later chapters. Wu regarding truths of the universe as well as moral points out that the Chinese canon is unique in instructions but, they believed, it also would bring terms of the medium of its production and repro‐ blessings to their nation. Rulers thought it would duction (for example, the use of woodblock print‐ bring well-being for deceased and living family ing and binding technologies), its combination of members, thus initiating personal devotion. Piety material and physical elements (including its ty‐ occurred in multiple ways in sacred texts, and Wu pographical features and formats), its layout and points out that believers would use “one title, or numbering system (a post-845 CE method based one fascile, or even one booklet as the object of on the one thousand characters [qianziwen zhi‐ worship for a period of one year” (p. 51). Further, hao fa 千字文帙號法]), and storage techniques (in‐ the canon's physicality as a sacred object was of cluding wheel storage [lunzang 輪藏] and revolv‐ utmost importance, thus storage inventions devel‐ ing wheel storage [zhuanlunzang 轉輪藏]). While oped, and of particular interest to readers is Wu’s Buddhist studies scholars (and religious studies discussion of the revolving repository. Mentioned scholars more broadly) are acquainted with stud‐ in his previous chapter, and further explicated in ies of a religious canon, the Buddhist canon chal‐ this one, Wu details the revolving repository that lenges familiar notions within the feld, and it is reached popularity in the Song dynasty. The re‐ this conversation in Wu’s chapter that is quite volving repository allowed practitioners to “read” pertinent. He notes that we not only lack a single the enclosed sutra (such as the Kaibao or Puning defnition of the Chinese Buddhist canon, the term Canon 普寧藏) via circumambulation, thus creat‐ “Chinese Buddhist canon” itself is misleading. Var‐ ing a shortcut to gaining the meritorious benefts ious editions exist, and misconceptions of the of reading. It is Wu’s contention that the revolving

2 H-Net Reviews repository developed into a separate cult, aided translations and commentaries—a focus that pro‐ by legends and stories of its numinous nature. Wu vides the reader with examples of creative visions points out that other shortcut readings of the (including that of the category of vaipulya) that canon were also aimed at eliminating disasters infuenced the canon’s adaption. while illuminating the mind. Rather than reciting In “Fei Changfang’s Records of the Three and copying the entire canon, one could recite Treasures throughout the Successive Dynasties and copy just the catalog but receive equal bene‐ and Its Role in the Formation of the Chinese Bud‐ ft. These activities during the Song contributed to dhist Canon,” chapter 4, Tanya Storch pays atten‐ the canon’s elevation as a sacred object, and Wu tion to the Lidai sanbao ji 歷代三寶記 (published further explains that Chan Buddhists were among around 597). It is a signifcant text of analysis for those who fervently acquired the canon, built re‐ this volume, for it classifes Buddhist texts accord‐ volving repositories, and promoted canonical ing to their supporting imperial ruler. Fei viewed reading for beneft. the ruler as having authority to determine which Chapter 3, Stefano Zacchetti’s “Notions and texts were canonized, and in Fei’s re-visioning of Visions of the Canon in Early Chinese Buddhism,” the canon, many previously condemned texts opens part 2 of the volume, “The Formative Peri‐ were included. Following Wu’s chapters on the od.” This study points out the Chinese canon’s dis‐ importance of imperial support and veneration of tinctiveness as both inclusive and conservative. the canon as a sacred object, as well as Zacchetti’s The author focuses on the mid-second to the late chapter regarding the importance of secondary fourth century CE to untangle the social histories texts, Storch’s study emerges as a pertinent case that shaped the canon’s features. Zacchetti uses study on Fei’s infuential catalog from the Sui dy‐ the term “inclusive” to refer to the canon’s textual nasty. She examines Fei’s history of Buddhist bibli‐ trans-sectarianism and “conservative” to point ography and argues that its signifcance comes out that the canon preserved translations, even from its inclusion of other catalogs from the era. when new ones occurred, thus compiling a multi‐ Further, the author demonstrates that Fei not only plicity of translations. Zacchetti’s elucidation of established the Buddhist bibliographic tradition— this is pertinent to religious studies scholars, since creating a pattern of record keeping for Tang dy‐ he contends that there is no parallel of this phe‐ nasty scholars (including Daoxuan and Zhisheng nomenon among other religious traditions. To to follow)—but also began a Confucian-inspired him, this fact tells us much about Chinese Bud‐ Buddhist textual criticism tradition. Embedded in dhists themselves, for they did not seek to elimi‐ his project was the view that the dynastic ruler nate history from their texts but rather “saw the held authority over text inclusion. Storch argues historical dimension inherent in the transmission that Fei established a means for representing the of the canon” (p. 84). Zacchetti provides an analy‐ Tripitaka that both elevated its social and cultural sis of the canon as it was shaped by interactions prestige and ofered a shortened version for prac‐ with diverse practices, ideas, and traditions. Rec‐ titioners. This canon registry (ruzang mu 入藏目) ognizing that there are few sources from the sec‐ included only texts used by Chinese practitioners, ond and third centuries CE, he relies on early beginning a trend of reducing the canon to its statements about the canon (from the Han to the most essential parts. time of Dao’an). While he recognizes that the most Chapter 5, “The Birth of the First Printed important text for studying the early canon is Sen‐ Canon: The Kaibao Edition and Its Impact” by Wu, gyou’s (僧祐) Collection of Records on the Transla‐ Lucille Chia, and Chen Zhichao, opens part 3, “The tion of the Tripitaka (Chu sanzang ji ji 出三藏記 Advent of Printing.” The authors of this chapter 集), he focuses on analyzing interchanges between

3 H-Net Reviews present a textual and historical analysis of the connecting point between current Song and his‐ Kaibao Canon that notably also examines Chinese torical dynasties—creating a “present past” (my print culture from the ninth to the tenth cen‐ terminology). turies. Much of this historical investigation re‐ Chapter 6, “The Life and Afterlife of Qisha veals the role that Song imperial powers played in Canon,” Chia turns the discussion away from im‐ creating new policies regarding Buddhism, but perial patronage of Buddhist canonization the authors also demonstrate the role that the projects and examines the monasteries, individu‐ Kaibao Canon played in infuencing political pro‐ als, and groups that infuenced compilation and cedure. They convincingly argue that the Song im‐ publication of the Buddhist canon. The author di‐ perial drive for establishing political authority vides the discussion into inquiries of the Qisha prompted ofcial interest in the Kaibao Canon. Canon in the Song, Yuan, and Ming periods. Song emperors emphasized wen 文 (literary/civil) Throughout, she asks who the actors who com‐ and thus sponsored publishing projects. Individu‐ missioned productions of the entire canon rather al rulers, such as Taizong, were patrons of literary than printing individual sutras were. Chia shows projects to pointedly “spread civilization through‐ that compared to the Yuan, the Southern Song out the empire” (p. 149). Taizong’s strategy of es‐ had fewer large-scale (private and ofcial) tablishing himself as an “emperor of letters” by donors, and work on the Qisha Canon paused. An‐ supporting Buddhist projects is especially high‐ other reason for this hiatus, she argues, was that lighted in this chapter (p. 150). Such a recognition lay Buddhist donors were involved in the Puning of the sociopolitical contexts in which Buddhist Canon project. With a break in production from literary projects become mechanisms for imperial 1273 to 1296, the Qisha Canon took over a hun‐ control help the reader understand the diverse dred years to complete compared to the Kaibao ways in which texts like the Kaibao Canon were Canon’s eleven years and the Puning Canon’s used during the Song. Patronage helped publish‐ fourteen years. During the Yuan, economic ing locales like Chengdu in Sichuan, for example, growth around Suzhou, local and regional govern‐ emerge as commercial centers. The authors also ment ofcial support in continuing the Qisha interrogate the amount of supervision the state Canon project, and the promotion of esoteric Bud‐ had and assess whether or not the Kaibao Canon dhism by non-Han clerics all contributed to the printing project in Chengdu (a project initiated by compilation and block carving of the Qisha the Song government) had any relationship to lo‐ Canon. Around 1306, the pace of its production in‐ cal manuscript traditions. Such questions remain creased, pointedly because of the eforts of Guan unanswered but open up promising avenues for Zhuba, register of monks in Songjiang Prefecture. future research. The picture that emerges from Chia points out that in comparing the production this chapter is that the Song state’s patronage of of Qisha Canon to that of the Puning Canon, we the canon production process allowed the ardu‐ see that both were supported by Buddhist move‐ ous task to be completed, and the history of the ments involving lay practitioners and both were state’s management over the collection is one of initiated by private groups. Signifcant aspects of transferring control to local temples. The authors social history, however, infuenced the creation of point out, however, that this state enterprise does these texts, including the mobilization of skilled not indicate a concern over the canonicity of Bud‐ labor needed for printing (copyists, illustrators, dhist texts but rather an interest in: establishing a and engravers); access to resources for printing; Song state that supported Buddhism; mobilizing and necessity of print shops located within com‐ the Kaibao Canon for diplomatic relations; and mercial networks in order to connect printers imagining Buddhist texts as a cultural and literary with markets, Buddhist temples, and government

4 H-Net Reviews ofces. Production of an entire canon was thus printing, and distribution of the private Jiaxing quite a challenging task and required the coordi‐ Canon to the Yongle Southern Canon 永樂南藏, nated interaction of these various actors. Chia Long details the rules, regulations, and instruc‐ contends that Buddhist lay movements printed tions that maintained high standards of produc‐ the entire Qisha Canon during the Yuan for the tion and ensured customer satisfaction. His chap‐ purposes of merit making, building up a ter signifcantly enhances this volume by looking monastery’s importance, fostering international at the production of an edition of the Buddhist relations, and reprinting. During the Ming, print canon from the perspective of Chinese monks, shops continued to play an active role in dissemi‐ and he underscores the great concern Buddhists nating the Qisha Canon, and the text further had regarding the preservation of quality when gained prestige as the archetype for the Hongwu reproducing Buddhist literature. Southern Canon. It was an act of fate, Chia con‐ Chapters 8 and 9 complete the fourth part of cludes, that allowed the Qisha Canon to overtake this volume, “The Canon beyond China.” In “Bet‐ the Puning Canon in signifcance: although the ter Than the Original: The Creation of Goryeo Puning Canon was destroyed in a fre, the Qisha Canon and the Formation of Giyang Bulgyo,” Wu Canon survived into the Ming. and Ron Dziwenka situate the Buddhist canon In chapter 7, “Managing the Dharma Trea‐ within the context of ritual performances in the sure: Collation, Carving, Printing, and Distribution court during the Goryeo era. While in China, the of the Canon in Late Imperial China,” Darui Long canon was used to spread the teachings of the discusses the management of printing the Bud‐ Buddha and to gain blessings; in Korea, carving of dhist canon by the imperial court, monks, and lay the canon had an additional purpose—to repel practitioners. Relying on the Qingjing tiaoli 請經條 disasters. The Buddhist canon fused into court rit‐ 例 (Rules for requesting a Buddhist canon) and the uals infuenced by astrology and divination, and Kezang yuanqi 刻藏缘起 (The [account of the] ori‐ in the process the canon gained a talismanic ele‐ gin of production of the Buddhist canon), he de‐ ment. Carving the canon, along with military scribes the collation process by emperors, includ‐ plans, became a strategy for warding of inva‐ ing Emperor Chengzu (r. 1403-24), Yongzeng (r. sions. “Rituals of exorcism” were prevalent in 1723-35), and Qianlong (r. 1745-96) before dis‐ Goryeo culture (p. 275), and the Buddhist canon cussing private collations. This chapter echoes was incorporated into these types of indigenous chapter 5 in its account of the political powers in‐ practices, notably becoming a device for govern‐ tertwined in the production of the Buddhist ment rituals resisting catastrophes. canon. What it adds is the story of the proofread‐ In chapter 9, “Taishō Canon: Devotion, Schol‐ ing performed by emperors in which they or‐ arship, and Nationalism in the Creation of the dered monks to delete parts of the scripture, as‐ Modern Buddhist Canon in Japan,” Greg Wilkin‐ serting not only their political power but also son provides an account of the Taishō Canon’s their religious authority. Chapter 7 further show‐ creation, the purposes of its production, and the cases technological advancements related to the infuence it has had on modern Buddhist scholar‐ collation of the Jiaxing Canon 嘉興藏, including ship. The chapter, compared to the previous ones, the beginnings of string-bound editions. This is the most transnational in scope. In his discus‐ change, which began by the mid-Ming, served to sion of the Meiji’s infuence on the construction of reduce costs but required fundraising eforts, new the Taishō Canon, Wilkinson examines interac‐ rules for proofreading, and a gathering of labor to tions between Buddhist priests and European undertake the task. By comparing the carving, scholars to stress the importance of advancing

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Buddhist intellectualism after the religious perse‐ hanced this volume’s redrawing of scholastic cutions of the early Meiji period. Along with evan‐ boundaries. gelism, canonical research and publishing were This work opens the door for future research emphasized, and the Taishō Canon’s creation fol‐ that pays attention to how the Chinese Buddhist lowed several earlier publishing projects, includ‐ canon infuenced Buddhist communities across ing the reduced print edition. Wilkinson contends East Asia. Further, within a broader context of that the Taishō Canon project followed a trajecto‐ Buddhist studies, the volume importantly encour‐ ry of asserting Japanese Buddhism’s intellectual ages scholars to continue fusing together multiple rigor and that its rhetoric (as well as its dedication disciplines, thus further pushing the frontiers of ceremony) expresses Japanese nationalism. The examination. Chinese, Buddhist, and Asian studies canonical project was a means for priests and scholars will fnd this collection useful in its con‐ scholars to advance Japan’s Buddhology through‐ struction of social history rich in both textual ex‐ out Asia and in the West, and they upheld the be‐ amination and cultural articulation. Taken togeth‐ lief that the canon would provide defense for the er, the chapters present a mosaic of reasons for nation. Wilkinson points out this similarity be‐ which the canon was collated, enhancing our un‐ tween Korean and Japanese history, and here derstanding not only of Chinese Buddhist history again, the reader encounters an interesting dialog but also of discussions centered on canonical dis‐ between religious and political spheres of society. course. Overall this volume provides a rich history of the Chinese Buddhist canon and showcases recent advancement in scholarship regarding the canon. Chapters are topical in nature, inviting the reader into conversations regarding the ways in which canonical production intersected with politics, in‐ ternational relations, religious practice, socio-eco‐ nomics, science, and literary culture. Its strength lies not only in its narration of the historical con‐ text in which the canon was produced but also in its breath of texts and social histories. Authors stress the importance of devotional activities re‐ lated to the Buddhist canon, while also emphasiz‐ ing the complex processes of producing a canon— processes involving state sponsorship as well as material, human, and fnancial resources. Fur‐ thermore, they investigate not only who commis‐ sioned the creation of the Buddhist canon but also for what reasons. The only lacuna of this work is a concluding chapter that traces the similarities of canon construction and publication, as well as its use, from a transnational point of view. The vari‐ eties of topics covered in this volume are wel‐ come. However, an ending analysis that examines the studies en masse would have further en‐

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Citation: Courtney Bruntz. Review of Wu, Jiang; Chia, Lucille, eds. Spreading Buddha's Word in East Asia: The Formation and Transformation of the Chinese Buddhist Canon. H-Buddhism, H-Net Reviews. July, 2016.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=46783

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