Bridging the Other World: Pure Land Buddhism and Literati Culture in Song Dynasty China (960–1276)

Abstract

The Song Dynasty (960-1276) witnessed significant transitions in Pure Land Buddhism, with the rising literati class playing a crucial role in reshaping this religious tradition. This dissertation contextualizes these changes within the Buddhist resurgence following the Huichang Persecution (841-845) and the political turmoil of the tenth century. By examining the transformation of Pure Land belief and its interaction with literati culture from four perspectives—social organization, cultural paradigm, print technology, and anthologization practice—this project sheds light on the complex dynamics that shaped the development of Pure Land Buddhism during this period.The dissertation investigates the popularization of Pure Land teachings through the lens of community organization, focusing on the West Lake Lotus Society established by the monk Shengchang in the late tenth century. It also explores how Song literati constructed and adapted the myth of Huiyuan and his “White Lotus Society” to make Pure Land teachings culturally appealing and socially acceptable among their social stratum. The study further analyzes the significant role of lay Buddhists, particularly Wang Gu and Wang Rixiu, in composing and circulating proselytizing texts that simplified and restructured Pure Land doctrines for a broader audience. Finally, it examines the first anthology of Pure Land texts, the Lebang wenlei (Categories of Writings on the Blissful Land 樂邦文類), compiled by the Tiantai monk Zongxiao 宗曉 (1151-1214) in 1199 CE, highlighting his pioneering efforts to establish Pure Land Buddhism as a distinct and legitimate tradition, with literary footprint deserving of a comprehensive anthology. Employing a combination of social network analysis, textual analysis, and literary-historical analysis, this dissertation offers new insights into the popularization of Buddhism, religious shifts within the Tang-Song transition framework, and religious-literary writings of Song literati. By analyzing the reciprocal influence between literati culture and the Pure Land tradition, this dissertation seeks to complicate current academic narratives and offer a more complex and multifaceted understanding of the interaction between religion and literati culture.