Abstract:
This talk gives an overview of recent thinking on the typology and structure of the liturgical texts found among the Dunhuang manuscripts. I propose dividing the thousands of liturgical texts found at Dunhuang into two main categories: liturgical protocols(zhaiyi 斋仪) and liturgies (zhaiwen 斋文). Liturgical protocols (sometimes called “written protocols,” shuyi 书仪) were used as references for drafting liturgies. Liturgies, written up on the basis of these liturgical protocols, were functional documents that were read aloud at all kinds of ritual gatherings.
We can also divide the structure of the liturgies into five parts: the “opening” (haotou 号头), “exaltation of virtues” (tande 叹德), “liturgical purpose” (zhaiyi 斋意), “ritual area” (daochang 道场), and “adornment” (zhuangyan 庄严). This structure is roughly applicable to liturgical protocols and liturgies with all manner of content, including hymns of praise, apotropaic rituals, healing rites, and mourning rites, though there are of course many variations in the specific arrangement and sequence of the parts.
This talk will also touch on the commonly used term “prayer texts” (yuanwen 愿文). I will suggest that this is a specific kind of liturgical text and that the term cannot be used as a blanket reference to the broader category of “liturgical text.”
敦煌写本斋文的分类、定名及其文本结构
郝春文（首都师范大学资深教授）
提要
数以千记的敦煌写本斋文可以分为《斋仪》和斋文两类，《斋仪》与《书仪》性质相同，是供起草斋文参考用的文书；斋文是依据《斋仪》起草的在各类斋会上宣读的文书，是实用文本。斋文的文本结构可以分为“号头”、“叹德”、“斋意”、“道场”和“庄严”五个部分。 《斋仪》和斋文集的结构大致包括赞颂功德、攘灾、患差、悼亡等诸多方面的内容，但具体编排次序有多种样态。
“愿文”是斋文的一种，不能作为“斋文”类文书的通称。
About the Speaker:
Prof. Hao is a senior professor of the School of History at Capital Normal University, also serving as the head of the university’s Institute of Historical Studies. His main areas of research are Dunhuang documents, Buddhism in China, and Chinese history, especially from the 3rd to 13th century. In the past few decades, he has published several monographs on various related topics, which include Zhonggu shiqi sheyi yanjiu 中古时期社邑研究 (The Study of Confraternities in Medieval China), Tang houqi Wudai Song chu Dunhuang sengni de shehui shenghuo 唐后期五代宋初敦煌僧尼的社会生活 (The Social Life of Buddhist Monks and Nuns in Dunhuang during the Late Tang, Five Dynasties, and the Early Song), Shishi xiejing: Dunhuang yishu 石室写经——敦煌遗书 (Scriptural Manuscripts in Stone Chambers: Dunhuang Documents), Dunhuang de lishi he wenhua 敦煌的历史和文化 (The History and Culture of Dunhuang) (co-author), and Dunhuang sheyi wenshu jijiao 敦煌社邑文书辑校 (A Critical Collection of Documents concerning Confraternities from Dunhuang) (co-author). In addition, he was the chief editor of Vol. 12-14 in a multi-volume collection of Dunhuang manuscripts which are preserved in the United Kingdom and have published a host of articles. His current primary work-in-progress is an investigation of Dunhuang documents kept in the U.K., with the goal of collecting and studying the data related to social history. This is one of the major research projects sponsored by the National Social Science Fund of China. The outcome of this project will be a 30-volume series Ying cang Dunhuang shehui lishi wenxian shilu 英藏敦煌社会历史文献释录 (Annotated Transcription of the Dunhuang Literature concerning Social History Preserved in the U. K.), of which 15 volumes have already been published.
He has served in a wide range of institutions. These posts include President of the Institute of Dunhuang and Turfan Studies of China, Chief Editor of Dunhuang xue guoji lianluo weiyuanhui tongxun 敦煌学国际联络委员会通讯 (Newsletter of International Liaison Committee for Dunhuang Studies), chief editor of Dunhuang Tulufan yanjiu 敦煌吐鲁番研究 (Studies on Dunhuang and Turfan), and editorial member of Zhongguo shi yanjiu 中国史研究 (Journal of Chinese Historical Studies).
