Encounter Between Indian and Chinese Civilizations: Ximing Monastery of Tang Chang’an and the Silk Roads (Research) (Complete in Two Volumes).
Listed as one of the “Top Ten Best Books” of 2023 by the Renowned Zhonghua Publishing House (Zhonghua Shuju).
Report by Michael Cavayero (Assistant Professor, Peking University)
On December 4, 2023, the esteemed Zhonghua Publishing House (Zhonghua shuju 中華書局, hereafter referred to as the Publishing House) unveiled its annual selection of the “Top Ten Best Books” 雙十佳圖書 in Beijing. This distinguished compilation comprised fifty works meticulously chosen by the Publishing House’s editorial committee from new publications spanning the period between December 1st, 2022, and November 30th, 2023.
The evaluation process, categorized into ‘Classical Academic Works’ 古籍學術 and ‘Popular Humanities’ 大眾人文, showcases the latest achievements in traditional cultural publishing projects, reflecting the Publishing House’s longstanding commitment to this domain and its distinctive contemporary profile.
A panel of experts from diverse fields, including universities, research institutions, book review media, and the publishing industry, comprised the review committee for the final evaluation. The judges thoroughly considered various aspects, such as content, distinctive features, academic significance, commercial market response, and other pertinent factors, within the Classical Academic and Popular Humanities categories. Considering market feedback and sales data, the Publishing House committee ultimately selected Encounter between Indian and Chinese Civilizations: Ximing Monastery of Tang Chang’an and the Silk Roads (Research) (Complete in Two Volumes) 西明東夏: 唐代長安西明寺與絲綢之路 (hereafter, Encounter) as one of the “Top Ten Best Books” of 2023.
Encounter’s central theme is Ximing Monastery 西明寺, a royal-imperial monastery situated in the Yan Kang district of Chang’an, the capital of the Tang dynasty. During the zenith of Tang prosperity, Ximing Monastery held a preeminent status among numerous imperial monasteries. Authored by Peking University’s School of Foreign Languages Professor Zhan Ru, the book centers on Ximing Monastery in Chang’an, delineating its pivotal role in Chang’an Buddhism and its broader implications for Chinese Buddhism. The exploration follows three distinct routes: “Pamir Plateau 帕米爾高原→Dunhuang 敦煌→Chang’an 長安”, “Ximing Monastery 西明寺→Hangzhou 杭州→Japan 日本”, and “South China Sea→Guangzhou 廣州→Chang’an 長安,” systematically examining the monastery’s impact along the overland and maritime Silk Roads, thereby vividly portraying the civilization of Chang’an.
In addition to placing Ximing Monastery and its lineage of significant monk figures at the core of the discussion, the book addresses new questions and materials related to the Monastery’s legacy and impact on East Asian Buddhism. This includes examining the aspects of Buddhism’s spread to Japan via the Tang dynasty Chang’an lineage of monks at Ximing Monastery and its influence on medieval Japanese conceptions and re-imaginings of Buddhist architecture and design derived from both India and China. The book also delves into the artistic and literary tradition surrounding Ximing Monastery’s community of monks, lay Buddhists, and literati scholars, reconstructing a medieval Buddhist worldview expressed through cultural manifestations.
The exploration within the book sheds light on the seamless fusion of the sacred and the secular, the transcendence from worldly affairs and the pursuit of wealth, the interplay between politics and religion, the harmony of the spiritual and material realms, and the integration of the Central Land and exotic territories. Furthermore, it illuminates the interaction between the East and the West. These reflections offer insight into the delicate relationship between imperial authority and religious authority, as well as the dynamic interplay between the sacred and the secular during the medieval period.
Encounter between Indian and Chinese Civilizations: Ximing Monastery of Tang Chang’an and the Silk Roads (Research) (Complete in Two Volumes) 西明東夏: 唐代長安西明寺與絲綢之路
Publishing House’s editorial committee
