The Cultural Practices of Modern Chinese Buddhism

Book

Buddhism in China during the late Qing and Republican period remained a powerful cultural and religious force. Francesca Tarocco is a rising star in this field and offers an innovative high-quality piece of work that presents a new perspective on the influence of Buddhism on Chinese culture. Drawing on scarcely analyzed historical and archive sources, including photographs and musical scores, Tarocco adeptly argues that Chinese Buddhism played a more vital role in shaping Chinese culture than previously assumed. This enlightening study fills a significant gap in the field of Chinese Buddhist history. Focusing on the cultural side of Buddhism, it adds breadth and balance to studies in Buddhism as a whole, appealing to professionals and academics with an interest in Buddhism and Chinese Buddhist history. (Source: Routledge)

Citation	Tarocco, Francesca. The Cultural Practices of Modern Chinese Buddhism: Attuning the Dharma. London: Routledge, 2007.

- List of figuresix
- Acknowledgementsxi

Introduction: modern Buddhist cultures1
Part 1
The cultural practices of Buddhist modernity25
1.1 Shanghai Buddhism27
1.2 Vegetarian identities31
1.3 The esoteric fever39
1.4 Printing the dharma41
1.5 Continuities and discontinuities46
1.6 Buddhist canons49
1.7 Yang Wenhui51
1.8 Awakening the Faith53
1.9 Buddhist books beyond China56
1.10 Shanghai Buddhist publishers and writers59
1.11 The Sanskrit Buddhism of Su Manshu66
1.12 Life and death in Feng Zikai’s drawings71
1.13 The Buddhist periodical press75
1.14 Buddhism, religion and the nation81
1.15 Images of modern Buddhism85

Part 2
The Sound of Modern Buddhism97
2.1 Li Shutong: From Shanghai to Tokyo, and back99
2.2 Li Shutong leaves home101
2.3 Songs of nationalism105
2.4 The power of song107
2.5 Hymns, anthems and songs109
2.6 Songs of modernity113
2.7 Buddhist songs116
2.8 Continuities and discontinuities123
2.9 Scientific gadgets: Buddhist radio and phonograph recordings128
2.10 Buddhist songs in the digital age130

- References146
- Glossary172
- Index177