Transitions

Chapter 2 examines political factors and social influences that contributed to the construction of the Legend of Living Buddhas, a benchmark for the institutional and artistic shift from Chinese Chan to Japanese Zen. It aims to answer the question of how the Zen monastic institution managed to gain a wide following of religious leaders and their disciples as well as lay followers, especially Song-dynasty literati, after struggling for centuries to grow in China beginning with the historical background of the Tang dynasty. Stressing the commercial network of maritime routes linking China and Japan, along with cultural as well as commercial connections that inspired monks to make the daring trip across the waters, the chapter shows how transnational relationships formed between creative priests from both countries, particularly in regard to the mythology of Living Buddhas.

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Art history · China · Cultural institution · Institution · Legend · Literature · Mythology · Political science · Politics · Social science · Sociology · Anthropology · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Chinese history and philosophy · History · Japanese History and Culture · Law