This is the first book in any language offering a comprehensive study that places Daoxuan (596-667), one of the most important scholarly monks, in the context of medieval Chinese Buddhist history. In presenting a fresh image of medieval monastic life of Chinese Buddhism, it focuses on several key issues in Daoxuan's work, including the veneration of Buddha's relics, the re-creation of the ordination platform and ordination ritual, and how the Buddhist community reclassified and dealt with monastic property. It is indispensable for all those who are interested in the religions and history of medieval China and comparative monasticism.

Autorentext

The Author: Huaiyu Chen is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of the West, California. He received his Ph.D. in East Asian religions from Princeton University. Chen has published widely on religions in medieval China in journals.