Historical Research for Religion in Medieval Chinese Society.

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 10301017
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Asian history
• Research Institution: KYOTO UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: MUGITANI Kunio KYOTO University, Professor, 人文科学研究所, 教授 (90114678)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUNAYAMA Tohru KYOTO University, Assoc. Prof., 人文科学研究所, 助教授 (70209154) ; TAKEDA Tokimasa KYOTO University, Prof., 人文科学研究所, 教授 (50179644) ; SOFUKAWA Hiroshi KYOTO University, Prof., 人文科学研究所, 教授 (90027558) ; ARAMAKI Noritoshi OTANI Univ., Prof., 文学部, 教授 (30027536) ; YOSHIKAWA Tadao HANAZONO Univ., Prof., 仏教学部, 教授 (30026801)
• Project Period (FY): 1998 – 2001
• Keywords: confucianism / buddhism / daoism / filial piety / landscape poetry / numerology / jidngjing / monastic discipline

Research Abstract

Six dynasties and Sui-Tang dynasties were a remarkable period in Chinese social development. In this period, a change took place in the conventional sole Confucian society and a new society which allowed for the coexistence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism emerged. This research aims to investigate the role and contribution of these three religions on the academic and cultural development of China during this historical period.
1. Yoshikawa has already pointed out the importance of the filial piety in the society of Six dynasties. Employing illustrative cases, we investigated the problems generated by the rise of two religions and the approaches taken to resolve them.
2. We investigated the role of precepts in the two religious communities. First, we studied how the precepts derived from India was transformed and later, how it became established as the sole system in the Buddhist Community. Second, we studied the process of establishment of the original precepts in the Taoist Community under the influence of Buddhism.
3. We investigated the transformation of social appreciation for academia, especially for intellectuals whose academic roots were in Confucianism. Also, through the investigation, new knowledge was gained on the transformation of the Dujiang in university and how this transformation related to the influence of Buddhist and Taoist formats.
4. By studying Wangwei's landscape poetry and painting, we clarified the effect of Zen on Tang poetry, the most excellent cultural harvest of Tang dynasty, and how an fundamental revolution occurred in the coalescence of poetry and painting, or in Kong as term of poem.
5. Through the analysis of mathematical books and various numerology, we clarified that a change of view was needed in order to establish clearly the otherwise apparently contradictory link between science and religion.