方外与世俗之间：宋元杭州佛教场域内的国家与社会 = BUDDHIST AND SECULAR AFFAIRS: STATE AND SOCIETY IN THE BUDDHIST REALM IN SONG -YUAN HANGZHOU

Abstract

Hangzhou experienced several transitions of political status during Song and Yuan dynasties. Northern Song era witnessed the decline of Hangzhou’s central political status since the Wuyue period, while in Southern Song era, Hangzhou was once again promoted to be the capital. Yet, it declined again into provincial capital of Jiangzhe Secretariat in Yuan dynasty. Those series of changes shaped the particularity of Hangzhou compared with other regions in terms of political significance. Accordingly, this research focuses on the development of Hangzhou through the lens of Buddhism from Northern Song to Yuan dynasty. Firstly, through discussion of the institutional administrative policy towards Buddhism, Buddhism’s self-construction and its intervention into public affairs, the operationally complicated form of state in those particular regions in term of political status will be presented. This objective will avoid the simplistic, vague and monolithic statement about state in the research of local history prevalent in previous scholarship. Secondly, the interaction of Buddhist with various political and cultural circles will be further investigated, to allow a more comprehensive understanding towards the impact of different state forms to local society and the interaction between them. We could deeply comprehend local society only in the condition by forming the complicated cognition about state. Lastly, considering that the investigated historical period, this research will address the issues about the discussion of Song Yuan transition. Through the analysis on Hangzhou Buddhism sphere, the continuity of the region in terms of the development of Buddhism is clear to us. Though on the other hand, there were also traceable transitions especially when the Mongols conquered, which indeed brought discernible impact to the region. Therefore, the historical changes and influences brought by dynastic transition is not to be ignored while emphasizing the cultural continuity as a whole in the historical research of Song Yuan dynasties.