The Administration of Buddhism in China: A Study and Translation ...

Introduction

A Look at the
Topical Compendium of
the Buddhist Clergy

The relationship between religion and the state is a topic of major concern in the history of religions. While books, articles, and essays on this topic are common for other regions of the world, especially the West and increasingly common for Islamic regions, there are few works discussing the dynamics of religion/state relations in China. Studies are beginning to appear that discuss these dynamics in modern China,¹ and while many studies of pre-modern Chinese religion touch on the topic, there is no study in English that addresses it head on.² The relationship between religion and the state in China is a perennial problem that shows no sign of losing its significance, and studies of the history of this relationship with a focus on Buddhism, one of the most developed and articulate religious forces in China during the past couple of millennia, cannot but have a real value to scholars and students.

The current work presents a translation of the Topical Compendium of the Buddhist Clergy, a text written in early Song dynasty (960-1278)