Ebook: Buddhist and Taoist Practice in Medieval Chinese Society: Buddhist and Taoist Studies II

A pressing need in the recent study of Chinese religion is to connect Buddhist and Taoist doctrine with the actual activities of practitioners. In the past there have been some excellent institutional studies of Buddhism in China, and there is a growing body of translations and doctrinal studies. What has been lacking has been a way to integrate the depth of Buddhist insights and doctrines with our knowledge of the actual practice and experience of Chinese Buddhism historically. In examining pivotal figures and movements in Chinese Buddhism from the fifth to the twelfth centuries, this volume attempts to reconnect theory and practice so that we can see how Chinese Buddhism evolved in response to the social and cultural context of China.