288 jinhua chen
respectively; the Qinglongsi arena was built a year later in 775 at the
order of Emperor Daizong (762–779).^5 The Qinglongsi arena was
superintended by seven monks, while the two arenas within Daxing-
shansi were looked after by twenty-one monks: seven for the arena
within the Translation Cloister and fourteen for the arena associated
with the Mañjuśrī Pavilion (Bukong biaozhi ji, T. 2120.52:845b27–
c22; Da Tang Qinglongsi sanchao gongfeng dade xingzhuang
, T. 2057.50:295a20–22). It seems that these
three consecration arenas were named for the Buddha Vairocana
(Piluzhe’na guanding daochang ) (Bukong biaozhi
ji, T. 2120.52:830a12–27; Da Tang Qinglongsi sanchao gongfeng dade
xingzhuang, T. 2057.50:295a20–22). Regarding the functions of a con-
secration arena, the court official who in 760 proposed the erection
of such an arena within Daxingshansi observed that it was capable of
averting calamities, increasing benefits, subduing demons, and gratify-
ing and delighting people (to be more specific, eliminating archenemies
of the state, prolonging the emperor’s lifespan, and bringing peace and
stability to the country) (Bukong biaozhi ji, T. 2120.52: 829b22–c5).
The influence of esoteric Buddhism on Tang monastic institutions
was by no means limited to those monasteries with a strong esoteric
background. The extent to which esoteric practices were involved in
the Tang palace chapels (neidaochang ) also warrants particular
attention. In the catalogue he sent to the Japanese imperial court shortly
after his return from China in 806, Kūkai (774–835) reports that
under the reign of Suzong (r. 756–762) and Daizong (r. 762–779), a
new palace chapel, the Shenlong jingshe (that is, Shenlongsi
)^6 was erected within the imperial palace compound. Various
(^5) For the construction dates of these three consecration arenas, see, respectively,
Bukong biaozhi ji, T. 2120.52:830a12–27, 845b27–c22; and Da Tang Qinglongsi sanchao
gongfeng dade xingzhuang , T. 2057.50:295a20–22.
The erection of a consecration arena within the Translation Cloister was first pro-
posed in 760 by a court official whose memorial is preserved in Bukong biaozhi ji, T.
2120.52:829b22–c5. It is not clear if the proposal was adopted. Even if it was, the arena
did not become a permanent one judging by the fact that three years later (in 763)
Bukong made a similar proposal to the court (his memorial in Bukong biaozhi ji, T. 52:
1.830a12–27). The arena built at Bukong’s recommendation seems to have become a
permanent one as is confirmed by Ennin, who, more than seventy years later, reported
the existence of a “consecration arena built at imperial orders” within
Daxingshansi’s Translation Cloister ( 6 Nittō guhō junrei gyōki, BZ 72: 3:263).
The history and functions of this important institution is reviewed in Chen, 2004,
136–137.