. esoteric buddhism under the jin (–) 483with a variety of dhāraṇīs have been documented from the Jin period.^22
When compared with similar pillars from the Liao, where they were
equally significant and numerous, those from the Jin generally reveal
a higher level of compositional and artistic creativity. These pillars also
reveal that the lore of Siddham script continued to be transmitted in
Northern China well into the thirteenth century.
Pillars engraved with the Usṇ̣īṣāvijayā-dhāraṇī dominated, but
many other spells and mantras were also engraved on similar pillars
and steles.^23 For example, a pillar that once stood at the entrance of
Shifo Temple in Fangshan was engraved with the dhāraṇī of
the thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara.^24
The octagonal memorial pillar raised over the grave of Chan Mas-
ter Sidu (fl. mid-twelfth century) found at Fangshan is engraved
with mantras on three sides. This indicates that Esoteric Buddhist
practices, i.e., the chanting of mantras and spells, took place within
the sectarian confines of the Chan school.^25 Likewise, the inscription
on the burial stūpa raised for Dharma Master Ven. Qian (d.
1200), a Huayan scholar, also features a series of dhāraṇīs, including
that of Cundī, written in Siddham.^26
The widespread presence of dhāraṇīs in connection with mortuary
practices indicate that there were no real, or at least no well-defined,
boundaries between secular and Buddhist-influenced burials. The plac-
ing of dhāraṇī pillars in tombs was a common practice documented
in various archaeological reports.^27 When comparing Jin burials with
those of the Liao and the Song, it would appear that socially impor-
tant Jin burials give much more evidence of the presence of Buddhist
beliefs and symbolism than is normally seen in tombs from the lat-
ter, whereas it would appear that the Jin followed similar norms for
burial as documented from the former state. This tallies well with our
(^22) For a listing of ingraved spells from the Jin period, many still in situ, see “Beijing
Jin dai beike xulu (A Record of the Stele Carvings from the Jin Dynasty in Beijing),”
http://www.bttp.net/lt/lt074.htm. See also Sørensen, “Esoteric Buddhist Art in China,
960–1279,” in this volume.
(^23) Liu 1997, 669–70, 674.
(^24) “Beijing Jin dai beike xulu,” #70.
(^25) Cf. “Beijing Jin dai beike xulu,” #22.
(^26) “Beijing Jin dai beike xulu,” #57.
(^27) For a discussion of several examples including plates, see Liu 1997, 643–786.