voked in 633. On Li Shimin’s policy toward Buddhism, see Weinstein, Buddhism
Under the T’ang, pp. 11–27, and Wechsler, “T’ai-Tsung,” pp. 217–219.
- See Wechsler, “T’ai-Tsung,” p. 219.
- See Niida Noboru, Tô Sô hôritsu bunsho no kenkyû, pp. 830–838.
- Li Shimin’s “instruction” is translated in Twitchett, “Monastic Estates in
T’ang China,” pp. 131–132, and Tonami, The Shaolin Monastery Stele on Mount Song.
pp. 17–18. It is transcribed in Jinshi cuibian, 74.1a–2b; Niida, Tô Sô hôritsu bunsho no
kenkyû, pp. 831–832; and Tonami, The Shaolin Monastery Stele on Mount Song, p. 16. - See Twitchett, “Monastic Estates in T’ang China,” pp. 126 –130; and Gernet,
Buddhism in Chinese Society. p. 123. On similar Ming inscriptions, see Brook, Praying for
Power, p. 174. According to Brook, the inscriptions were sometimes meant to prevent
the monks from selling the estate. - See Gernet, Buddhism in Chinese Society. pp. 142–150.
- In the former case the land was intended for the support of an individual
monk, after whose death it reverted to the state; in the latter it was used for the up-
keep of the monastery. See Niida, Tô Sô hôritsu bunsho no kenkyû, pp. 832–833; Twitch-
ett, “Monastic Estates in T’ang China,” pp. 133–134; and Gernet, Buddhism in Chinese
Society. pp. 66 –73, 133–134. Niida considers the 632 official letter as evidence that the
koufen tian system had been implemented in seventh-century Henan. - The abbreviated forms shang kaifu and yitong stand respectively for the
honorary titles shang kaifu yitong da jiangjun and yitong da jiangjun. See Zhongguo
lidai guanzhi da cidian, pp. 51, 272. - This is Penelope Herbert’s translation in Tonami, The Shaolin Monastery Stele
on Mount Song, pp. 24–25 (slightly revised). The original is transcribed in Wang Chang,
Jinshi cuibian, 74.5a–5b; and Tonami, The Shaolin Monastery Stele on Mount Song, p. 21. - The letters are transcribed and translated in Tonami, The Shaolin Monas-
tery Stele on Mount Song, pp. 16, 18, 22, 25. The second is transcribed also in Wang
Chang, Jinshi cuibian, 74.6a–b. Tonami (pp. 49–52) suggests that the renowned
monk Yixing (673–727) contributed to Xuanzong’s decision to support the monas-
tery. Yixing, who is mentioned in the first letter (dated December 6, 723), was serv-
ing at the time as court astronomer. - See Zhang Yue’s biography in Xin Tang shu, 12 5.4 4 0 4 – 4 412; s ee a l s o Tw it ch -
ett, “Hsüan-tsung (Reign 712–756),” pp. 338–340, 376–379, and 387–389. - Written in elegant clerical script (lishu) the caption reads “Taizong Wen-
huang di yu shu” (“Emperor Taizong Wenhuang Imperial Letter”). - The latter included Xu Jian (?–729) and Zhao Dongxi (fl. 720), whose sig-
natures appear on the letter. Xu’s and Zhao’s respective biographies in the Xin
Tang shu 199.5663 and 200.5702 attest that they worked under Zhang Yue in the
Academy in the Hall of Elegance and Rectitude, which name was changed in 725
to the Academy of Scholarly Worthies ( Jixiandian shuyuan). On Zhang Yue’s di-
rectorship of the Academy, see Xin Tang shu, 125.4408. - Weinstein, Buddhism Under the T’ang, p. 51.
- The confiscation order is included in the Ta n g Hu i Ya o , 59.1028. According
to Pei Cui, the emperor expressly exempted the Shaolin Monastery from it; see his
Notes to Pages 30–33 211