390 klaus sagaster
as Xanadu) in the eighth month of the year 1257. There were over
700 participants, an extraordinarily high number. Among the Buddhist
representatives were, again, Zhanglao Fuyu and Namo, but this time
also ’Phags-pa was present as a representative of Tibetan Buddhism.
Also monks from the former Xixia empire and Dali were invited. The
Daoist representatives were led by the new patriarch Zhang Zhijing
(1219–1270). Confucian scholars functioned as arbitrators. The
discussion again resulted in a defeat for the Daoists. They were once
again ordered to return the seized monasteries to the Buddhists and
to burn the incriminated Daoist books.^47
After Qubilai’s accession to the throne in 1260, the dispute between
Buddhists and Daoists did not end, as the Daoists did not return all
seized monasteries and secretly made new impressions of the forbidden
books. In 1280, this resulted in bloodshed in the capital Dadu ,
present-day Beijing. The dispute between Daoist and Buddhist
monks ended with the most severe punishments for the Daoists. Qubilai
ordered a new inspection of Daoist books. These were altogether judged
to be deceitful and were burnt on imperial order, except the Daodejing
which was considered to be the only true book composed by
Laozi , the alleged founder of Daoism. With this, the Buddhists
nally defeated the Daoists.^48
In conformity with the religious policy as created by inggis Khan,
Daoism still enjoyed the same rights and taxation privileges as the other
religions did. In political matters, however, a decisive change had taken
place already under Möngke: the preferential treatment of Buddhism
over the other religions. Under Qubilai, a further change started: the
preferential treatment of Tibetan Buddhism.^49 Qubilai later became
the emperor of China and founded the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368)^50
after his victory over the Chinese emperor of the Song Dynasty
(960–1279). His successors gave Tibetan Buddhism preferential treat-
ment that, in the end, would become fatal.
(^47) oyiúi 1998, pp. 194–200.
(^48) oyiúi 1998, pp. 201–203.
(^49) oyiúi 1998, pp. 198–204.
(^50) The date of the Yuan dynasty is under discussion (1271–1368, 1272–1368,
1280–1379, 1280–1389 and even 1260–1380). There can be no doubt that the dynasty
did not end in 1367, but in 1368, since the last Yuan emperor Toon Temür left his
capital, Beijing, only in 1368. See Haenisch & Olbricht 1969, pp. 27ff.