The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture

Description

From the first century, when Buddhism entered China, the foreign religion shaped Chinese philosophy, beliefs, and ritual. This study shows that Buddhism brought with it an array of objects as well as new ideas about what objects could do and how they should be treated. It examines the ambivalent relationship between Buddhism and material culture.

John Kieschnick is an associate research fellow at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, in Taipei.

"I fully recommend this book... Kieschnick deserves high praise for a thoughtful and sustained presentation of a crucial element of the Chinese Buddhist tradition."--Alan Cole, Journal of Chinese Religions "John Kieschnick has produced a very good book on a topic that deserves attention... He has opened up new areas of inquiry that will no doubt stimulate further investigation. One has every reason to expect that the book will be widely read and appreciated for years to come."--James A. Benn, Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies "This book ... makes a lasting contribution to our understanding of the diverse ways in which Buddhism and material culture interacted in China."--Koichi Shinohara, Journal of Asian Studies "The direct confrontation of the material expressions of [Buddhism] has finally materialized with the publication of John Kieschnick's The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture. In this sense, the new book indeed breaks new ground in the studies of Chinese Buddhism... Kieschnick has written an insightful, informative, and entertaining book... He should be congratulated by us all for his admirable scholarship."--Yuet Keung Lo, Asian Journal of Social Science