China News Agency, Chongqing, December 20th: Why did Jinyun Mountain in Chongqing become the birthplace of "Humanistic Buddhism"?
——Interview with Yang Xiaorong, a researcher at Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences
China News Agency reporter Liu Xianglin
As the saying goes, "Live up to the beautiful mountains and rivers in the middle of Sichuan, the big Emei is also the small Emei." The small Emei refers to Jinyun Mountain in Chongqing. Why did it become the center of Chinese Buddhist education during the Republic of China?
What impact did it have on Chinese Buddhism as a whole?
Why did Jinyun Mountain become the birthplace of "Humanistic Buddhism" and even attract overseas Buddhist believers to come here to worship here?
Yang Xiaorong, a researcher at the Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency's "East and West Questions" to provide an in-depth analysis of this.
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
China News Agency reporter: Chongqing Jinyun Mountain is known for its natural scenery. How did it become the center of Chinese Buddhist education during the Republic of China?
Yang Xiaorong:
In his early years, Master Taixu popularized Europe and the United States, and had the intention of establishing a world Buddhist academy. He wanted to divide the Hanzang, Huari, Huafan, and Huaou four academies for religious research. In 1930, the Hanzang Academy had not yet been established.
In the autumn of that year, the master came to Honghua at the invitation of the Sichuan-Chongqing Buddhist community. He heard that Liu Xiang, the local military and political leader, was planning to send Han monks to study in Tibet in order to solve the border affairs. The academy sequence employs Chinese and Tibetan lecturers, recruits Tibetan and Han youths to study Buddhism, and promotes Sino-Tibetan culture and even Chinese and foreign cultural exchanges.
After many surveys, in Chongqing, the Jinyun Mountain where Jinyun Temple is located has a quiet environment and is suitable for running a school. Therefore, Jinyun Temple was used as the site of the Sino-Tibetan Teaching and Science Institute, and a ceremony was held on August 21, 1932 to officially open the school. Master Taixu himself served as the dean. Liu Xiang is the honorary dean, the board of directors was established at the same time, and Pan Wenhua and others are the executive directors.
Standing at the gate of Baiyun Temple in Jinyun Mountain, you can see the majestic and peculiar Huaying Mountain and the winding Jialing River.
Photo by Jing Ai Ping
The Sino-Tibetan Institute of Teaching and Science immediately became the first new type of Buddhist academy in the history of modern Chinese Buddhism that was established side by side with both Han and Tibetan, and studied both Buddhist and Buddhist teachings.
In the next two decades, the academy has trained batch after batch of talents, leading to the establishment of Buddhist schools in various places.
For example, Hejiang Dharma King College in Sichuan, Dajue Buddhist College in Kaixian County, Chongqing, and Gaofeng Buddhist College in Pingba, Guizhou are all run by teachers and students of the Sino-Tibetan Academy of Education and Science, and some of them are run in the name of the branch of the college. The model is also mostly carried out in accordance with the Sino-Tibetan Academy of Teaching and Science.
People at the time once said: The Sino-Tibetan Teaching and Science Institute has become China's "master factory", and there are footprints of teachers and students of the institute everywhere.
Among the Buddhist education institutions in China, the Sino-Tibetan Institute of Teaching and Science has become an indispensable one. There are even many Buddhist academies, from the dean to the supervisor, all come from this institute.
The lecture hall and library of the Sino-Tibetan Academy of Teaching and Science.
Today, it is the Buddhist scripture building and Zen room of Jinyun Temple in Chongqing, and it is also the exhibition hall of the former site of the Sino-Tibetan Teaching and Science Institute.
Photo by Zhou Yi
Reporter from China News Agency: What impact does the Chongqing Sino-Tibetan Institute of Teaching and Science have on Chinese Buddhist education?
Yang Xiaorong:
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War in 1937, many of Master Taixu’s Buddhist careers came to a standstill. The Sino-Tibetan Academy of Education and Science was the only school that continued to run schools during this period with the longest continuous running time, and it was also the one that Master Taixu devoted the most to. school.
During the Anti-Japanese War, Master Taixu stayed in the mountain for several years, directly handling the affairs of the Sino-Tibetan Institute of Education and Science, organizing summer training camps, holding Buddhist studies, and teaching students.
The Sino-Tibetan Institute of Teaching and Science was located in the rear area of the Anti-Japanese War. At that time, it gathered many outstanding teachers and talents, and the modern Buddhist education system was gradually perfected here.
Master Taixu took Shuangbai Jingshe as the abbot's room after he was stationed in Xihan Tibetan Academy of Teaching and Science.
Photo by Zhou Yi
The Sino-Tibetan Academy of Teaching and Science undertakes multiple missions such as communicating Sino-Tibetan culture, cultivating Buddhist talents, reforming and revitalizing Buddhism, and revitalizing Chinese Buddhism, which has a lot of influence on Chinese Buddhist education.
For example, when the China Buddhist Academy was founded in 1956, Venerable Fa Zun, who had served as acting president and president of the Sino-Tibetan Teaching Academy for many years, successively served as the vice president and president of the academy.
In addition, Zhengguo, Guankong, Chenkong, Juzan, Ye Jun, Yuyu and other former Hanyuan teachers and students have held teaching positions or leadership positions in China Buddhist Academy, or participated in the compilation of teaching materials, and have made great achievements in teaching research, management methods, and education. The model and other aspects have been used for reference by the Hanyuan, and some Buddhist talents have been trained for the new China.
After the reform and opening up, Buddhist academies were established in various places, and similar teaching concepts and models were also followed.
In this regard, Sichuan and Chongqing are the most favored by the Hanyuan.
Wuming Buddhist Academy is located in the valley of Larong Valley on the outskirts of Seda County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist Academy in the world.
The monastic houses of the college are all densely packed Tibetan-style unique small wooden shacks, which stretch for several kilometers and are very spectacular.
Photo by Cheng Lin
China News Agency reporter: What cultural heritage has the Han-Tibetan Academy of Buddhism left behind? What is the significance of Jinyun Mountain where it is located to the whole Buddhism?
Yang Xiaorong:
The Sino-Tibetan School of Teaching and Science aims to "study Sino-Tibetan Buddhism, harmonize the Chinese nation; carry forward Sino-Tibetan Buddhism and promote world peace". Its contribution to Sino-Tibetan cultural exchanges and national integration is well known; at the same time, The idea of "Humanistic Buddhism" proposed and advocated by Master Taixu is also matured and spread and practiced here.
Therefore, we say that Jinyun Mountain can be said to be the origin of Humanistic Buddhism.
Tourists visit the exhibition hall of the former site of the Sino-Tibetan Institute of Teaching and Science.
Photo by Zhou Yi
During the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese Buddhist Association led by Master Taixu and the "Haichaoyin" magazine also moved to Chongqing successively.
During the period in Chongqing, the Buddhist Association of China mostly relied on the Sino-Tibetan Teaching and Science Institute on Jinyun Mountain to carry out activities.
"Haichaoyin" has also been published in the Sino-Tibetan Academy for several years.
Jinyun Temple in Chongqing, where the former site of the Sino-Tibetan Teaching and Science Institute is located.
Photo by Zhou Yi
From 1938 to 1945, Master Taixu offered courses such as "True Reality Theory", "Chinese Buddhism", "Introduction to Dharma-nature and Konghui" in Hanyuan, all of which were compiled by the teachers and students who attended the courses and published in "Haichaoyin".
Courses such as "True Reality Theory" are the theoretical basis of Master Taixu's life Buddhism or humanistic Buddhism.
Course recorders, such as Fafang, Zhengguo, Weixian, Yanpei, Miaoqin, Xuming, etc., later carried the banner of inheriting and propagating Master Taixu's "Humanistic Buddhism" at home and abroad.
In addition, Master Taixu also wrote articles related to "Humanistic Buddhism" such as "The Reality of Human Beings Become Buddhas", and gave speeches such as "Today's Bodhisattva's Journey", which were also published in "Haichaoyin" .
The perfection and maturity of the master's "Buddhism of life" is marked by the book "Buddhism of Life" edited by teachers and students of the Hanyuan University in 1945 and published by Haichaoyin Magazine; at the end of 1946, the second edition of the book was revised .
On March 7, 1947, ten days before Master Taixu passed away, he handed over the newly published revised version of "Buddhism in Life" to Layman Zhao Puchu.
The statue of Master Taixu in the Jinyun Temple in Chongqing, the former site of the Sino-Tibetan Institute of Teaching and Science.
Photo by Zhou Yi
China News Agency reporter: Why do you say that "Humanistic Buddhism" is a concrete example of the Sinicization of Buddhism?
Yang Xiaorong:
The current "Sinicization of Buddhism" specifically means: Politically, we must consciously identify with it, maintain a high degree of consistency with the party and the government, and play a positive role; culturally, we must consciously integrate it, and interpret Buddhist scriptures in combination with socialist core values. Create a new glory of Chinese culture; society must consciously adapt to make due contributions to economic and social development.
Only by accomplishing these three points can Buddhism be truly sinicized in modern society.
The Sinicization of Buddhism is to adapt to socialism and to be consistent with the solemnity of the land and the benefit of sentient beings that "Humanistic Buddhism" pursues.
Therefore, "Humanistic Buddhism" is a concrete example of the Sinicization of Buddhism in the present era.
This is also the most valuable and practical cultural heritage left by the Sino-Tibetan Academy of Teaching and Science.
"The motherland is in my heart" - The Chinese Buddhist Association's celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China was held in Beijing.
Photo by Li Xinghai
Reporter from China News Service: What is the influence of Jinyun Mountain Han-Tibetan Institute of Education and "Humanistic Buddhism" overseas?
Yang Xiaorong:
The most direct impact is that some of the talents trained by the Sino-Tibetan Institute of Education and Science went to Hong Kong, Taiwan or abroad, and made achievements in promoting, inheriting and practicing "Humanistic Buddhism".
For example, Master Yanpei, a student of the third session of the General Department of the Sino-Tibetan Teaching and Science Institute, has been promoting Buddhism overseas since 1958, and later established the "Buddhist Welfare Association" in Singapore. In 1986 and 1992, he was awarded medals by the President of Singapore twice. His writings include Dozens of volumes of "Complete Works of Diguan" and "Sequels".
Master Miaoqin, who studied with Master Yanpei and worked in the hospital, was one of the editors of "Buddhism for Life". After 1949, he went to Manila, Philippines to practice "Buddhism for the Human World".
The Philippine Association of Buddha's Light International awarded prizes to local schools in the Philippines that have won the annual award of "Three Good Entrances to Schools" of Humanistic Buddhism.
Photo by Guan Xiangdong
Another example is Master Xuming, a student of the fourth batch of general subjects, who stayed in the hospital after graduation.
After Master Taixu passed away, Xuming went to Xuedou Temple in Fenghua together with Master Yinshun, who was a teacher at the Sino-Tibetan Academy of Teaching and Science, and jointly completed the compilation of "The Complete Book of Master Taixu".
The two went to Hong Kong in 1949 and settled in Taiwan in 1953.
Master Xuming successively established Lingyin Buddhist Academy and Fuyan Buddhist Academy, and now many abbots in Taiwan have been taught under him.
In addition, Layman Qin Mengxiao from Hong Kong was also a student of the Sino-Tibetan Institute of Teaching and Science. He was active in the Buddhist circles on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and in Hong Kong and Macau, and did his best to promote "Humanistic Buddhism".
Fo Guang Shan, located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is one of the four Buddhist mountains in Taiwan.
Master Xingyun here advocates the concept of "Humanistic Buddhism".
Photo by Xu Changan
Therefore, Jinyun Mountain is regarded as a sacred place of ancestors by some Chinese Buddhist believers in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, and the idea of "Humanistic Buddhism" has also become the consensus of the entire Chinese Buddhist circle including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
(use up)
Respondent profile:
Yang Xiaorong, researcher at Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences
Yang Xiaorong, Researcher of Religious Studies, Doctor of Philosophy.
Since 1998, he has worked in Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences (Development Research Center of Chongqing Municipal People's Government).
In the past 20 years, he has mainly devoted himself to the study of the Sino-Tibetan Academy of Buddhism, Buddhism in the Republic of China, and Buddhism in Southwest China.
He has published dozens of related papers in academic journals such as "World Religion Studies", "World Religious Culture", "Religious Studies", and nearly half of them are CSSCI journals or core journals.
Presided over the completion of the National Social Science Fund Project "Sino-Tibetan Academy of Teaching and the Study of Buddhism in the Republic of China" and the Chongqing Social Science Fund Project "Chongqing Buddhist Culture Research".