This article is a series of 216 intensive readings of Chinese history, and 26 consecutive years of "Sui and Tang History" (click on the blue character to view the previous part), welcome to watch.
01. The prosperity of Buddhism is beyond imagination
After Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty destroyed Buddhism, although Buddhism suffered a heavy blow, due to the existence of the exploitation system, religion still had the soil for survival, and it would not take effect only by using manpower to prohibit it.
Therefore, in the Sui Dynasty, Buddhism began to revive again. In the first year of the reign of emperor (581), Emperor Wen of Sui decreed that "the household registration should be paid for and the sutra statues should be established, which are folk Buddhist scriptures, more than the six arts.".
By the Tang Dynasty, rulers continued to use religion to assert their privileges. Li Yuan, the emperor of Tang Gaozu, gave the capital mansion to Shamen Tanchong, and gave it the name "Qingchan Temple". Emperor Taizong of Tang considered Buddhism to be "mysterious and mysterious." Buddhism not only developed smoothly, but also the monks had a high social status. Many high-ranking monks were born as imperial masters, died to give beautiful gifts, and had many inheritances, and after their deaths, high-ranking officials and eunuchs supported him with a staff for burial.
For example, the senior monk Xuanzang reburied his parents, and at that time there were more than 10,000 people buried by monks and laymen. After Xuanzang's death, the imperial court gave him a funeral, using a gold coffin and silver rafters to hide his ashes, and more than 1 million people were buried within 500 miles, and more than 30,000 people were buried. The fact that a senior monk could enjoy such a lofty honor shows the extent of Buddhist fanaticism at that time.
During the reign of Emperor Gaozong wu of The Zhou Dynasty, in the first year of the first year of the reign (690), Shamen Faming, Huaiyi, and 10 other people presented the Great Cloud Sutra to Wu Zetian, and Chen Fu ordered that Wu Zetian was the embodiment of Maitreya Buddha and should be the lord of YanFu on behalf of Tang.
In order to use the "Great Cloud Classic" to create public opinion to seize power, Wu Zetian ordered all states and two capitals in the country to build the Dayun Temple, each to collect a copy of the "Great Cloud Classic," and to preach it to the masses in a timely manner.
Wu Zetian's order was carried out very thoroughly, and according to archaeological data, the Dayun Temple was also set up in the Pamir town of Shanye and Hainan Island.
After Wu Zetian became emperor, he immediately made Huaiyi and Fa Ming the county dukes, and specially gave purple shelves to pack fish bags, further promoting the development of Buddhism.
The Tang Dynasty wasted a lot of wealth from society due to its active development of Buddhism. In the first year of the first year (690), Wu Zetian ordered Xue Huaiyi to make a large statue, and the size of the Buddha was very large, and only one little finger could accommodate dozens of people. In order to place the Buddha statue, a "paradise" was specially built. At the time of the construction of the "heaven", "ten thousand people in daily service, picking wood in the rivers and mountains, in a few years, the cost is trillions, and the fuzang is exhausted." ＂
Xue Huaiyi often did unabashed meetings, using millions of dollars, soldiers and women gathered, and the public and private farmhouses where they were located belonged to the monks. Later, Xue Huaiyi became angry and burned down the Ming Hall and the "Heaven" without any punishment, and Wu Zetian still ordered him to rebuild the Ming Hall as an envoy.
In the first year of Jiushi (700), Wu Zetian built a large statue in Hakuma Han, employing millions of workers. Prime Minister Di Renjie said, "Ima no Galan has made the palace que ... Merit does not make ghosts, stop at serving people... What will it take to harm the people? ”
In the second year of Jing yun (711), Tang Ruizong built golden immortals and jade true temples for his second daughter, destroyed a large number of houses, and employed millions of workers. Zuo Que Xin wrote a letter of objection: "Take the food in the mouths of the people to feed the greedy; the people have nothing to eat, they have not heard of the relief, but they create views for the second daughter, and use more than a million dollars of money." ”
After the Anshi Rebellion, Emperor Tang dynasty and prime ministers Yuan Zai, Wang Jin, and Du Hongwei all embraced Buddhism. Emperor Daizong allowed the monks to enter and leave the court at will, and set up Buddha statues and chanted Sutras in the court, giving the monks preferential treatment. What is even more absurd is that "whenever Xi Fan enters the Kou, the monks will be ordered to recite the Renwang Sutra in order to keep the Kou from coming."
Because of the emperor's advocacy, "compared with the Chinese and foreign subjects, they all abolished personnel and worshipped Buddha, and the political punishment was chaotic."
02. With the same surname as Li Tang, the Tao became a state religion
Taoism revered Laozi, and the Tang rulers considered themselves to be descendants of Laozi, so they also worshipped Taoism. Taoism was originally born in the folk, and Zhang Daoling in the Eastern Han Dynasty used the Spell Forbidden Spell to cure people's diseases, and later gradually switched from Fu Shui to Alchemy.
Taoism preaches silence and inaction, and Buddhism talks about suffering, emptiness, and silence, all of which are decorative facades, and are actually related to politics. Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou destroyed Buddhism, and after emperor Wu of Zhou's death, the famous Daoist priest Jiao Zi incidentally informed Emperor Wen of Sui of the edict of succession to assist him in seizing imperial power in Northern Zhou. After Emperor Wen of Sui became emperor, he honored Jiao Zishun as a heavenly master, often discussed state affairs with him, and built the Five Tongs Temple for him.
The Sui Emperor was afraid of Taoist conspiracies, and in the first year of Daye (605), he ordered the prohibition of tuyi, the burning of books related to agitation, and the restriction of the activities of Taoists.
At the end of the Sui Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and the Daoist monk Wang Yuanzhi gave Advice to Li Yuan and asked him to seize power. After Li Yuan's success, he attacked Buddhism and secretly assisted Taoism. On the other hand, in the early Tang Dynasty, the Shi clan gate valve still had an influence, and the emperor's Li surname was not as good as that of Gaomen in Shandong. Li Er, the author of the Tao Te Ching, has long become the leader of superhumanism, and if he and Li Er climb up, the royal family's door will inevitably be improved. Therefore, in the third year of Wu De, Li Yuan built the Laojun Temple in Zhongnan Mountain, and the next year he personally went to Zhongnan Mountain to worship Laozi.
Tang Taizong also took advantage of Taoism, and he issued an edict declaring: "The original lineage of the Yuanzhi originates from under the pillar (i.e., Li Er)... The Crown of a Taoist Woman can precede the monks and nuns.".
In July of the first year of Zhenguan (627), Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered the repair of the Taiqing Palace in Zhenyuan County, Bozhou, because this place was the birthplace of the "Holy Ancestor Laojun".
Emperor Taizong of Tang favored Taoism, mainly to determine that the surname Li was a descendant of the sect leader Li Er. But he also had ties to Buddhism, and he actively supported Xuanzang's translation of the scriptures, and ordered the chancellor Fang Xuanling to preside over a meeting to welcome Xuanzang in the capital.
After Emperor Gaozong of Tang ascended the throne, he also used Taoism to serve in consolidating power. In the first year of Xianqing (656), the edict changed the residence of the Jin king to Hao Tianguan, where he sacrificed and prayed for Emperor Taizong, and yin Wencao was the lord of the temple and the sacred temple of Zhizong. In the first year of Qianfeng (666), he sealed Daiyue in the east, and on the way back he took a detour to Bozhou, named Laozi the "Emperor Xuanyuan of Taishang", and built the Laojun Temple.
In order to expand the influence of Lao Tzu, Emperor Gaozong also issued an edict at that time stipulating that the Tao Te Ching and the Analects would be textbooks for schools at all levels and made compulsory subjects in the imperial examination. The purpose of this is actually to unite Dao and Confucianism as a social force supporting the Li Tang Dynasty.
After Emperor Gaozong's death, Buddhists contributed to Wu Zetian's seizure of power. Wu Zetian lowered the status of Taoism and stipulated that monks and nuns should be above the crown of Taoist women.
After Emperor Zhongzong of Tang was restored to the throne, he continued to honor Lao Tzu as Emperor Xuanyuan of Taishang. Soon Empress Wei was in power, Buddhism gained power, and Taoism was ostracized.
After Emperor Xuanzong of Tang crushed the Taiping Princess clique and consolidated the Li Tang imperial family, he flourished Taoism and restricted Buddhism. His specific measures to revitalize Taoism are manifested in the following aspects:
In the first year of the new century (713), an envoy was sent to search for the Daojing, and he compiled the Daozang, which was known as the "Three Caves qionggang", and ordered the Scholars of the Western Jing Taiqingguan, Xuanduguan, Dongmingguan, Dade Zhaowenguan, and Chongwenguan to revise the "All Taoist Sutras Yinyi".
In the ninth year of the new century (721), he sent an envoy to welcome the Daoist priest Sima Zhen into Beijing, personally taught the Fa Ce, and the reward was very generous. Placing the stone pillar in the Jinglong Temple, Sima Zhen wrote the Tao Te Ching according to the three-body of Cai Yongshi Pillar. Later, Emperor Xuanzong adopted Sima Zhen's suggestion, and each of the five mountains set up a true ancestral hall.
In the first month of the twenty-ninth year of the new century (741), the edict ordered the two capitals and the prefectures to set up temples of Emperor Xuanyuan, promote metaphysics, put students on apprentices, study Laozi, Zhuangzi, Liezi, and Wenzi, and participate in the imperial examination every year according to the Ming scriptures. In April, Tang Xuanzong claimed to have dreamed of Seeing Lao Tzu tell him: "I have a statue more than a hundred miles southwest of the capital", so he sent people to the Zhouzhi Louguan Mountains to look for it. Later, he ordered the painting of emperor Xuanyuan and placed the Kaiyuan view of each state separately. In September, Emperor Xuanzong personally examined the Ming Taoist scriptures.
In the first month of the first year of Tianbao (742), the temple of Emperor Xuanyuan was set up in Daningfang and Jishanfang in Chang'an. Later, Zhuangzi was named Nanhua Zhenren, Wenzi was Tongxuan Zhenren, Liezi was Tongxuan Zhenren, and Gengsangzi was Dongling Zhenren. Replace the "Four Sons" writings with the True Scriptures. Chongxuan has a doctorate, a teaching assistant, and 100 students.
In the first month of the following year, Emperor Xuanyuan (i.e., Lao Tzu) was posthumously honored as Emperor Xuanyuan of the Great Sage Ancestor, and the two capitals of Chongxuanxuan were changed to Chongxuanguan, changed the doctorate to a bachelor, the assistant teacher was a straight bachelor, and a scholar of Chongxuan University was also placed, and the prime minister concurrently took charge of the two capital Xuanyuan Palace and the Taoist Temple. The number of Taoist temple personnel in the two capitals is set at 37, and each of them is given a manor near the city, and a slave and a slave are given. In the future, the bachelor of Chongxuanguan will preach the "Tao Te" and "South China" sutras every three yuan days, and the civil and military officials will "observe the ceremony when they are salty".
Tianbao has been set for the birthday of Lao Tzu on February 15 every year, and the buddha's birthday on April 8, and officials and disciples across the country take one day off.
In the seven years of Tianbao, Han Zhang Tianshi was crowned as Taishi and Tao Hongjing was made Taibao. All the donggong mountains in the country have altar shrines, each place has five Taoist monks, and 30 households of the people near the mountain are taken, and the tax exemption will always serve the Taoist temple.
In the eighth year of Tianbao, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang paid homage to the Taiqing Palace and gave the Taishang Laojun the honorific title of Emperor Xuanyuan of shengzu Avenue. Emperor Xuanzong of the Qunchen Dynasty was honored with the title of Emperor Wuying Dao of the Great Treasure of Kaiyuan Heaven and Earth. The Imperial Decree Chongxuanguan wrote all the Taoist scriptures and distributed them to all the envoys throughout the country, and ordered the envoys to copy them in various provinces within the tube, and to propagate Taoist thought through governments at all levels.
Judging from the above situation, Tang Xuanzong's reverence for the Dao had reached an extremely absurd point. Fan Zuyu of the Song Dynasty said: "Emperor Shi honored Taoism, Mu Changsheng, so he argued that Fu Rui, the group of ministers he He Wuyue, Li Linfu, and so on all asked to give up their houses for the sake of viewing, in order to wish the holy birthday, Emperor Yue."
In addition to using Taoism to elevate the social status of the imperial family, the rulers of the Tang Dynasty all wanted to obtain elixirs through Taoism. From Tang Xuanzong onwards, many emperors actively pursued immortality. Tang Xianzong, Muzong, Jingzong, Wuzong, and Xuanzong all died of immortal medicine. As for the ministers, more people died from taking elixirs.
03. Symbiosis and coexistence such as Jingjiao
The rulers of the Tang Dynasty learned that religion was a powerful tool for maintaining the power of the ruling class, and they welcomed foreign religions. Western Yuanism (Zoroastrianism), Manichaeism, Islam, Jingjiao, etc., were introduced successively during the Tang Dynasty.
Zoroastrianism, also known as Zoroastrianism, was created by the Persian Zorosde and is a Persian state religion, popular in Persia and central Asian countries.
The Cult believes that there are two gods in the world, light and darkness, fighting each other. Fire is a symbol of light, representing the good god, so worship it. Yuanjiao also worshiped the sun, moon, stars and heavens, and began to be introduced to China during the Five Hu and Sixteen Kingdoms period. In the Tang Dynasty, the Yuanjiao sect further developed, and there were more and more believers, and Chang'an, Luoyang, Liangzhou, Shazhou and other places all established Yuan ancestral halls, and in Chang'an City alone, there were four Hu Yuan Ancestral Halls, Yuan Ancestral Halls, Xi Yuan Ancestral Halls, and Nan Yuan Ancestral Halls.
Manichaeism, founded by Persian Manichaeism, also known as Mingism, was first popular along the Mediterranean coast and In Central Asia. Its teachings hold that there are two kinds of forces in the world, light and dark, and when the heavens and the earth are not divided, the light and dark are different, and the two sides are equally opposed. Later darkness invaded the light. Finally, light and darkness are reversed. Now that the world is in the middle of it, people should help the light fight the dark.
Manichaeans abstain from sex, do not drink alcohol, do not eat meat, do not worship their ancestors, dress in white, and are buried naked after death. In the first year (694), the Persians introduced the Manichaean Erzong Sutra to China. During the Tang Dynasty, the Manichaeans arrived in Chang'an, and in the third year of the Gregorian calendar (768), the Tang government allowed uighurs to build the Dayun Guangming Temple in Chang'an, and later set up mani temples in Yangzhou, Hongzhou, Jingzhou, Yuezhou, Taiyuan, and Luoyang.
During the period when Tang Wuzong destroyed Buddhism, Manichaeism was also hit. After Xuanzong, it gradually recovered, spread widely among the people, and later became a tool for organizing peasant uprisings, called the "Vegetable Eating Demon" religion.
Islam, created by the Arab Muhammad, believes in Allah Allah, believes that man and all things are made of Allah, and that the faithful do not eat pork or scaleless fish, which they consider to be an abomination. The Quran is its basic doctrine.
In the second year of Emperor Gaozong's reign (651), the Great Eclipse (Arab Empire) sent envoys to Tang. During the new century, emissaries and merchants went to Chang'an, Guangzhou and other places, and Islam was introduced to China.
Jingjiao, a sect of Christianity, also known as Yeli Kewen sect, zhenguan ninth year (635), the Great Qin Aroben spread jingjiao to the Tang Dynasty. Three years later, a monastery was built in Yiningfang, Chang'an. During the Tianbao period, the Jingjiao Temple was changed to the Great Qin Temple.
In addition to Chang'an, luoyang and other major cities have Great Qin Temple. The "Great Qin Jingjiao Popular Chinese Stele" says: "Emperor Gaozong made his ancestors, built more Jingyu, and the palace was open and bright, all over Middle-earth." "It can be seen that many people believed in this religion at that time. During the Huichang period, the Jing Sect was also destroyed.
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