Praying for Power

Buddhism and the Formation of Gentry Society in Late-Ming China

Timothy Brook

    List of Tables

    List of Maps

    List of Figures

    Preface

    Translation Conventions

    Introduction: Monastic Patronage and the Gentry: The Problem

    • The Historiography of Gentry Studies
    • Buddhism and the Gentry
    • Gentry Society and the Public Sphere
    • The Changing Social Context of the Buddhist Monastery

      Part 1: The Culture of Buddhism

    1. The Passionate Life of Zhang Dai
    2. Like a Lid to a Box, Like Ice to Ash: Accommodating Buddhism
      • The Relationship of Buddhism to Neo-Confucianism
      • The Neo-Confucian Absorption
      • The Neo-Confucian Reaction
      • Accommodation
    3. Holding a Cup of New Tea and Listening to Sutras: Buddhism in Gentry Culture
      • Assessing Buddhism's Presence in Gentry Society
      • Buddhist Observances and Rituals
      • The Organization of Lay Associations
      • Tourism and Cultural Pursuits
      • Gentry Uses of Monastic Space
      • Gentry Becoming Monks

      Part 2: Monastic Patronage

    4. The Patrons of Dinghu Mountain
    5. How the Gentry Patronized Monasteries
      • Financial Patronage
      • The Acquisition of Land
      • Gentry Supervision of Monastic Affairs
      • Literary Patronage
      • Temporal Trends of Patronage
    6. Why the Gentry Patronized Monasteries
      • Gender-Based Patronage
      • Kinship-Based Patronage
      • Religious Appeals
      • Social Appeals
      • Cultural Appeals
      • Social Networks
      • Publicizing Gentry Identity
      • Merchant Philanthropy in Contrast

      Part 3: Patronage in Context

    7. The Patronage of Gentry in a Small County: Zhucheng County, Shandong
      • Zhucheng Environment and Social Structure
      • The Zhucheng Gentry
      • Zhucheng Religious Institutions
      • Zhucheng Monastic Patronage
    8. The Patronage of Gentry in a Large County: Yin County (Ningbo), Zhejiang
      • Yin Environment and Social Structure
      • Yin Religious Institutions
      • The Great Monasteries of Yin
      • The Yin Gentry
      • Buddhism and the Yin Gentry
      • Yin Monastic Patronage
    9. Patronage and the County Magistrate: Dangyang County, Hubei
      • Buddhist Patronage and the State
      • Dangyang Environment and Social Structure
      • Dangyang Religious Institutions
      • Buddhism and the Dangyang Gentry
      • The Patronage of Yuquan Monastery
      • Gentry Patronage and the Magistrate
    • Conclusion: The Separation of State and Society
      • The Ideal of Withdrawal in the Late Ming
      • Buddhism and the Late-Ming Gentry
      • The Late Ming and the Late Song
      • The Late Ming and the Late Qing
    • Notes
    • Bibliography
    • Index
  • Cover: Praying for Power

Timothy Brook is Principal at St. John's College, University of British Columbia.