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補續芝園集

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Text ID
KR6k0218
Date
1080–1116
Dynasty
宋

Bǔxù Zhīyuán jí 補續芝園集

Supplementary Continuation to the Zhīyuán Collection by 元照 (Yuánzhào, 撰)

About the work

A short single-fascicle Northern-Sòng bǔxù 補續 (supplement-and-continuation) volume to Yuánzhào’s Zhīyuán jí (KR6k0217). Six pieces, all of them monastery-architecture jì 記 (commemorative records of new construction projects), gathered as a topical pendant to the parent jí.

Structural Division

The six commemorative records:

  1. Tāizhōu Shùngǎnyuàn zhuǎnlúnzàng jì 台州順感院轉輪藏記 — for the zhuǎnlúnzàng (revolving sūtra-cabinet, the standard medieval Chinese rotating library) at Shùngǎnyuàn in Tāizhōu.
  2. Xiùzhōu Pǔzhàoyuàn duōbǎotǎ jì 秀州普照院多寶塔記 — for the Duōbǎotǎ (“Many-Treasures Stūpa”) at Pǔzhàoyuàn in Xiùzhōu.
  3. Lín’ān Wúliàngyuàn Mítuóxiàng jì 臨安無量院彌陀像記 — for the Amitābha image at Wúliàngyuàn in Lín’ān (Hángzhōu).
  4. Tāizhōu Cídéyuàn xiū dàdiàn jì 台州慈德院修大殿記 — for the rebuilding of the main hall of Cídéyuàn in Tāizhōu.
  5. Yuèzhōu Lóngquán Mítuó bǎogé jì 越州龍泉彌陀寶閣記 — for the Mítuó bǎogé (Amitābha treasure-tower) at Lóngquánsì in Yuèzhōu.
  6. Míngzhōu Jīngyuàn sānshèng lìxiàng jì 明州經院三聖立像記 — for the Three-Sage standing-image (Amitābha + Avalokiteśvara + Mahāsthāmaprāpta) at the Jīngyuàn of Míngzhōu (Níngbō).

Abstract

Each jì 記 follows the standard Sòng formula: a doctrinal opening (often, in this collection, on a xuéjiào 學教 theme drawn from the work commemorated — the zhuǎnlúnzàng introduces a discussion on the nature of the Buddhist canon, the duōbǎotǎ on impermanence and treasure-storage, the Amitābha images on Pure-Land doctrine), a historical narrative of the project’s instigators and donors, and a concluding eulogy. The opening of the Shùngǎnyuàn piece exemplifies Yuánzhào’s voice: “Pulping mulberry to make paper, kneading soot to make ink, plucking hair and shaving bamboo to make brushes, dotting and pressing strokes to make graphs — graphs are summoned by sound to make names, names are stacked to make sentences, sentences stacked to make verses, verses stacked to make scrolls, scrolls stacked to make wrappers — by all this we record the words of the sage and bequeath them to the world. Things that may be modelled but not changed: hence the term jīng 經.” The Amitābharelated pieces in particular reflect Yuánzhào’s wellknown turn toward Pure-Land devotion in his later years (the principal source for which is his Wǎngshēng kěbǐ 往生科備 / Lèbāng wénlèi materials). Composition is bracketed by Yuánzhào’s mature career; notBefore–notAfter are set 1080–1116.

Translations and research

No substantial secondary literature located on the collection as such. The architectural pieces are routinely cited in surveys of Sòng zhuǎnlúnzàng (e.g. Goodrich, “The Revolving Book-Case in China”) and Sòng Pure-Land iconography.

Other points of interest

  • One of the principal Sòng documentary witnesses to the zhuǎnlúnzàng (revolving sūtra-cabinet) — the technology that enabled rapid meritgeneration by physical rotation of the canon.
  • The Lín’ān Wúliàngyuàn Mítuóxiàng jì and Yuèzhōu Lóngquán Mítuó bǎogé jì together document the spread of formal Amitābhaimage cult in late-Northern-Sòng Liǎng-Zhè.

Graph View

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