Description
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, and the surrounding environs have one of the richest Buddhist cultures in China. In A Tale of Two Stupas, Albert Welter tells the story of Hangzhou Buddhism through the conceptions, erections, and resurrections of Yongming Stupa, dedicated to the memory of one of Hangzhou's leading Buddhist figures, and Leifeng Pagoda, built to house stupa relics of the historical Buddha. Welter delves into the intricacies of these two sites and pays particular attention to their origins and rebirths. These sites have suffered devastation and endured long periods of neglect, yet both have been resurrected and re-resurrected during their histories and have resumed meaningful places in the contemporary Hangzhou landscape, a mark of their power and endurance. A Tale of Two Stupas adopts a site-specific, regional approach in order to show how the dynamics of initial conception, resurrection, and re-resurrection work, and what that might tell us about the nature of Hangzhou and Chinese Buddhism.
About the Author
Albert Welter is Professor of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona. He is currently leading a project funded by the Khyentse Foundation on Buddhist Culture in the Hangzhou Region of China and its impact throughout East Asia.
Reviews
An eye-opening investigation of the multiple layers embedded in the construction and reconstruction of two of the most renowned pieces of religious architecture in East Asia. The narrative is engaging and revealing, bringing to light and relief a plethora of long-obscured elements of critical significance to medieval Chinese sociopolitical and religious history. Yet another tour de force by a dynamic historian of East Asian Buddhism and a must-read for all scholars from different fields of Asian History. * Jinhua Chen, Professor of East Asian History, University of British Columbia *
A Tale of Two Stupas highlights the politics of suppression and revival of Buddhism in the Hangzhou region in which secular power mingles with sacred space. The author's admirable research guides the reader through the fascinating interactions of religion, national identity, modernity, and economic intervention as well as the rich history of two stupas in Hangzhou, opening up a new horizon in understanding Chinese Buddhism through regional identity. * Jin Y. Park, Professor and Department Chair of Philosophy and Religion, American University *
This remarkable book is a state-of-the-art investigation into significant relations that shaped Chinese Buddhism over the longue duree while also throwing some light on contemporary Chinese policies. * Claudia Wenzel, Journal of the American Academy of Religion *
Awards
Winner of Studies Book Award.
Book Information
ISBN 9780197606636
Author Albert Welter
Format Hardback
Page Count 240
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 490g
Dimensions(mm) 160mm * 241mm * 21mm
About the Author
Albert Welter is Professor of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona. He is currently leading a project funded by the Khyentse Foundation on Buddhist Culture in the Hangzhou Region of China and its impact throughout East Asia.
Reviews
An eye-opening investigation of the multiple layers embedded in the construction and reconstruction of two of the most renowned pieces of religious architecture in East Asia. The narrative is engaging and revealing, bringing to light and relief a plethora of long-obscured elements of critical significance to medieval Chinese sociopolitical and religious history. Yet another tour de force by a dynamic historian of East Asian Buddhism and a must-read for all scholars from different fields of Asian History. * Jinhua Chen, Professor of East Asian History, University of British Columbia *
A Tale of Two Stupas highlights the politics of suppression and revival of Buddhism in the Hangzhou region in which secular power mingles with sacred space. The author's admirable research guides the reader through the fascinating interactions of religion, national identity, modernity, and economic intervention as well as the rich history of two stupas in Hangzhou, opening up a new horizon in understanding Chinese Buddhism through regional identity. * Jin Y. Park, Professor and Department Chair of Philosophy and Religion, American University *
This remarkable book is a state-of-the-art investigation into significant relations that shaped Chinese Buddhism over the longue duree while also throwing some light on contemporary Chinese policies. * Claudia Wenzel, Journal of the American Academy of Religion *
Awards
Winner of Studies Book Award.
Book Information
ISBN 9780197606636
Author Albert Welter
Format Hardback
Page Count 240
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 490g
Dimensions(mm) 160mm * 241mm * 21mm
