The five-colored clouds of Mount Wutai: poems from Dunhuang

236 Pages·2013·2.748 MB·English

by  Cartelli, Mary Anne

The Five-Colored Clouds of Mount Wutai:
Poems from Dunhuang
Sinica Leidensia
Edited by
Barend J. ter Haar
Maghiel van Crevel
In co-operation with
P.K. Bol, D.R. Knechtges, E.S. Rawski,
W.L. Idema, H.T. Zurndorfer
VOLUME 109
The titles published in this series are listed at www.brill.com/sinl
The Five-Colored Clouds of
Mount Wutai: Poems from
Dunhuang
By
Mary Anne Cartelli
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2013
Cover illustration: Śākyamuni Buddha flanked by the bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī and Samanta-
bhadra at the foot of the Central Terrace, Mount Wutai. Dunhuang Cave 61. Photograph:
Dunhuang Research Academy.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cartelli, Mary Anne.
The five-colored clouds of Mount Wutai : poems from Dunhuang / by Mary Anne Cartelli.
p. cm. -- (Sinica Leidensia ; v. 109)
Chinese poems in English translation about Mount Wutai, found among the Dunhuang
manuscripts and dating to the Tang and Five Dynasties periods, with a comprehensive analysis of
their context and significance.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
English and Chinese.
ISBN 978-90-04-18481-7 (hardback : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-90-04-24176-3 (e-book : alk. paper) 1.
Chinese poetry--Tang dynasty, 618-907--Translations into English. 2. Chinese poetry--Five dynasties
and the Ten kingdoms, 907-979--Translations into English. 3. Wutai Mountains (China)--Poetry.
4. Manjuśrī (Buddhist deity)--Poetry. 5. Buddhism--Poetry. 6. Buddhism in literature. 7. Chinese
poetry--Tang dynasty, 618-907--History and criticism. 8. Chinese poetry--Five dynasties and the Ten
kingdoms, 907-979--History and criticism. 9. Dunhuang manuscripts. 10. Dunhuang Caves (China)-
-Antiquities. I. Title.
PL2658.E5C37 2013
895.1’1308035851152--dc23
2012035187
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ISSN 0169-9563
ISBN 978-90-04-18481-7 (hardback)
ISBN 978-90-04-24176-3 (e-book)
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table of contents v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix
List of Illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
1. Ascending and Wandering: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Sacred Mountains in Ancient China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Dunhuang and the Dunhuang Caves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Dunhuang Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Dunhuang and Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Mountains in Early Chinese Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
About the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2. The Clear and the Cold: Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Early Literature on Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Early Legends about Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Chinese Emperors and Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Mañjuśrī and the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Mañjuśrī-parinirvāṇa sūtra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Mount Wutai as a Manifestation of the Buddhist Doctrine . . . . 46
Early Chinese Poetry on Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The Mount Wutai Poetry of the Dunhuang Manuscripts . . . . . . 53
3. The Hall of the Great Sage: The Songs of Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . 57
The Hall of the Great Sage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
I Ascend the Eastern Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
I Ascend the Northern Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
I Ascend the Central Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
I Ascend the Western Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
I Ascend the Southern Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
4. The Land of Vaiḍūrya: Eulogy on Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Eulogy on Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5. Inconceivable Light: Eulogy on Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
The Pure Land School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
vi table of contents
The Pure Land Monk Fazhao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Eulogy on Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
6. The Gold-Colored World: Eulogy on the Holy Regions of Mount
Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Eulogy on the True Countenance of the Great Sage . . . . . . . . . .149
Eulogy on Samantabhadra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
The Eastern Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
The Northern Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
The Central Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159
The Western Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
The Southern Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
The Holy Region of the Vajra Grotto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165
The Auspicious Stūpa of King Aśoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Eulogy on the Physical Body of Rāhula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
A Vision of Sūtra Recitation by the Vajra Grotto . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
7. Word and Image: The Mount Wutai Wall Painting at Dunhuang 175
Map or Painting? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Iconography and Imagery in Cave 61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Mountain as Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
8. Poetry as a Buddhist Matter: Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Transmission of the Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Literati Poets and Mount Wutai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
For the Purpose of Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
table of contents vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
All scholarly work builds upon the knowledge, effort, and counsel of oth-
ers. I wish to thank my professors, editors, and colleagues, who taught,
inspired, and advised me through years of research and writing: Hans
Bielenstein, Irene Bloom, William Theodore de Bary, C.T. Hsia, Robert
Hymes, Jon Kowallis, Paul Kroll, Victor Mair, Paul Rouzer, Murray
Rubinstein, Marsha L. Wagner, Ding Xiang Warner, Pei-Yi Wu, Philip B.
Yampolsky, and Pauline Yu. My special gratitude goes to James Hargett,
who meticulously read this manuscript and provided invaluable advice.
David Der-wei Wang was of great assistance in the initial stages of my
research. Professor Bai Huawen of Beijing University supplied indispens-
able research materials and practical suggestions. Sarah E. Fraser of the
Mellon International Dunhuang Archive and Fan Jinshi of the Dunhuang
Research Academy were helpful during a visit to Dunhuang. I deeply ap-
preciate the constructive remarks from the members of the Traditional
China Seminar of Columbia University and the New York Conference of
the Association of Asian Studies, where some of this research was pre-
sented, and the useful comments of the anonymous readers at the Journal
of the American Oriental Society and T’ang Studies who published earlier
versions of some material included here. I am grateful to the staff of the
Hunter College Library, ArtStor, the C.V. Starr East Asian Library at Colum-
bia University, the Beijing National Library, the Beijing University Library,
the Chinese University of Hong Kong Library, and the University of Hong
Kong Library.
My research at Mount Wutai and Dunhuang was conducted with grants
from Fulbright IIE, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the
Research Foundation of the City University of New York. Several Presi-
dent’s Fellowships from Columbia University supported my graduate stud-
ies which led to this book.
No words can express my appreciation to my adventurous parents for
giving me the opportunity to have an extraordinary childhood in Asia.
Finally, I am incredibly fortunate to have the steadfast love of my husband,
Jon. This book is dedicated to him.
Mary Anne Cartelli
Year of the Water Dragon
New York, New York
viii table of contents
table of contents ix
ABBREVIATIONS
Beijing Chinese MSS. from Dunhuang, Beijing National Library.
DHGCZB Ren Bantang, Dunhuang geci zongbian.
GuQLZ Huixiang, Gu Qingliang zhuan. T. 51.2098.
GuangQLZ Yanyi, Guang Qingliang zhuan. T. 51.2099.
HJAS Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies.
JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society.
L. Chinese MSS. from Dunhuang, Leningrad Collection.
NGJG Ennin, Nittō guhō junrei gyōki.
P. Chinese MSS. from Dunhuang, Pelliot Collection of the Bib-
liothèque Nationale, Paris.
QLSZ Zhencheng, Qingliang shan zhi.
S. Chinese MSS. from Dunhuang, Stein Collection of the
British Library.
T. Taishō shinshu daizōkyo.
XuQLZ Zhang Shangying, Xu Qingliang zhuan. T. 51.2100.
x table of contents
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS VII
ABBREVIATIONS IX
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS XI
CHAPTER ONE 1
ASCENDING AND WANDERING: INTRODUCTION 1
Sacred Mountains in Ancient China 3
Dunhuang and the Dunhuang Caves 8
Dunhuang Literature 10
Dunhuang and Mount Wutai 12
Mountains in Early Chinese Poetry 14
About the Book 22
CHAPTER TWO 27
THE CLEAR AND COLD: MOUNT WUTAI 27
Early Literature on Mount Wutai 27
Early Legends about Mount Wutai 29
Chinese Emperors and Mount Wutai 31
Mañjuśrī and the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures 37
The Mañjuśrī-parinirvāṇa sūtra 41
Mount Wutai as a Manifestation of the Buddhist Doctrine 46
Early Chinese Poetry on Mount Wutai 49
The Mount Wutai Poetry of the Dunhuang Manuscripts 53
CHAPTER THREE 57
THE HALL OF THE GREAT SAGE: SONGS OF MOUNT WUTAI 57
The Hall of the Great Sage 59
I Ascend the Eastern Terrace 66
I Ascend the Northern Terrace 71
I Ascend the Central Terrace 74
I Ascend the Western Terrace 78
I Ascend the Southern Terrace 82
CHAPTER FOUR 87
THE LAND OF VAIḌŪRYA: EULOGY ON MOUNT WUTAI 87
Eulogy on Mount Wutai 90
CHAPTER FIVE 121
INCONCEIVABLE LIGHT: EULOGY ON MOUNT WUTAI 121
The Pure Land School 122
The Pure Land Monk Fazhao 124
Eulogy on Mount Wutai 129
CHAPTER SIX 147
THE GOLD-COLORED WORLD: EULOGY ON THE HOLY REGIONS
OF MOUNT WUTAI 147
Eulogy on the True Countenance of the Great Sage 149
Eulogy on Samantabhadra 153
The Eastern Terrace 155
The Northern Terrace 158
The Central Terrace 159
The Western Terrace 161
The Southern Terrace 163
The Holy Region of the Vajra Grotto 165
The Auspicious Stūpa of King Aśoka 167
Eulogy on the Physical Body of Rāhula 169
A Vision of Sūtra Recitation by the Vajra Grotto 170
CHAPTER SEVEN 175
WORD AND IMAGE: THE MOUNT WUTAI WALL-PAINTING
AT DUNHUANG 175
Map or Painting? 176
Iconography and Imagery in Cave 61 180
Mountain as Icon 192
CHAPTER EIGHT 195
POETRY AS A BUDDHIST MATTER: CONCLUSION 195
Transmission of the Vision 199
Literati Poets and Mount Wutai 202
For the Purpose of Salvation 204
BIBLIOGRAPHY 207
INDEX 219