東晉․宋齊 佛敎의 地域別 展開 樣相 ― 釋慧皎의 『高僧傳』을 중심으로 ―

Abstract

This report analyzed the activities of the five-hundred monks, who were registered on 10 branches from The Biographies of Eminent Monks(高僧傳), and hence understand how the Buddhism was spread in each region. Many studies of Buddhism from The Southern and Northern Dynasties(魏晉南北朝) period comprehends Buddhism in around Changjiang(長江) area, and the spread of Buddhism in other areas, is often neglected. This report only considers southern Chinese Buddhism as limits to historical materials. Also, various developments of Buddhism in Eastern-Jin(東晉) and Song-Qi(宋齊) period are understood in the context of political and social aspect. One can not define Buddhism in southern China as one feature. Although Buddhism in southern China was enlightened by monks from the north, it appears that there is a variation in how the Buddhism was matured. More Buddhist activities occurred in the Jiang-nan(江南) area like Yang-zhou(揚州), Jing-zhou(荊州) and northern Jiang-zhou(江州), than other southern Chinese area. However, monks’ activities vary at different times and area. Hence, to investigate development of Buddhism, this report focuses on the 10 branches from The Biographies of Eminent Monks. Because the population of the monks differs for each chapter, activity performed by monks in each area is considered. During Eastern-Jin period, the population of monk increased in Jian-kang(建康), San-wu(三吳), Jing-zhou and Lu-shan(廬山). However in Song-Qi period, the number of monk drastically increased in Jian-kang whereas in San-wu, Jing-zhou and Lu-shan, the number decreased. Hence Jian-kang be came the center of Buddhism in Southern China. In Jian-kang case, the emperor and government officials played major role in development of Buddhism. Hence it is certain to relocate Buddhism hub to Jian-Kang, during Song-Qi period. Buddhism in Southern and Northern Dynasties was developed in terms of numerous aspects. The active movement of the monks involved in propagation reflects the rapid spread of the Buddhism in the places other than Eastern-Jin and Lu-shan from Song-Qi period. The prosperity and the fall of the Buddhism were greatly affected by the relationship between the Buddhism and the high government officials. For example, the prosperity of Buddhism in Jian-kang was more expanded in Southern Dynasties, due to the increase in high government officials worshiping Buddhist and encountering cultural exchanges with the monks. This shows that Buddhist was living off those with power, where it should have been more independent from the center of the power, the emperor. Contrast to what was like in Liu-Song and Southern-Qi period, the emperor in Jian-kang attempted strengthening his monarchy by both controlling and supporting the spread of Buddhism, which was already well known to the society. The southern Chinese emperors with low sovereign power intended to justify their authority, using Buddhism, similar to the emperors in the northern China, who placed Buddhism under his monarchy. The emperor of the Southern Dynasties continuously attempted to gain extend sovereign power by dispatching the Buddhist priest to various regions, who were only limited to Jian-kang in Liu-Song period.