The Research Of Monk Yixing

Monk Yixing is the famous monasterial astronomer in Tang Dynasty. This article makes a research on him focusing on his life experiences and his astronomical and Buddhist work under social and cultural background of the transition from the initial to the prosperous period of Tang Dynasty.First of all, this article clarifies the mistaken record of Yixing's life experiences and pedigree in the annals.Through the examination and comparison of the historical materials, this article believes it's more reasonable that Yixing was born in 683 A.D. and Yixing's father is Zhang Lin rather than Zhang Shan. Zhang Lin and his brother Zhang Fei are Zhang Dasu's sons. Yixing's pedigree in Xin Tang Shu and Jiu Tang Shu are both wrong so this article rearranges it.This article makes a research on Yixing's study tour experiences over ten years, showing the route: Mountain Song-Jing Zhou-Tian Tai-Jing Zhou-Chang'An.According to the historical materials, this article provides the records about Yixing made by Japanese monks who were sent to Tang Dynasty and shows both the neglected letters between Yixing and Zhang Yue and the portrait drawn by Li Zhen in Tang Dynasty. About Yixing's writings, this article analyzes the contents of Kai Yuan Da Yan Li (《开元大衍历》)from the perspective of edition changes, introduces and translates the research on edition source of Da Ri Jing Shu (《大日经疏》)and Da Ri Jing Yi Shi(《大日经义释》made by Japanese Buddhist community. The author believes it's true that Shan Wuwei and Yixing together translate the scripture of Da Pi Lu Zhe Na Cheng Fu Shen Bian Jia Chi Jing(《大毗卢遮那成佛神变加持经》) twice.About Yixing's religious work, starting from the influence of Tantrism astrology in Tang Dynasty, this article takes"北斗八女"as an example which is quoted from the book Bei Dou Qi Xing Nian Song Yi Gui(《北斗七星念诵仪轨》) to analyze the Chinese characterization of stars worship in Tantrism sutra and point out the fact that Yixing brings traditional South Star horoscopy into Tantrism sutra for the first time considering the contents of Beidou Qixing Hu Mo Fa(《北斗七星护摩法》).About yixing's astronomical work, this article quotes his description of Indian astronomy and calendar from the book Da Ri Jing Shu (《大日经疏》)and analyzes the method Yixing takes to get access to Indian astronomy and discusses the relations between Yixing and Indian calendar by means of the research results of Da Yan Li (《大衍历》)made by historical and astronomical scholars. Meanwhile, this article points out there's no causality between the religious and calendric dispute in Sui and Tang Dynasty.At last, from the perspective of cultural choice during the transition from the initial to the prosperous period of Tang Dynasty, this article analyzes the generation of Da Yan Li and the political and ideal relations of Jixian Yuan, considering Yixing's association with Tang Minister Zhang Yue, the spirit leader of Jixian Yuan, and put forward the opinion that Yixing's cultural standpoint is mainly determined by Confucian ideal.