Dry Population Studies In The Late Ming Habitat

The group of lay Buddhists were the people who believed in Buddhism and studied Buddhist scriptures during the Late Ming Dynasty. In this dissertation, the author will survey the relationship between the lay Buddhists and the society, in which they lived, mainly from the angle of social history. This dissertation is structured into four aspects. Firstly, the author will pay attention to the society——the historical stage where the lay Buddhists acted, from the angle of politics, economy and culture, and discuss what influence the special environment exerted on them. Secondly, the author will observe the group of the lay Buddhists on three levels from the inner to the outer. On one hand, the author will discuss their personality, the causes of studying Buddhism, the path from which they stepped in, their interest and ultimate fate. On the other hand, the author will survey the relationship between the group of lay Buddhists and the other ones, for example:the Buddhist monks, the common people and the Christian missionaries. Thirdly, two types of the lay Buddhists will be inspected, and the inherent relationship between the lay Buddhists of the Late Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China will be studied.This dissertation is composed of five chapters.The first chapter mainly discusses the social environment and the formation of the group of lay Buddhists. After the middle age of the Ming Dynasty, the politics was in decline. The social control was relatively loose. The people at that time had an open cultural mentality. They studied Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. As the economy progressed, the general mood of society changed and the individual consciousness awakened. Because of this, Yangming meridians was spread widely. As a result of the relationship between Yangming meridians and the Zen idea, more and more Confucian scholars stepped onto the path of Buddhism. At the same time, as four eminent monks of the Late Ming Dynasty appeared, a large number of lay Buddhists gathered around them. So appeared the group of lay Buddhists.The second chapter is about the reasons for them to study Buddhism and the paths from where they stepped into Buddhism. Some lay Buddhists studied Buddhism due to the influence of their brothers, relatives, friends and teachers. Meanwhile, many of them chose the path of Buddhism because of the social politics and cultural factors. As to the paths from where they stepped into Buddhism, there are three types:1), from Yangming meridians:for example, Li Zhi, Jiao Hong and Guan Zhi-dao.2), from Taoism:for example, Zhuang Guang-huan, Zhu Bai-min.3), from the knowledge of life:for example, Yuan Hong-dao, Gong Wei-chang, Gong Wei-xue.The third chapter mainly gives attention to the personality, interest and ultimate fate of the lay Buddhists. They were kind, humble, modest, generous towards others and they led a simple life without worldly desires. While they were officials in the government, they worked hard for the people. And they were devoted to giving lectures and promoting Buddhism. In the special environment of the Qing Dynasty’s taking over the Ming Dynasty, many of them were politically persecuted. Some sought out Buddhism in seclusion. Some went to the temple, cut their hair and became monks, and some gave their lives to the country. A small number of lay Buddhists surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, yet remained devoted to building the Ming Dynasty afterwards:for example, Qian Qian-yi.The fourth chapter surveys the relationship between the group of lay Buddhists and other social groups. Firstly, the relationship between lay Buddhists and the monks. They learned Buddhism from the monks. When they were dying, the monks helped them to reach a higher place. Secondly, lay Buddhists studied together, formed an association, and gave help to each other to improve in Buddhism. When someone was dying, the other lay Buddhists would gather around to assist him in ascenting the spritural world. Thirdly, lay Buddhists had political, economical and cultural relationships with the common people. At the same time, due to the atmosthere of the sexual liberlation in the society of the Late Ming Dynasty, they were in contact with prostitutes. Fourthly, in the Ming Dynasty, Christian missionaries came to China after the Tang Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty for the third time. The Christian missionaries, such as Matteo Ricci, made friends with a large mumber of Chinese officials and scholars, including lay Buddhists. The lay Buddhists read and talked about Matteo Ricci’s book, and accepted the western culture and science which he propagated. They helped him to go to Beijing to present the gifts, such as the Cross, the triangular prism to the emperor. Meanwhile, they discussed religious and philosophical problems with each other.The fifth chapter discusses the influence which the group of lay Buddhists had on the following ages. On the basis of the achievements of the previous scholars, in this dissertation, the author will divide the group of lay Buddhists into two types. The first one is, changing the fate of this life, and the second is, seeking the higher joy. Yuan Liao-fan stood for the former, and Yuan Hong-dao represented the latter. Among the group of lay Buddhists, the two persons had a very special Buddhist thought. Yuan Liao-fan paid more attention to this life, while Yuan Hong-dao emphasised the ultimate goal. In order to change his fate and reached a higher social class, Yuan Liao-fan formed the thought of virture under the influence of Yun Gu. His thought had a great impact on the virture movement in the Southeast of the country during the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty. And Yuan Hong-dao corrected Crazy Zen with the thought of Pure Land and cured the "crazy disease" of the Buddhists in the Late Ming Dynasty. His thought was carried on and developed by the lay Buddhists, such as Peng Ji-qing in the the Qing Dynasty. And the tradition of shouldering the responsibility with one’s strength was inherited by the lay Buddhists, such as Yang Wen-hui in the Republic of China.