Northern Wei Women And Buddhism

With the impact of the clan system, women occupied a higher social status in the dynasty of Northern Wei, thus the women who caught the political power sometimes emerging. Being supported by the Northern Wei Dynasty royal, especially in the care of the household, Buddhism was popular in many sectors of society. At the same time, Buddhism and politic were intertwined each other.Ling Queen Mother gave birth to a Prince and ended the system of son death of the mother. She depended on the powerful minister Yu Zhong eradicating the party of Gao Queen and became the queen with this victory of harem struggle. Then she took advantage of the ministers'dissatisfaction with Yu Zhong to replace his duties. So she made an indisputable political victory. After taking charge of affairs, Ling Queen Mother became indulged and lascivious. Besides, she patronized Yuan Cha without any limitation so that he achieved the success of the coup he launched at last. Although Ling Queen Mother successfully carried out restoration five years later, she still did not learn for the failure in the past. Moreover, she poisoned Emperor Ming and subsequently the Northern Wei regime gradually declined.Ling Queen Mother had a close relationship with Buddhism on her whole life. To some extent, she posed double influence on Buddhism. On one hand, she was engaged in Buddhist activities, such as building the Yongning temple, digging caves and holding Buddhist lent, which spent plenty of money and exhausted labors and thus led the instability of the society. On the one hand she sent messengers to Western Region to ask for sutra and eliminated monks and nuns so that she made some positive contribution to the development of Buddhism.Although Ling Queen Mother showed a fanatical religious feelings, she still turned a blind eye to the Five Precepts of Buddhism. For such a great contrast, there are mainly three reasons. Firstly, at that time the Mahayana Buddhism was popular and the theory and discipline had undergone great changes. On this occasion, as long as someone repented and converted to Buddhism, he still could become Buddha wherever he was guilty of Five Disobedience. Secondly, there was higher civilized social atmosphere in the dynasty of Northern Wei, women also occupied a higher social status and they were less restrained by the feudal ethics. Thirdly,as the care of the household, Ling Queen Mother was in need both politically and physiologically.