Research On The Moral Titles Granted To Monks In The Tang Dynast

The phenomenon that monks were awarded the title of "Dade" began in the period of Tang Taizong,and it was appointed and decreed by the imperial court to monks.In the early Tang Dynasty,the court awarded monks with the title of "virtue" was related to Buddhist affairs.The use of the term "Dade" should be related to the establishment of "Ten Great virtues" as temporary monks to manage the national monk affairs.The granting of virtuous titles to monks itself represents the approval of the court,and virtuous titles can be divided into positions and honors according to whether they have functions or not.In the early Tang Dynasty,the monks’ virtue titles mainly assisted the court in better management and organization of Buddhist affairs,such as translating Buddhist sutras,attending altar to receive precepts,and verifying work.In the late Tang Dynasty,the title of virtue is increasingly detached from the monastic affairs in charge,and the nature of honor is increasingly elevated.There were special honor titles for monks recognized by the emperor.In the late Tang Dynasty,monks’ titles of virtue gradually changed to honorary titles.It became a symbol of honor and status for monks.The imperial court conferred the title of virtue to the monks,which had the effect of strengthening the centripetal force,deepening the relationship with the Regime of Gui-yi-jun,and spreading the Tang culture in Dunhuang area.Even after losing contact with the central Tang Dynasty and the collapse of the Tang Dynasty,it was still the title of virtue given to monks by the actual rulers in Dunhuang.In Tang Dynasty,the court awarded monks virtues as one of the ways to utilize and manage Buddhism.Behind the phenomenon of monks being awarded the title of virtue,monks achieved the purpose of winning the support of the secular royal power to spread Buddhism,and the imperial court also put senior monks under the control of the central government and maintained the rule with Buddhism.In the Song Dynasty,the name of the monks’ virtue titles was more specific and the value of the virtue titles was declined.In the Liao and Jin dynasties,monks’ titles of virtue were generally honorary titles.Moreover,the gold content of monks’ titles gradually declined.