Publications such as
Essential Buddhist Texts for Laypeople were an important means of communicating religious teachings and new ideas to Buddhists throughout the Chinese-reading world.
Bibliography and Publishing are two important topics in the history of Modern Chinese Buddhism. New material and social technologies allowed Buddhists to produce texts in much greater numbers than before. The content of the texts was also geared to the modern age, with introductory textbooks, commentaries, and treaties on Buddhism produced on a massive scale.
Consult the Print bibliography for research resources on Modern Chinese Buddhism.
Gregory Adam Scott is the section editor for bibliographical articles.
Scriptural Presses
The Scriptural Press 刻經處 was a type of publishing institution dedicated to the production of Buddhist scriptures. Several were established during the late Qīng and Republican periods, many by lay people.[1]
- Běijīng Scriptural Press 北京刻經處 1919 - 1937
- Jiāngběi Scriptural Press 江北刻經處 1874 - 1930s or 1940s
- Jīnlíng Scriptural Press 金陵刻經處 1871? - 1966; 1981 - present
- Tiānjīn Scriptural Press 天津刻經處 1919 - 1937
- Pílíng Scriptural Press 毗陵刻經處 fl. 1919
- (Chángzhōu 常州) Tiānníng Temple 天寧寺
- (Sūzhōu 蘇州) Gūsū Scriptural Press 姑蘇刻经處 fl. 1877
- Cháo'ān Scriptural Press 潮安刻經處 fl. 1919 - 1925
- (Chángzhōu 常州) Tiānchuáng Temple Scriptural Press 天窗寺刻經處 fl. 1921
- Chángshā Scriptural Press 長沙刻經處 active as early as 1877, fl. 1908
- Rúgāo Scriptural Press 如皋刻經處 fl. 1873
- Kōnglín Scriptural Press 空林刻經處 fl. 1938
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Sūtra Distributors
These were centers for publishing and distributing copies of Buddhist scriptures
- World Buddhist Lay Association Sūtra Distributor 世界佛教居士林佛經流通處
- Běijīng Sūtra Distributor 北京佛經流通處
- Harbin Sūtra Distributor 哈爾濱佛經流通處
- Hong Kong Sūtra Distributor 香港佛經流通處
- Shànghǎi Sūtra Distributor 上海佛經流通處
- Shànghǎi Gōngdélín Sūtra Distributor 佛教功德林佛經流通處, April 1922 - 19??
- Běijīng Wòfó Temple Sūtra Distributor 卧佛寺佛經流通處
- Nánjīng Sūtra Distributor 南京佛經流通處
- Jīnlíng Sūtra Distributor 金陵佛經流通處
- (Chóngqìng) Luóhàn Temple Sūtra Distributor 羅漢寺佛經流通處
- (Hángzhōu) Gōngdélín Sūtra Distributor 功德林佛經流通處
- Hángzhōu Sūtra Distributor 杭州佛經流通處
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Publishers, Editors, and Authors
Includes major names only - virtually all prominent figures have at least some texts attributed to them, but these were especially influential or prolific.
- Yáng Wénhuì 楊文會 (1837-1911); founder of the Jinling Scriptural Press 金陵刻經處
- Jiǎng Wéiqiáo 蔣維喬 (1873-1958); worked as chief editor of the textbooks division of the Commercial Press 商務印書館; translated and edited A History of Chinese Buddhism 中國佛教史, 1929
- Dí Chǔqīng 狄楚青 (c. 1873-1941); co-founder of the newspaper Shíbào 時報 and of Yǒuzhèng Press 有正書局; helped to publish the Qìshā Canon 磧砂藏
- Dīng Fúbǎo 丁福保 (1874-1952); established the Medical Press 醫學書局 in Shànghǎi in 1908; published The Great Dictionary of Buddhism 佛學大辭典 in 1922
- Xú Wèirú 徐蔚如 (1878-1937); co-founded the Bějīing Scriptural Press 北京刻經處 in 1918; founded Tiānjīn Scriptural Press 天津刻經處 the next year; ran them both for many years
- Méi Guāngxī 梅光羲 (1880-1947); major supporter of the Jinling Scriptural Press 金陵刻經處
- Fàn Gǔnóng 范古農 (1881-1951); general editor for Shànghǎi Buddhist Books 上海佛學書局 from 1929
- Lǚ Bìchéng 呂碧城 (1883-1943); wrote several Chinese and bilingual Chinese-English works for Shànghǎi Buddhist Books
Publishing Houses
Includes publishers that did not specialize in Buddhist books but who published a large number of works related to Buddhism.[2]
- Shanghai Buddhist Books 上海佛學書局, est. 1928 or 1929
- Yixue Shuju 醫學書局, est. 1908
- Shanghai Commercial Press 上海商務書局, est. 1897
- Zhonghua Books 中華書局, est. 1912
- Youzheng Shuju 有正書局, est. 1904
- Honghua she 弘化社, 1931 - 1956
- Dafalun Shuju 大法輪書局 1940 - 1956
- Shanghai Daxiong Shuju 上海大雄書局, 1947 - 1956
- Shanghai Banruo Shuju 上海般若書局, 1939 - late 1940
- Shanghai Daode Shuju 上海道德書局
- Shanghai Lay Buddhist Association, Text Distribution Section 上海佛教居士林圖書流通部, March 1921 - ??
Publishing Technologies
Those used in printing Buddhist publications are included here
Xylography; Woodblock; Woodcut Printing 調版印刷; 木板
Flat wooden blocks are carved with the text or images in reverse relief, the block is inked, paper pressed to its surface and the back of the page rubbed to make the imprint. About 15,000 copies could be printed from one set of blocks before it needed to be repaired, after which another 10,000 copies were possible. Up to 30,000 copies could be possible off of one block if the printing was a low quality.[3] Use of woodblock printing dates back to the 8th century, with the earliest dated printed book being the Diamond Sutra scroll from Dunhuang in the British Library, which dates to 868 CE.
Lithography 平版印刷
- Stone-based 石印
- Stone-based or zinc-plate 照相石印
- Chromolithography 彩色石印
- Offset lithography 橡皮版; 膠版
Uses a plate, ink and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) medium. Can reproduce calligraphy and painted images.
Letterpress 凸版印刷
- Lead-type 鉛印
- Movable type 字模; 活字
- Typeset in lead type 鉛字排印
Individual characters are cast as pieces of type and arranged into a forme. The type is inked and paper is pressed against it to print. Produces a very even and standard layout, but there are restrictions regarding the variety of fonts, rare or alternate characters, and textual layout.
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Important Publications
Several articles, series and monographs had a lasting impact on the state of Buddhism in modern China. Some of them are listed here:
- See the Periodical Portal for information on Buddhist periodicals
- Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana 大乘起信論, 1885 (Reprint)
- Yáng Wénhuì 楊文會. Primer of Buddhism for the Beginning Student (with Commentary) 佛教初學課本/註, with commentary by Wàn Shūháo 萬叔豪. Nánjīng: Jetavana Hermitage 祇洹精舍, written 1906; published 1907 - 1909.
- The Kalaviṇka Canon 頻伽大藏經, 1908
- The Great Dictionary of Buddhism 佛學大辭典, 1922
- A History of Chinese Buddhism 中國佛教史, 1929
- Essential Buddhist Texts for Laypeople 在家必讀內典, 1931
- The Qìshā Canon 磧砂藏, 1935
Bibliographies and Guides for Modern Chinese Buddhist Studies
Lists of titles and guides to important sources for the study of Modern Chinese Buddhism.
Notes
- ↑ See Shì Dōngchū 釋東初. Zhōngguó Fójiào jìndài shǐ 中國佛教近代史 (A History of Early Contemporary Chinese Buddhism), in Dōngchū lǎorén quánjí 東初老人全集 (Complete Collection of Old Man Dongchu), vols. 1-2. Taipei: Dongchu, 1974 Pp. 1.249-251 for more information.
- ↑ Some of this list is taken from 孟令兵, 老上海文化奇葩-上海佛學書局 (上海: 上海人民出版社, 2003).
- ↑ Reed, 110