Putong seng xuetang 普通僧學堂

The Universal Saṇgha Study Hall (Pǔtōng sēng xuétáng 普通僧學堂) was a pre-Republican Buddhist seminary 佛學院.

History

• 1906 to 1908
• Location(s): Tiānníng Temple 天寧寺, Yángzhōu 揚州

This school was formed in response to the threat posed by the "Build Education with Temple Property" 廟產興學 Movement. A number of monasteries in Zhènjiang 鎮江 and Yángzhōu cooperated to establish this school in order to educate their monks. Over 20 students enrolled. In addition to courses on Buddhism, students also studied English and Japanese. The school closed because of intrigue between reformist and conservative factions within the region, which broke out when the school's founder Wéxī 文希 went to Japan to study the monastic education systems in place there.

This school was succeeded by the Jiāngsū Saṇgha Normal Study Hall 江蘇僧師範學堂.

Section Editor: Erik Hammerstrom

Notable Students

• 仁山
• 智光

Notes

References

• 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. 1.78-79.