From Local to the State: Acknowledging the Cult of Qiansui Baozhang in the Chan Historiography

Abstract

The cult of Qiansui Baozhang, a legendary Indian monk, gained prominence during the Song dynasty. He has been revered as the founding patriarch of Hangzhou’s Zhong Tianzhu monastery ever since. Although accounts of Baozhang’s travels in China date back to the third century, records about him primarily emerged during the Song dynasty. The earliest known account of Baozhang can be found in the Jiatai kuaiji zhi, where he is described as a Daoist alchemist. Subsequently, his hagiography was compiled in the Chan historiography Jiatai pu denglu. Selected as the first figure in the “Yinghua shengxian” section, Baozhang is portrayed as a divine monk who traveled to many locations which are significantly important to Chan Buddhism. My research suggests that Baozhang’s cult initially gained popularity in the Pujiang, Zhuji, and Kuaiji regions. During the mid-Southern Song dynasty, the abbot of the Zhong Tianzhu monastery played a pivotal role in spreading Baozhang’s cult among high literati. With the dissemination of the Jiatai pu denglu, Baozhang’s account was included in multiple monastic gazetteers, and he himself was revered as the founding patriarch in several monasteries. Examining Baozhang’s various records from diverse sources, this paper aims to delineate his transformation from a local cult figure to a Chan ideal promoted in imperial-sanctioned Buddhist historiography. I argue that the recognition of Baozhang’s cult demonstrates the Chan school’s acknowledgment and response to prevalent folk Buddhist cults at the time. By incorporating Baozhang’s cult into their narratives, the Chan school actively engaged with and adapted to the religious landscape of the Song dynasty.