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THE IMPERIALLY²SPONSORED SUTRAS
OF THE XUANDE REIGN
LIU GUOWEI
The Xuande Emperor Zhu Zhanji (1399-1435, sobriquet Daguoshi (Grand National Preceptor of Pure Consciousness
Changchun Zhenren, temple name Xuanzong) was the eldest and Benevolent Salvation), and lived at Dalongshansi (now
grandson of the Yongle Emperor and the fth emperor of the Huguosi, known during the Yuan dynasty as Chongguosi. In
Ming dynasty (r. 1426-1435). During his decade on the throne, the second year of the Xuande reign (1427), it was renovated
he engaged able and virtuous ministers and maintained the and renamed Dalongshansi and became Palden Tashi’s
steady growth of his empire initiated by his father, sustaining base. A wooden portrait statue of him, originally from the
what is known to history as the “prosperity of Hongxi and monastery, is now in the Buddhist Library of Fayuansi, Beijing,
Xuande reigns.” The Xuande Emperor was passionate about after temporarily having been stored in the Palace Museum,
brush arts and adept at painting, and was exceptional among illustrated in Ming: Fifty Years That Changed China, The British
Chinese rulers for his artistic talent and taste. Inuenced in Museum, London, 2014, g. 211). Palden Tashi performed
his religious outlook by his grandfather, the Yongle Emperor, multiple empowerment rites on the Xuande Emperor and
he was chiey, though not exclusively, devoted to Buddhism. was charged by him to translate into Chinese such texts as
Moreover, the Buddhist monks who were closely connected Commentary of the Hevajra Tantra, Ritual of the Mahacakra-
to him had for the most part been summoned to the capital Vajrapani Mandala, and Ritual of the Sarvajna Mandala. In the
during the Yongle reign. The Xuande Emperor was especially 13th year of the Yongle period (1415), Palden Tashi founded
close to Indian and Tibetan Buddhist monks and clearly a monastery in his hometown of Minzhou, and in the 3rd
preferred esoteric Buddhism. The Tibetan lamas Palden Tashi year of the Xuande period (1428) this was expanded into
(1377–after 1452) and Shakya Yeshe (1354-1435), who had Dachongjiaosi on the Emperor’s order. This is documented
been invited to the court during the Yongle reign, enjoyed in Shen Can’s Stele Inscriptions on the Construction of
also the favour of the Xuande Emperor. The Indian Buddhist Dachongjiaosi by the Xuande Emperor. Palden was the most
lineages dominant during the Xuande reign were that of the trusted Tibetan monk at the Emperor’s inner court. Aside
Indian monk Sahajasri (dates unknown), who had arrived in from the aforementioned title, he was also later bestowed the
China during the Hongwu reign (1368-1398), and his Chinese title of Xitian fozi Daguoshi (Grand National Preceptor of the
disciple Zhiguang (1348-1435), and that of Sri-Sariputra, the Buddhists of the West).
Great Monk of the Diamond Throne (Jingangzuo shangshi), Shakya Yeshe was a disciple of Tsongkhapa (1357-1419)
who had arrived in China from India in the 11th year of the and was received by the Yongle Emperor in Nanjing as a
Yongle period (1413). The Chinese monk whom the Emperor representative of his teacher, earning the title of National
favoured was Huijin (1355-1436), known as the 21st patriarch Preceptor. After returning to Tibet, Yeshe used funds
of the Huayan School, who had edited Yongle Beizang [Yongle bestowed by the Emperor to found Serasi. In the 4th year of
Northern Tripitaka] at Haiyinsi in Beijing on the Yongle the Xuande period (1429), the Emperor summoned Shakya
Emperor’s order. Zhiguang’s disciple Daoshen also studied Yeshe to Beijing and installed him at Daciensi (originally
Huayan teachings in Beijing under Huijin.
Haiyinsi and renamed in that year). In the 9th year (1434),
Monks of Tibetan Buddhism the Xuande Emperor gave Shakya Yeshe the title Daci fawang
(Great Compassion Dharma King ) along with a kesi thangka
In the rst year of the Xuande period (1426), Palden Tashi
was promoted from Senglusi zuochanjiao (Left Interpreter with a portrait of the latter (preserved in the Great Sutra Hall
of Teachings of the Central Buddhist Registry) to Jingjue ciji of Serasi) and an o¬cial rank.
50 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比
