On Relations Between The Ming Imperial Court And Buddhism

As Buddhism has the function of assisting imperial administration and social enlightenment, Emperor Taizhu of the Ming dynasty adopted a venerating and supporting policy toward it in terms of ideological aspect and meanwhile conducted forceful rectifications in terms of social organizations, which, especially the establishment of Educational Temples(Jiaosi), exerted great influences on the Ming and the afterward developments of Buddhism. After having ascended the throne, Emperor Chengzhu adored Buddhism ardently with an intention to demonstrate legitimacy of his usurpation of royal sovereignty and build up his image as an enlightened loyal, filial, humane and just monarch by way of Buddhism dissemination. He also made every effort to strengthen the relationship with Tibetan Buddhism, which resulted in much greater influences of Tibetan Buddhism on the Ming imperial court. Since the mid Ming Dynasty, much adored in the imperial family for pray and blessing, Buddhism not only became a tool for social enlightenment, but was also regarded as an instrument to guard the whole country. Most emperors afterwards were found somewhat indulging in Buddhism, especially in Tibetan Mizong Buddhism. As most emperors adored Buddhism at the expense of dilapidating government affairs, and numerous material resources and manpower were wasted in temple building and Buddhist worship, which not only went against the Saint Monarch Tao of orthodox Confucism but also made the national finance and manpower exhausted, Buddhism fell into a position of being regarded as a miscreant or heresy and thus became a negative cultural existence. In the late Ming dynasty, the imperial family's adoration of Buddhism gave an impetus to its revival, but despite this matters of national importance were much neglected and the dynasty was going continuously declined. Generally speaking, eunuchs in the Ming dynasty believed in Buddhism and had countless contacts with Buddhist monks. With the special status of being influential power in the court and Buddhist fanciers, eunuchs became not only the fidei defensor but also an important force to exert influence on or even control Buddhism-related affairs. And conversely, Buddhist monk group became gradually one of the social forces that supported eunuchs. Also, the relationship between eunuchs and Buddhism refracted that among eunuchs, those of eunuchs to the imperial family, to courtiers and to the society etc. Considering the misdeeds from eunuchs' monopolization and power-serving in politics, Buddhism and Buddhist monk group in the Ming dynasty suffered a humiliation from their relation with eunuchs in terms of their social images.