Study On The Dunhuang Nuns In The Eighth To Tenth Century

The nuns refer to the women who are engaged in the activities of Buddhist in their full lives, including novices Niger, Nigeria and nuns of the fork. these women as the nuns, their religious identity is endowed with them an independent social status, pursuit of self-worth and the right to religious ideals. Compared with secular women, both in life and in the belief have quite different, which makes them have more space and more freedom, and the lives more colorful.Besides, women hold different physical and psychological characteristics from man, so that they appear much different from the monks. As a result, study on their living conditions has some typical and special significance. So far, scholars have done much research on Buddhism from different angles,in general, these research mainly focuses on the analysis of nuns Biography, historical materials, and a specific context about religious and social life of the nuns. Based on the above achievements, this paper tries to take advantage of rich Dunhuang literature, mainly studies the nuns in Dunhuang from the 8^th to 10^th century.so as to do some good for understanding the religious and social life of whole nuns in Ancient China.The full text is divided into eight chapters: The first chapter gives an overview of the spread and development of Buddhism in Dunhuang. Buddhism was importent in the Xihan Dynasty, It was supported strongly by the rulers through Xijin Dynasty, Dongjin and 16 kingdoms, Sui Dynasty in Dunhuang, and. It reached its heyday in the Tang Dynasty, Tubo and the period of rule by Guiyijun. At that time, a large number of temples were established, the number of monks and nuns increased significantly, the economy of temple developed, Grottoes construction increased greatly in Dunhuang. Buddhism became prosperous in Dunhuang.The seconed chapter discusses the formation of Buddhism league organizations of nuns in Dunhuang from three aspects: the reasons for female entering into religion, the procedures to become a nun and the Buddhism league organizations of nuns .This chapter points out that the reasons why female entered into religion were complicated and varied, including not only individual and family factors,but also historical, religious, economic factors.It emphasizes that the procedures for female nuns'entrance into religion were different from that of male, and gives an overview description of the league organizations (five nuns temple)in which these female nuns were. The third chapter mainly discusses the Buddhist activities of the nuns in Dunhuang, such as the construction of Grottoes, penance by courtesy six times a day , people live and work in peace and contentment, the concept think ,people expound the texts, Busa, land and water field ,various Buddhist festivals and religious activities. It points out that there were distinctions between women and men in religious activities due to gender differences.It pops out the characteristics for monks and nuns in religious activities. The fourth chapter discusses the private economics of nuns in Dunhuang and the formation and development of nunneries' economics. It shows that the nunneries in Dunhuang had fields, orchards, silos, Youfang, livestock, vehicles and dependent population - Terado.The agriculture, handicraft, animal husbandry, lending industry of nunneries were well-developed, and the economy of nunneries was a complete self-sufficient economy. As a member of nunneries , the nuns were engaged in various activities of social production, and led a self-reliant life, moreover it reveals the difference from the economy of nunneries. The fifth chapter reveals the real social life of nuns in Dunhuang from the 8^th to 10^th century on the aspects of their lifestyle, their relations with their families and their status in the family and several other areas. It points out that the most nuns in Dunhuang lived at secular home directly , had secular close family relations and some secular status in the family. The sixth chapter discusses the customs of nuns in Dunhuang for the property and the funeral.It points out the private property and its disposal of nuns in Dunhuang from the 8^th to 10^th century. And indicates that its funeral activities had both strong religious characters and secular trend. The seventh Chapter describes the Government's management of nunneries. It presents the management of nuns and the management of nunneries ,respectively .And it highlights the differences between the management of monks and nuns and the management of nunneries. The eighth Chapter lists the typical characters who made outstanding contributions to the development of Buddhist in Dunhuang and their main deeds. It points out that these nuns were gentle, had superior intelligence, cultivated themselves according to a religious doctrine, studied Buddhism meticulously,and they were the elites of monks and nuns in Dunhuang. The Conclusion part sums up the full text, and stresses the great significance of this paper.