The Tang Dynasty was the heyday of the development of Buddhism in China, but in this glorious history, there is a hidden secret. In the shadow of the glorious Buddhist culture of the Tang Dynasty, a large and hypocritical phenomenon gradually emerged: many fake monks and nuns, not out of genuine belief in Buddhism, but to escape the pressure of servitude, political turmoil, or livelihood.
Behind the proliferation of monks and nuns in the Tang Dynasty.
During the Tang Dynasty, the number of monks and nuns grew at an astonishing rate, reaching an incredible scale. According to historical records, the number of monks and nuns in the Tang Dynasty during the Tang Gaozong period was 60,000, and by the time of the Tang Xuanzong period, it had soared to 1260,000 people, and during the period of Wuzong's destruction of Buddhism, there were even as many as 26 monks and nuns in the Tang Dynasty50,000 people, not counting the "underground" monks and nuns who are not recognized by the government, the total number is as high as more than 700,000. However, it is puzzling that not every monk or nun has a sincere belief in Buddhism.
The breeding of the phenomenon of private property of monks and nuns.
During the Tang Dynasty, the policy allowed monks and nuns to own private property, and the imperial court exempted them from all kinds of servitude. This policy led to secular families transferring their property to monasteries, or ordaining individuals to avoid servitude. Many people chose to become monks not out of devout belief in Buddhism, but because they wanted to escape the taxes and fees of the imperial court. This phenomenon had a serious impact on the socio-economic and religious development of the Tang Dynasty.
The introduction of the imperial court's restrictive policy.
In the seventeenth year of the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court began to perceive this social problem and took restrictive measures, beginning to restrict the ordination and ordination of monks and nuns. It is recorded in the "History of the Great Song Dynasty Monks": "In the first month of the fourth year of the Great Song Dynasty of Emperor Wenzong, the ancestral hall invited the monks and nuns of the world to impersonate those who were not in the right place, and they were named in the province, and each was given to the province to be naturalized. Those who apply for the name at the time will be worth 700,000 yuan. "The severe impact of the Tang Dynasty on the proliferation of monks and nuns forced the imperial court to take measures to curb this trend.
The political turmoil of Wu Zetian's era.
After Wu Zetian usurped power, in order to consolidate her power, she wantonly appointed cool officials and fabricated charges. In this period when the political environment is very dangerous, in order to escape political or legal sanctions, many literati or ** have chosen to become monks. The social instability of the Tang Dynasty made people eager to seek refuge and became a safe haven. At this time, only a monk can easily get Wu Zetian's approval, and escaping into the empty door has become a means of escaping the political storm.
The connection between marital changes and ordination.
In the special context of the Tang Dynasty, ordination became a means for some people to avoid political disputes and marital changes. In Datang society, it is common for women to remarry due to the death of their husbands. After the death of their husbands, in order to maintain their reputations or find a new life, some women choose to flee into the void. Even the daughters of the emperor's family had examples of their husbands dying and becoming monks, a choice that was not uncommon at the time.
The old prostitute and the helplessness of Tang Dynasty society.
In the Tang Dynasty, it was quite common for old prostitutes to choose to become monks in temples due to old age and decrepitude. These women became monks mainly to make ends meet and find a place to live. Although their motivations differed from those of pious beliefs, the phenomenon also became part of Tang society, reflecting the socio-economic and cultural complexities of the time.
Epilogue. In the Tang Dynasty, the splendor of Buddhist culture overshadowed a series of secular and complex phenomena. The proliferation of fake monks and nuns is both a blasphemy against Buddhism and a product of socio-economic and political upheaval. The Tang Dynasty society was torn between pious beliefs and secular strife, leaving behind a thought-provoking historical picture.
In this article, the author profoundly reveals the phenomenon of the proliferation of monks and nuns in Tang Dynasty society, as well as the reasons behind it and the far-reaching impact it had on society. The emergence of this phenomenon is not only a desecration of the Buddhist faith, but also a product of the interweaving of social, political, and economic factors.
First, the article focuses on the dramatic increase in the number of monks and nuns in the Tang Dynasty, which attracts people's attention. Through the display of data, we can see that from the period of Tang Gaozong to the period of Wuzong's destruction of Buddhism, the number of monks and nuns showed a geometric progression, especially in the Wuzong period. This aroused the vigilance of the imperial court, and also reflected the attention of the society to Buddhism and the generalization of the identity of monks and nuns at that time.
Secondly, the article provides an in-depth analysis of the reasons for the proliferation of monks and nuns. In particular, the Tang Dynasty policy allowed monks and nuns to own private property, and the imperial court exempted all kinds of servitude, which made the temple a means for some secular families to avoid taxes and fees. To a certain extent, this policy gave rise to many "fake monks and false nuns" who did not become monks out of faith. The liberal nature of the policy gives people the opportunity to escape the distractions of the world, but it also provides a breeding ground for fake monks and nuns.
In the article, it is also mentioned that the political turmoil of the Wu Zetian era contributed to the phenomenon of fake monks and nuns. During this period, in order to escape political or legal sanctions, many literati or scholars chose to become monks. This shows that social unrest has had a profound impact on the choice of religious beliefs, making ordination a safe haven.
The article also touches on some cases of marriage that lead to ordination, including the death of a husband and divorce. The occurrence of these marital changes is not only related to social culture, but also closely related to the social status of women in the Tang Dynasty under specific circumstances. This provides an important clue to the understanding of the social landscape and people's need for religious sustenance at that time.
Finally, the article discusses the situation of old prostitutes choosing to become monks, highlighting the phenomenon of some women in Tang society choosing to become monks when faced with the pressure of livelihood. This phenomenon not only reflects the restrictions on women in society, but also reveals some problems in the socio-economic structure and the status of women in the Tang Dynasty.
Overall, this article provides a multi-dimensional perspective for understanding the social landscape of the Tang Dynasty by digging deep into the phenomenon of the proliferation of monks and nuns in Tang Dynasty society and its causes. Behind the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, there is an intricate historical picture, which includes both the pursuit of Buddhist beliefs and the avoidance of secular disputes, which makes the whole society present a rich and complex appearance.
While Buddhism flourished in the Tang Dynasty, the so-called phenomenon of "fake monks and fake nuns" was indeed a thought-provoking social phenomenon. The article details the reasons behind the surge in the number of monks and nuns in the Tang Dynasty, as well as the far-reaching impact of policy changes on society. This historical phenomenon reflects the complexity of society at that time and the complex psychological and behavioral motivations of people who chose to become monks in the face of political, economic, marital and other pressures.
First of all, the reason for the surge in the number of monks and nuns in the Tang Dynasty, especially the phenomenon of "fake monks and fake nuns" who did not really believe in Buddhism, was precisely because of the relaxed policy of the Tang Dynasty. Allowing monks and nuns to own private property and exempting them from all kinds of servitude became a means of escaping social responsibility and personal entanglements. This phenomenon had a negative impact on the socio-economic and religious development of the time, not only destroying the economic order of the society, but also weakening the real influence of Buddhism.
Secondly, in the face of this problem, the Tang Dynasty issued a series of restrictive policies. This reflects the concern about social order and a deep awareness of the proliferation of monks and nuns. However, these restrictions do not address the root causes, but rather than the root causes, because counterfeiters always find new ways to circumvent them.
The article also mentions the impact of political turmoil during the Wu Zetian period on the phenomenon of ordination. During this period, due to the political instability, in order to protect themselves, literati or ** chose to become monks. This also illustrates that in a complex political environment, ordination is a means of escape rather than a genuine religious belief.
In addition, the connection between marital accidents and ordination is also a noteworthy aspect. In the Tang Dynasty, it was common for women to remarry due to the death of their husbands, while some women chose to become monks, perhaps to observe festivals, to escape complicated marital relationships, or to find a new way of life.
Finally, the choice of old prostitutes to become monks due to the pressure of livelihood is also a reflection of social helplessness. These women, after old age and decay, found a way to spend their old age in the temple. Although the motivation was different from that of devout beliefs, it also reflected the restrictions on women and the helplessness of the society at the time.
In general, this paper profoundly reveals the reasons for the formation of the phenomenon of "fake monks and fake nuns" in Tang Dynasty society and its multifaceted impact on society. This historical phenomenon reminds us of the need to take into account complex historical, political, economic and cultural factors when analyzing religious development and social issues in order to understand social changes more comprehensively.
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