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| The Local Poet-Monks of Yuezhou in the Tang Dynasty and the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang |
| Liu Zhaoming |
| School of Chinese Language and Culture, Zhejiang Yuexiu University, Shaoxing 312000, China |
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Abstract Along the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang, eleven local poet-monks from Yuezhou (modern Shaoxing) stand out: Qingjiang, Lingche, Liangjie, Zhuge Jue, Shi Yuzhen, Qibai, Chengguan, Shi Tanqing, Shi Hongjian, Shi Haozhi, and Shenyong. All of them made significant and unique historical contributions to the formation and development of the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang, so their value and influence should never be neglected.Those local Yuezhou poet-monks share the same characteristics. First, they showed a perfect mastery of Buddhist doctrines and enjoyed a renowned prestige. For instance, Qingjiang was a luminary of the Vinaya School Buddhism. Liangjie co-founded the Caodong School of Chan Buddhism. Chengguan, honored as the Fourth Patriarch of the Huayan School, advanced Buddhist philosophy. Qibai, a late-Tang master of Buddhist exegesis, served as an imperial court chaplain during Emperor Xuanzong’s reign. Second, they actively engaged in worldly affairs and built extensive networks with people from all walks of life. Since the Mid-Tang period, the trend of Buddhist secularization had intensified. These monks adapted to this trend, embracing secular life without reservation, actively engaging with scholars and officials, demonstrating the openness and inclusivity of their mind and perspective. Third, they possess exceptional poetic talent and reputation in the literary world. Among the eleven, Qingjiang, Lingche and Qibai achieved particularly wide-spread fame. Qingjiang and another poet-monk Qingzhou (Jiaoran) were jointly hailed as the “Two Qings of Kuaiji (A temporary name of Yuezhou during Emperor Xuanzong’s reign)”. Lingche, regarded as the “preeminent literati of his generation”, epitomized the pinnacle of monk-poetry. Qibai, a late representative, wielded considerable influence in late-Tang literary arena.There are three features of the poetry creation of the local Yuezhou poet-monks. First of all, their poems are of worldly themes and emotional depth. As poets, they actively immersed themselves into the secular world, understood secular thoughts and cultivated extensive social connections, so their works often addressed secular realities with profound empathy, such as Qingjiang’s poems on social suffering and deep compassion for the masses, Lingche’s verses expressing aspirations for fame and fortune, Qibai’s well-known poems in the late-Tang literary arena based on wide collaborations with secular poets, despite his courtly role as well as Liangjie’s emotionally rich writings on familial piety. Besides, their poems are of profound Chan aesthetics and ethereal imagery. All the eleven poet-monks artfully integrated their works with Chan Buddhist concepts, employing motifs like moon, water, wind to shape the artistic realm of their poetry, reflecting a uniquely refined and exquisite artistic character. Additionally, the poet-monks kept themselves abreast with the latest trends of poetry writing and were constantly in pursuit of innovation. Qibai, for instance, became a pioneer of new stylistic movements.The contributions of the local poet-monks from Yuezhou on the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang mainly lie in the following aspects. First and foremost, the influence of the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang was expanded through the associations of the poet-monks with scholars and other secular groups. As cultural ambassadors, these local poet-monks traveled and interacted with literati from other places. Their activities undoubtedly amplified the reach of the Eastern Zhejiang Tang Poetry Route and expanded its influence across the nation. In addition, their exchanges with Japanese poet-monks made important contributions to the formation of the Maritime Poetry Road. Second, their poetic works vividly capture the cultural allure of landscapes, historical heritage, and humanistic spirit in eastern Zhejiang. These local poet-monks, along with the monastic poets and the literati that they interacted with, richly and vividly depicted Yuezhou’s geography, natural scenery, history and cultural relics in their works, sparking interest and imagination about Eastern Zhejiang and enriching the route’s cultural appeal, which also contributed to the formation of the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang. Last but not least, a remarkable number of poets gathered in new poetic hubs—temples. Poets visited temples, worshipped Buddha and spent much time there. The works created in temples constitute an integral part of the legacy of the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang. Most visited ones along the Road, like Yunmen and Fahua temples became vital spaces for poetic creation and obtained even more far-reaching reputation, hosting literati from all over the country who composed verses during pilgrimages, stays, engagement with monks and poetic exchanges.In conclusion, the Yuezhou poet-monks played a unique and irreplaceable role in enhancing eastern Zhejiang’s cultural influence, drawing attention from the broader poetic community and sustaining the vitality of the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang—contribution that secular literati could hardly match. They deserve more focus and scholarly attention in the research framework of the Tang Poetry Road in Eastern Zhejiang.
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Received: 27 August 2024
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2026, Vol. 56 
