PhD defence

Thus We Have Heard: Imperial Buddhist Prefaces and Ideology in Tang China

• Y Bai

Date

Thursday 9 April 2026

Time

16:00 - 17:00 hour

Address

Academy Building
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden

Supervisor(s)

• Prof.dr. J.A. Silk
• dr. A. Palumbo

Summary

Why did the emperors of the Tang dynasty produce thirteen prefaces for Buddhist canonical works, yet almost none for the Confucian and Daoist traditions that supposedly anchored their rule?

Yu Bai's research explores this overlooked phenomenon, focusing on nine imperial Buddhist prefaces from the early Tang period (618–713). Far from being mere religious formalities, these texts were high-stakes political tools. Through a blend of historical and textual analysis, this study reveals how emperors, officials, and monks used the written word to broker power, settle political and doctrinal disputes, and weave Buddhism into the very fabric of state ideology. By treating Buddhism as a fundamental pillar of the empire rather than a historical anomaly, this study offers a fresh perspective on the ideological formation of one of history’s greatest dynasties.

PhD dissertations

Approximately one week after the defence, PhD dissertations by Leiden PhD students are available digitally through the Leiden Repository, that offers free access to these PhD dissertations. Please note that in some cases a dissertation may be under embargo temporarily and access to its full-text version will only be granted later.

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