陳子昂｜陈子昂｜Chen Zi-Ang

11/10/2025

〈陳子昂與佛教：本土化、合法性、宗教幻覺、獨立烈士〉[華文版][待續] https://holychina.wordpress.com/2025/09/28/1/

敬告各位讀者：

美國高校以英文為主。在美國高校，不同項目（譬如講座、課程）對英文與其他獨立語言的比例，有不同的要求與安排。

我只將此長篇論文的英文版，按時交至我校線上教學系統（英文：Canvas）內，以服從本班語言政策。本班有學生三十二人；絕大多數學生不懂華文。

我計劃向羅格斯大學圖書館開放取用平臺（英文：Rutgers University Libraries Open Access Repository），投稿此文英文版與華文版，並在我的三語網站（華文、英文、法文）等處，傳播此文英文版與華文版。

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〈陳子昂與佛教：本土化、合法性、宗教幻覺、獨立烈士〉[華文版]

概述

中華詩人、文人、學者陳子昂（公元659年—700年）關於佛教的操作，有四大本質與影響。第一，陳子昂參與佛教之中華漢地本土化——這是漢傳佛教不同於印度佛教的許多原因之一。第二，陳子昂在程序、世界觀、績效三方面，比較成功地營造武則天（公元624年—705年）合法性——這是武則天藉由官方程序，推翻李唐皇朝、自立為大周皇帝的許多原因之一。第三，陳子昂藉由佛教詮釋，營造武則天合法性的模式，反映陳子昂這缺點：宗教幻覺。第四，陳子昂受當局指控在政治上與「逆黨」（陳子昂語）[1]有染，並在洛陽橫遭強抓、一年有餘的監禁、羈押期間欺凌暴虐，以及陳子昂因重病「杖不能起」、「氣息不逮」、「柴毀」（盧藏用語）[2]期間，仍遭當局「數輿曳就吏」（同前），並在獄中「遇害」（杜甫語）、[3]「死於非命」（沈亞之語）[4]的重大（絕非百分之百）原因，在於陳子昂的獨立。從以尊奉貞德（法文：Jeanne d’Arc；約公元1412年—1431年）為法國天主教聖女烈士的方法、標準、質量要求來看，陳子昂是為獨立犧牲的殉道者。

原始資料

關於研究主題「陳子昂與佛教」的原始資料有五類：

第一類，是陳子昂所撰九首中華傳統詩、陳子昂所撰五篇華文文章：〈酬暉上人夏日林泉〉（約公元683年）、〈酬暉上人秋夜山亭有贈〉（約公元683年）、〈感遇（其十九）〉（約公元690年）、〈同旻上人傷壽安傅少府〉（公元684年—691年）、〈夏日暉上人房別李參軍崇嗣〉（公元692年）、〈夏日遊暉上人房〉（公元692年）、〈雨後登開元寺南樓〉（公元692年）、〈秋園臥病呈暉上人〉（公元698年）、〈感遇（其八）〉（公元698年至699年）；〈暉上人房餞齊少府使入京府序〉（公元683年）、〈燕然軍人畫像銘〉（公元686年）、〈大周受命頌〉（公元690年）、〈夏日暉上人房別李參軍崇嗣〉序（公元692年）、〈館陶郭公姬薛氏墓誌銘〉（公元693年）。

從學者、文人、臺灣師範大學退休教師林保淳先生的中華語文研究，以及筆者的流利英文水準、中高級法文水準來看，前述來自陳子昂的原始資料語言，是寫於公元七世紀、在較多時候具較強文言性的華文——這種華文並不像獨立語言（如日文、英文、法文、拉丁文）那樣，獨立於林先生與筆者的華文母語。林保淳先生在新聞媒體上表示：「在中國幾千年的語言發展過程中，『文言文』與『白話文』早已是相互滲透、彼此循環影響的」（《中國時報》）、[5]「文言和白話，其實已經在我們的日常生活當中，交融匯集，常常是很難去區分得了」（客家電視臺）。[6]「我們」指以華文為母語者。在中華史上、中華語文中，文言顯然不同於口語常態，且文言與口語常態有時非常不同，但文言與口語常態的重合度與彼此渗透度極高；如此高的重合度與渗透度，不見於兩種獨立語言之間。

陳子昂這九首中華傳統詩、這五篇華文文章，仍使筆者覺察陳子昂特質：思維深邃寧靜，且充滿宗教與非邪教的靈性虔誠；自制；優雅；哀愁；沒有很強政治性，但在政治上既適度自保，又鬥智鬥勇。

第二類，是陳子昂在世時，已有華文版的印度佛教典籍。在這些典籍中，拙文探討印度龍樹（公元二世紀至三世紀）《中觀論》。

第三類，是中華傳統詩〈暉上人秋夜獨坐山亭贈陳子昂〉。彭慶生與蔣寅主張：此詩反覆被錯標為戴叔倫（約公元732年—789年）詩。聞一多估計與陳子昂互動的「暉上人」，是《俱舍論頌疏》作者圓暉，但曾軍估計「暉上人」不是圓暉、比較可能是射洪真諦寺僧。經與臺灣中山大學中國文學系退休教師簡錦松先生討論：目前無法確定兩說中何者更可能正確。

第四類，是中華歷史地點：洛陽龍門石窟、洛陽白馬寺、嵩山少林寺、北京（陳子昂在世時，該城名「薊」）法源寺。射洪武東山陳氏園林、洛陽貴族高府，是陳子昂兩大住處。武則天是龍門石窟重要營建者。白馬寺建於公元一世紀，且在原址上被修繕至今。此外，從陳子昂〈別中嶽二三真人序〉來看，其曾因虔信道教（但不是佛教），居於嵩山。公元696年—697年，陳子昂反覆表示自己當時住在「薊」。[7]公元697年，陳子昂在薊作〈登幽州臺歌〉。一種觀點是：此「薊」是今北京。另一種觀點是：此「薊」是今天津。經與簡錦松先生討論：在這兩種說法中，「北京」說正確。丞相、學者、文人杜佑（公元735年—812年）《通典》卷一七八云：「幽州，今理薊縣。⋯⋯薊燕國都，碣石宮。漢為薊縣。舊置燕都；有桑乾水；慕容儁都於此也。」[8]杜佑筆下「幽州」、「薊」、「薊燕國都，碣石宮」，均契合陳子昂〈薊丘覽古贈盧居士藏用七首〉（公元697年）與〈登幽州臺歌〉所描繪之地理。杜佑此處所記「桑乾水」，大致是今北京永定河。「薊燕國都」、「燕都」在今日北京——在華文中，北京又稱「燕京」。「北京」之名源於近世明代（公元十四世紀中旬至十七世紀中旬）。「薊」城建立於公元前十一世紀，因此今日北京有逾三千年作為中華城市的歷史。在陳子昂所住之薊，落成於公元696年的憫忠寺（後稱法源寺），在原址上被反覆修繕至今。

第五類，是陳子昂在世時，中華漢地佛教文物。拙文探討大陸中國國家博物館藏玄奘題名石佛座（公元662年）、地藏菩薩泥佛像（較像來自公元七世紀初至八世紀初）、白石佛坐像（公元七世紀初至十世紀初）、牙雕佛傳造像（公元六至八世紀）、蘇常侍普同等造泥佛像（公元七世紀初至十世紀初）、泥佛像（公元七世紀初至十世紀初）。

特殊二級資料

一千三百餘年來，關於陳子昂的這些二級資料，經常（不總是）遠比其他二級資料，更接近原始資料，所以特殊：杜甫（公元712年—770年）關於陳子昂的紀實詩、公元八世紀官立陳子昂旌德碑、沈亞之（公元781年—832年）關於陳子昂的記敘、公元十世紀後晉官修史書《舊唐書》、公元十一世紀宋代官修史書《新唐書》、公元1086年司馬光《資治通鑑》、公元1304年辛文房《唐才子傳》。

譬如：中華語文稱杜甫著作模式為「詩史」。簡錦松先生《唐詩現地研究》（高雄：中山大學出版社，2006）、《杜甫詩與現地學》（高雄：中山大學出版社，2018）均論證：杜甫所作中華傳統詩，符合歷史與地理事實。杜甫在領域、知識、技能方面，受陳子昂頗大影響；杜甫曾在射洪開展陳子昂瞻禮之行；杜甫祖父杜審言是陳子昂公眾領域盟友。所以，杜甫出生時，陳子昂、杜審言均已過世，但杜甫關於陳子昂的記敘，遠比此類以外二級資料，更接近原始資料。

其他二級資料

[待續]

合法性

任何時代、任何政權合法性，均有三大維度：程序、世界觀、績效。陳子昂在世時，關於政權合法性的常見華文表述是「正統」。建立政權之過程，得到範圍越廣、人數越多的支持，則程序合法性越強。政權世界觀，得到範圍越廣、人數越多、程度越深的認可，則世界觀合法性越強。政權向範圍越廣、人數越多的受眾，提供的發展空間越大，則績效合法性越強。

陳子昂成為重要歷史人物的一大（不是全部）原因在於：武則天與陳子昂達成默契：武則天擔任陳子昂公眾領域主保；陳子昂扮演「武則天統治下的理想讀書人」這公共角色。具體而言：

陳子昂公開宣告：武則天是其「主」、自己是武則天之「忠臣」（皆陳子昂原話）。進一步而言，陳子昂公開神化武則天、絕對忠於武則天、沒有第二個公眾領域主保。「神化」與「絕對忠[誠]」的標準之一，是藉由中華佛教，營造武則天在程序、世界觀、績效方面的合法性。陳子昂達到這標準的努力之一，是在其關於「大周受命」（陳子昂〈大周受命頌〉語）的宣傳中，記敘這史實：「緇衣」（同前）人群稱武則天「受天之符，為人聖母」（同前）、支持武則天藉由官方程序，推翻李唐皇朝、建立大周皇朝。

只要陳子昂奉武則天為「主」、是武則天「忠臣」（皆陳子昂原話），武則天就給予陳子昂作為詩人、文人、學者，推動中華本土社會進步的重大發展空間：武則天很少限制陳子昂基於其研究領域——儒學傳承、道教推廣、俠義源流、中華傳統詩賦與詩學、中華通史、中華易學、巴蜀（今四川漢地與重慶）研析、中華生活藝術——的操作，無論這些操作是否涉及當前政治。譬如：在這默契下，武則天很少限制陳子昂藉由流傳基於前述領域所撰著作、參與中華風格讀書人雅聚，公開宣傳：大規模釋放宮女、拒絕發動戰爭、停止過度營建佛教工程、停止賦予酷吏大權、反對冤假錯案、釋放無罪獄囚、少用官方處罰、撤銷低能貪官權位、提高廣大貧民生活水平、在公眾領域，以「仁愛」「恤」（陳子昂語）萬民。

由於「政權向範圍越廣、人數越多的受眾，提供的發展空間越大，則績效合法性越強」（前文內容），奉武則天為「主」的「忠臣」陳子昂之知名度與影響力，鞏固武則天績效合法性。

判定「武則天與陳子昂有以上默契」，方能解釋陳子昂關於佛教的這一行為模式：除武則天外，陳子昂不藉由佛教，營造任何政治領袖的合法性，但陳子昂在武則天時代宣傳：當局過度營建佛教工程，所以違反佛教教義：「吾聞西方化，清淨道彌敦。奈何窮金玉，雕刻以為尊。雲構山林盡，瑤圖珠翠煩。鬼工尚未可，人力安能存。」（陳子昂〈感遇·其十九〉語）

判定陳子昂扮演「武則天統治下的理想讀書人」這公共角色，方能在較大（而非全部）程度上，解釋陳子昂為何成為重要歷史人物。「陳子昂成為重要歷史人物」之原因遠不限於詩，證據是古往今來有許多好詩，但這些好詩的大多數作者，都沒有取得陳子昂的知名度與影響力。

宗教幻覺

[待續]

所引資料

[1] Chen, Zi-Ang 陳子昂. Xinjiao Chen Zi-Ang Ji 新校陳子昂集 [A New Edition of the Complete Works of Chen Zi-Ang]. Taipei: World Journal Bookstore, 2015.

[2] Lu, Cang-Yong 盧藏用. Chen Zi-Ang Biezhuan 陳子昂別傳 [A Supplementary Biography of Chen Zi-Ang] in Xinjiao Chen Zi-Ang Ji 新校陳子昂集 [A New Edition of the Complete Works of Chen Zi-Ang]. Taipei: World Journal Bookstore, 2015.

[3] Du, Fu 杜甫. “Farewell to Mr. Li the Zi Prefecture Official as He Departs for His Appointment" [送梓州李使君之任]. Page 191 in Du Fu Quanji 杜甫全集 [The Complete Works of Du Fu]. Shanghai: Shanghai Classics Publishing House, 1996.

[4] Shen, Yazhi 沈亞之. Shang Jiujiang Zheng Shijun Shu 上九江鄭使君書 (A Letter Respectfully Submitted to Mr. Zheng in the Nine Rivers Area) in Shen Xiaxian Wenji 沈下賢文集 [The Collected Essays of Shen Xiaxian]. Shanghai: Shanghai Antique Books Publication House, 1986.

[5] Lin, Pao-chun 林保淳. “‘Guwen’ Yu Wen Bai Zhi Zheng’ 「古文」與文、白之爭 [“Archaic Literature" and the Disputes About the Literary and the Plain Language] (Taipei: China Times, 2023) https://www.chinatimes.com/opinion/20231210002366-262110?chdtv

[6] Hakka TV 客家電視臺. “108 Kegang Guowen Jiaoyu ‘Qu Guwen Hua’ Xuezhe Biao Youxin" 108課綱國文教育「去古文化」 學者表憂心 [Scholars’ Concerns on 108 Syllabus and Course Outline Chinese Language and Literature Education “Tendency to Delete Archaic Literature"] November 6, 2023, https://www.hakkatv.org.tw/news-detail/1699266808880823

[7] Chen, Zi-Ang 陳子昂. Xinjiao Chen Zi-Ang Ji 新校陳子昂集 [A New Edition of the Complete Works of Chen Zi-Ang]. Taipei: World Journal Bookstore, 2015.

[8] Du, You 杜佑. Tongdian 通典 [Overall Encyclopedia]. Beijing: Zhonghua Books, 1988.

[待續]

敬告各位讀者：美國高校以英文為主。在美國高校，不同項目（譬如講座、課程）對英文與其他獨立語言的比例，有不同的要…

11/08/2025

Chen Zi-Ang and Buddhism: Indigenization, Legitimacy, Religious Illusions, and Independence Martyr [English Version][To be Continued] https://holychina.wordpress.com/2025/09/28/2/

A Respectful Announcement to My Readers:

American higher education is mainly in English. At American higher educational institutions, different programs (such as lectures and courses) have different requirements and arrangements regarding the proportion of English and other independent languages.

I only submit the English version of this long research paper to the school’s Canvas on time to obey this course’s language policies. This course has thirty-two students; the vast majority of these students do not understand the Chinese language.

I plan to submit this long research paper in both English and Chinese versions to the Rutgers University Libraries Open Access Repository, while circulating it in both English and Chinese versions on such places as my trilingual website (Chinese, English, and French).

_________________________

Special Secondary Sources

In more than one thousand three hundred years, these secondary sources about Chen Zi-Ang are often (not always) far closer to primary sources than all other secondary sources; they are therefore special: Du Fu (Chinese: 杜甫; 712—770 CE)’s poetry about Chen Zi-Ang based on realities; the eighth-century CE officially-erected Chen Zi-Ang Virtue Memorial-Monument (Chinese: 旌德碑); Shen Yazhi (Chinese: 沈亞之; 781—832 CE)’s records and narratives about Chen Zi-Ang; The Old Book of Tang (Chinese: 舊唐書), an official history book maintained by the Later Jin (Chinese: 後晉); The New Book of Tang (Chinese: 新唐書), an official history book maintained by Sung (Chinese: 宋); Sima Guang (Chinese: 司馬光)’s A Thorough Historical Guidance to Governance (Chinese: 資治通鑑) completed in 1086 CE; Xin Wenfang (Chinese: 辛文房)’s The Spiritually Sophisticated in the Tang Era (Chinese: 唐才子傳) completed in 1304 CE.

For instance, Chinese language and literature refer to Du Fu’s written work pattern as “Poet for History (Chinese: 詩史)." Professor Emeritus Dr. Chien Chin-Sung (Chinese: 簡錦松)’s Tang Poetry On-Site Research and Studies 唐詩現地研究 (Kaohsiung: Sun Yat-Sen University Press, 2006) and By His Own Person and Eyes: The Poetry of Du Fu and On-Site Study 杜甫詩與現地學 (Kaohsiung: Sun Yat-Sen University Press, 2018) all argue that the traditional Chinese poetry authored by Du Fu have been consistent with historical and geographical realities. On the aspects of fields, learning, competencies, and skills, Du Fu received a very grand influence from Chen Zi-Ang; Du Fu carried out a Chen Zi-Ang veneration travel in Shehong (Chinese: 射洪); Du Shenyan (Chinese: 杜審言), Du Fu’s grandfather, was an ally of Chen Zi-Ang in the public sphere. Hence, at the time of Du Fu’s birth, both Chen Zi-Ang and Du Shenyan had passed away; however, Du Fu’s records and narratives about Chen Zi-Ang have been far closer to primary sources than secondary sources outside of this category.

[To be Continued]

A Respectful Announcement to My Readers: American highe…

11/08/2025

〈陳子昂與佛教：本土化、合法性、宗教幻覺、獨立烈士〉[華文版][待續] https://holychina.wordpress.com/2025/09/28/1/

敬告各位讀者：

美國高校以英文為主。在美國高校，不同項目（譬如講座、課程）對英文與其他獨立語言的比例，有不同的要求與安排。

我只將此長篇論文的英文版，按時交至我校線上教學系統（英文：Canvas）內，以服從本班語言政策。本班有學生三十二人；絕大多數學生不懂華文。

我計劃向羅格斯大學圖書館開放取用平臺（英文：Rutgers University Libraries Open Access Repository），投稿此文英文版與華文版，並在我的三語網站（華文、英文、法文）等處，傳播此文英文版與華文版。

——————————————

特殊二級資料

一千三百餘年來，關於陳子昂的這些二級資料，經常（不總是）遠比其他二級資料，更接近原始資料，所以特殊：杜甫（公元712年—770年）關於陳子昂的紀實詩、公元八世紀官立陳子昂旌德碑、沈亞之（公元781年—832年）關於陳子昂的記敘、公元十世紀後晉官修史書《舊唐書》、公元十一世紀宋代官修史書《新唐書》、公元1086年司馬光《資治通鑑》、公元1304年辛文房《唐才子傳》。

譬如：中華語文稱杜甫著作模式為「詩史」。簡錦松先生《唐詩現地研究》（高雄：中山大學出版社，2006）、《杜甫詩與現地學》（高雄：中山大學出版社，2018）均論證：杜甫所作中華傳統詩，符合歷史與地理事實。杜甫在領域、知識、技能方面，受陳子昂頗大影響；杜甫曾在射洪開展陳子昂瞻禮之行；杜甫祖父杜審言是陳子昂公眾領域盟友。所以，杜甫出生時，陳子昂、杜審言均已過世，但杜甫關於陳子昂的記敘，遠比此類以外二級資料，更接近原始資料。

[待續]

敬告各位讀者：美國高校以英文為主。在美國高校，不同項目（譬如講座、課程）對英文與其他獨立語言的比例，有不同的要…

10/27/2025

Chen Zi-Ang and Buddhism: Indigenization, Legitimacy, Religious Illusions, and Independence Martyr [English Version][To be Continued] https://holychina.wordpress.com/2025/09/28/2/

A Respectful Announcement to My Readers:

American higher education is mainly in English. At American higher educational institutions, different programs (such as lectures and courses) have different requirements and arrangements regarding the proportion of English and other independent languages.

I only submit the English version of this long research paper to the school’s Canvas on time to obey this course’s language policies. This course has thirty-two students; the vast majority of these students do not understand the Chinese language.

I plan to submit this long research paper in both English and Chinese versions to the Rutgers University Libraries Open Access Repository, while circulating it in both English and Chinese versions on such places as my trilingual website (Chinese, English, and French).

_________________________

Chen Zi-Ang and Buddhism: Indigenization, Legitimacy, Religious Illusions, and Independence Martyr [English Version]

Abstract

Chinese poet, author, and scholar Chen Zi-Ang (Chinese: 陳子昂; 659—700 CE) ‘s acts about Buddhism had four major essences and impacts. First, he participated in the Han Chinese indigenization of Buddhism — this was one of the many reasons why Han Chinese Buddhism differed from Indian Buddhism. Second, on the three aspects of procedures, worldviews, as well as effects and accomplishments, he was relatively successful in his construction of Wu Zetian’s (Chinese: 武則天; 624—700 CE) legitimacy — this was one of the numerous reasons why Wu Zetian, through official procedures, overthrew the Li-Tang (Chinese: 李唐) imperial dynasty and established herself as the Great Zhou (Chinese: 大周) Empress. Third, the pattern in which he constructed Wu Zetian’s legitimacy through his interpretations of Buddhism reflected this flaw of his: religious illusions. Fourth, his independence was a significant (but absolutely not the one-hundred percent) reason why he was accused of having a political connection with “foul rebels" (Chinese: 逆黨; Chen Zi-Ang’s quote)[1] by the authorities, why, in Luoyang, he suffered from his coercive capture, his imprisonment well over one year, in addition to the bullying, insults, brutalities, and mistreatments imposed on him during his detention, as well as why, when he was “as emaciated as dead wood," (Chinese: 柴毀; Lu Cangyong’s 盧藏用 quote) experiencing “insufficiencies in catching his breath," (Chinese: 氣息不逮; quote’s source same with the previous one)[2] and “inability to raise himself even when given a walking cane" (Chinese: 杖不能起; quote’s source same with the previous one) due to his grave illness, he was still “carried him with a sedan-stretcher and hauled him to official interrogations for several times" (Chinese: 數輿曳就吏; quote’s source same with the previous one) by the authorities, and he was “harmed to death" (Chinese: 遇害; Du Fu’s 杜甫 quote)[3] and experienced an “abnormal death" (Chinese: 死於非命; Shen Yazhi’s 沈亞之 quote)[4] in prison. Observing from methodologies, standards, and quality requirements of venerating Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d’Arc; c.1412—1431 CE) as a French Catholic saint and martyr, Chen Zi-Ang was a martyr sacrificing himself for independence.

Primary Sources

There are five categories of primary sources about the research topic of Chen Zi-Ang and Buddhism:

The first category consists of nine traditional Chinese poems composed by Chen Zi-Ang; five Chinese prose composed by Chen Zi-Ang: “To Reverend Brilliance, Within Summer Greenwood and Fountains" (c. 683 CE; Chinese: 酬暉上人夏日林泉), “To Reverend Brilliance from an Autumn Pavilion at Night" (c. 683 CE; Chinese: 酬暉上人秋夜山亭有贈), “Meditations on My Experiences: XIX" (c. 690 CE; Chinese: 感遇（其十九）); “Elegy to County Official Fu of the Area of Longevity and Peace, Accompanied by Reverend Celestial" (684–691 CE; Chinese: 同旻上人傷壽安傅少府); “Goodbye to Li Chongsi the Military Official at the Summer Chamber of Reverend Brilliance" (692 CE; Chinese: 夏日暉上人房別李參軍崇嗣); “Summer Saunter in the Chamber of Reverend Brilliance" (692 CE; Chinese: 夏日遊暉上人房); “Ascension to Opening and Grandeur Buddhist Temple’s South Tower After a Rain" (692 CE; Chinese: 雨後登開元寺南樓); “On my Sickbed, Respectfully to Reverend Brilliance from my Autumn Garden" (698 CE; Chinese: 秋園臥病呈暉上人); “Meditations on My Experiences: VIII" (c. 698–699 CE; Chinese: 感遇（其八）); “At Reverend Brilliance’s Chamber, Goodbye Banquet to County Official Qi’s Messenger Before His Entry to the Capital: an Introduction" (683 CE; Chinese: 暉上人房餞齊少府使入京府序); “Inscriptions on Portraits of Yanran Warriors" (686 CE; Chinese: 燕然軍人畫像銘); “Hymn on the Great Zhou’s Reception of the Heavenly Mandate" (690 CE; Chinese: 大周受命頌); “Goodbye to Li Chongsi the Military Official at the Summer Chamber of Reverend Brilliance: an Introduction" (692 CE; Chinese: 〈夏日暉上人房別李參軍崇嗣〉序); “Epigraph of Mr. Guo of Guantao’s Romantic Lover Xue" (693 CE; Chinese: 館陶郭公姬薛氏墓誌銘).

Observing from Dr. Lin Pao-chun (Chinese: 林保淳; alternatively Lin Baochun), a scholar, author, and Taiwan Normal University’s Professor Emeritus’s Chinese language and literature studies, in addition to my fluent English level and proficient French level, the aforementioned primary sources that came from Chen Zi-Ang was in Chinese language that was written in seventh century CE while possessing relatively strong Literary Chinese nature at relatively many times — this category of Chinese language was not independent from Chinese, which is the native language of Dr. Lin and mine, in the way that such independent languages as Japanese, English, French, and Latin are. Dr. Lin Pao-chun (Chinese: 林保淳; alternatively Lin Baochun) states in the news media: “In China’s several thousands of years of language developmental progress, ‘Literary Chinese’ and ‘plain language Chinese [frequently-called Vernacular Chinese]’ have long been penetrating through each other, while impacting each other cyclically." (China Times) [Chinese: 在中國幾千年的語言發展過程中，「文言文」與「白話文」早已是相互滲透、彼此循環影響的][5] “In reality, Literary Chinese and plain language Chinese [frequently-called Vernacular Chinese] have already merged and converged in our everyday life, often making it very difficult to separate one from the other." (Hakka TV) [Chinese: 文言和白話，其實已經在我們的日常生活當中，交融匯集，常常是很難去區分得了][6] “Our" refers to native Chinese speakers. In Chinese history, the Chinese language and literature, Literary Chinese has been clearly different from the common speaking pattern, and Literary Chinese and the common speaking pattern have sometimes been very different. However, the degree of overlap and mutual pe*******on between Literary Chinese and the common speaking pattern has been extremely high; such a high degree of overlap and mutual pe*******on has not been observed between two independent languages.

These nine traditional Chinese poems and five Chinese prose by Chen Zi-Ang still enable me to sense and detect his characteristics: his contemplativeness was profound and tranquil, and was abundant in religious and non-cultic devotion; he was self-disciplined, elegant, and melancholic; he did not have a very strong political nature, while he both exercised a suitable degree of self-protection and carried out political struggles with intellect and courage.

The second category is Indian Buddhist classics that already had Chinese versions during Chen Zi-Ang’s time in this world. Among these classics, this humble article explores and discusses Indian Nagarjuna (Chinese: 龍樹; second to third centuries CE)’s Mulamadhyamakakarika (Chinese: 中觀論).

The third category is the traditional Chinese poem of “Reverend Brilliance’s Dedication to Chen Zi-Ang From Lonesome Sitting Mountain Pavilion on an Autumn Night (Chinese: 暉上人秋夜獨坐山亭贈陳子昂)." Peng Qingsheng (Chinese: 彭慶生) and Jiang Yin (Chinese: 蔣寅) argue that this poem has repeatedly been wrongfully labeled as a poem by Dai Shulun (Chinese: 戴叔倫; c.732—789). Wen Yiduo (Chinese: 聞一多) estimated that the “Reverend Brilliance" interacting with Chen Zi-Ang was Round Brilliance (Chinese: 圓暉), who authored Hymns and Annotations on Abhidharma-kosa (Chinese: 俱舍論頌疏), yet Zeng Jun (Chinese: 曾軍) estimated that Reverend Brilliance was not Round Brilliance, and it was relatively possible for Reverend Brilliance to be a monk at the Truth Buddhist Monastery (Chinese: 真諦寺) of Shehong (Chinese: 射洪). Based on my discussion with Dr. CHIEN Chin-Sung (Chinese: 簡錦松) of the Department of Chinese Literature at the Sun Yat-Sen University in Taiwan, currently, it cannot be certain which of these two suggestions is more likely to be correct.

The fourth category consists of Chinese historical sites: the Luoyang-based Dragon Gate Stone Grottoes (Chinese: 龍門石窟; transliteration: longmen shiku); the Luoyang-based White Horse Buddhist Temple (Chinese: 白馬寺; transliteration: baima si); the Songshan Mountain-based Young Greenwood (transliteration: Shaolin) Buddhist Temple (Chinese: 少林寺); the Beijing-based (during Chen Zi-Ang’s time in this world, this city’s name was Ji 薊) Dharma Source Buddhist Temple (Chinese: 法源寺; transliteration: fayuan si). The Chens’ estate and garden at the Eastern Wu Mountain (Chinese: 武東山) at Shehong (Chinese: 射洪) and the aristocratic Gaos’ Estate at Luoyang (Chinese: 洛陽) were two major places where Chen Zi-Ang resided. Wu Zetian was an important constructor of the Dragon Gate Stone Grottoes. The White Horse Buddhist Temple was constructed in the first century CE, and on its original site, its renovations have lasted into the present. Furthermore, observing from Chen Zi-Ang’s Preface-Prose of Farewell to the Daoist Reverends Refining Themselves For Their Unity with the Spiritual Truth at the Central Mountain (Chinese: 別中嶽二三真人序), he used to reside in the Songshan Mountain because of his pious faith in the Daoist religion (rather than the Buddhist religion). From 696 to 697 CE, Chen Zi-Ang repeatedly expressed that he resided in the city of “Ji (Chinese: 薊)"[7] at the time. In 697 CE, Chen Zi-Ang composed “Ascension to a High Platform in Youzhou (Chinese: 登幽州臺歌)" in Ji. One suggestion has been that this Ji is today’s Beijing (Chinese: 北京). Another suggestion has been that this Ji is today’s Tianjin (Chinese: 天津). Based on my discussions with Dr. CHIEN Chin-Sung (Chinese: 簡錦松), Beijing is the correct one among these two suggestions. In his Overall Encyclopedia (Chinese: 通典)’s one-hundred and seventy-eighth volume, Du You (Chinese: 杜佑; 735—812 CE), a prime minister, a scholar, and an author, indicated that:

“Youzhou: it currently governs the Ji county… Ji was the Yan Dukedom’s capital, and where the Stone Monument Palace was. In the Han period, it was the Ji county. In the past, [a later] Yan capital was established in it. It has the Mulberry Dryness (transliteration: Sanggan) Waters. Murong Jun established [this later] capital in it."

[Chinese original: 幽州，今理薊縣。⋯⋯薊燕國都，碣石宮。漢為薊縣。舊置燕都；有桑乾水；慕容儁都於此也。][8]

“Youzhou (Chinese: 幽州)," “Ji (Chinese: 薊)," “the Yan Dukedom’s capital… the Stone Monument Palace (Chinese: 薊燕國都，碣石宮)" penned by Du You, are all consistent with the geography as depicted by Chen Zi-Ang’s “Seven Observations and Meditations on the Antiquity from a Ji Hill Delivered to Mr. Lu Cangyong, a Devout Layman (Chinese: 薊丘覽古贈盧居士藏用七首; 697 CE)" and “Ascension to a High Platform in Youzhou (Chinese: 登幽州臺歌)." “Mulberry Dryness (transliteration: Sanggan) Waters (Chinese: 桑乾水)", hereby recorded by Du You, is approximately today’s Beijing’s Eternal Stability (transliteration: Yongding) River (Chinese: 永定河). “Ji… the Yan Dukedom’s capital" (Chinese: 薊燕國都) and “[a later] Yan capital" (Chinese: 燕都) were in today’s Beijing — in the Chinese language, Beijing is also called “the Yan capital (Chinese: 燕京; transliteration: Yanjing or Yenching)." The name, “Beijing," (Chinese: 北京) originated in the early modern Ming (Chinese: 明) era (mid-fourteenth to mid-seventeenth centuries CE). The city of Ji (Chinese: 薊) was established in the eleventh century BCE; hence, today’s Beijing has a history as a Chinese city for more than three thousand years. In the Ji (Chinese: 薊) that Chen Zi-Ang resided in, the Buddhist Temple of Mourning Compassion to the Sincere and Loyal (Chinese: 憫忠寺; transliteration: minzhong si) was completed in 696 CE (later named Dharma Source Buddhist Temple 法源寺; transliteration: fayuan si), and its renovations on its original sites have lasted into the present day.

The fifth category consists of Buddhist artifacts in Han Chinese regions from when Chen Zi-Ang was in this world. This humble article explores and discusses the mainland National Museum of China’s Stone Buddha Base With Xuanzang Inscription (Chinese: 玄奘題名石佛座; 662 CE), Earth Treasure Boddhisattva Clay Statue (Chinese: 地藏菩薩泥佛像; relatively looking like early 7th to early 8th centuries CE), White Stone Buddha Sitting Statue (Chinese: 白石佛坐像; early 7th to early 10th centuries), Carved Ivory Buddha Preaching Dharma Statue (Chinese: 牙雕佛傳造像; 6th to 8th centuries CE), Clay Buddha Statue Commissioned by Such Officials as Su Putong (Chinese: 蘇常侍普同等造泥佛像), and Clay Buddha Statue (Chinese: 泥佛像; early 7th to early 10th centuries).

[To be Continued]

Citations

[1] Chen, Zi-Ang 陳子昂. Xinjiao Chen Zi-Ang Ji 新校陳子昂集 [A New Edition of the Complete Works of Chen Zi-Ang]. Taipei: World Journal Bookstore, 2015.

[2] Lu, Cang-Yong 盧藏用. Chen Zi-Ang Biezhuan 陳子昂別傳 [A Supplementary Biography of Chen Zi-Ang] in Xinjiao Chen Zi-Ang Ji 新校陳子昂集 [A New Edition of the Complete Works of Chen Zi-Ang]. Taipei: World Journal Bookstore, 2015.

[3] Du, Fu 杜甫. “Farewell to Mr. Li the Zi Prefecture Official as He Departs for His Appointment" [送梓州李使君之任]. Page 191 in Du Fu Quanji 杜甫全集 [The Complete Works of Du Fu]. Shanghai: Shanghai Classics Publishing House, 1996.

[4] Shen, Yazhi 沈亞之. Shang Jiujiang Zheng Shijun Shu 上九江鄭使君書 (A Letter Respectfully Submitted to Mr. Zheng in the Nine Rivers Area) in Shen Xiaxian Wenji 沈下賢文集 [The Collected Essays of Shen Xiaxian]. Shanghai: Shanghai Antique Books Publication House, 1986.

[5] Lin, Pao-chun 林保淳. “‘Guwen’ Yu Wen Bai Zhi Zheng’ 「古文」與文、白之爭 [“Archaic Literature" and the Disputes About the Literary and the Plain Language] (Taipei: China Times, 2023) https://www.chinatimes.com/opinion/20231210002366-262110?chdtv

[6] Hakka TV 客家電視臺. “108 Kegang Guowen Jiaoyu ‘Qu Guwen Hua’ Xuezhe Biao Youxin" 108課綱國文教育「去古文化」 學者表憂心 [Scholars’ Concerns on 108 Syllabus and Course Outline Chinese Language and Literature Education “Tendency to Delete Archaic Literature"] November 6, 2023, https://www.hakkatv.org.tw/news-detail/1699266808880823

[7] Chen, Zi-Ang 陳子昂. Xinjiao Chen Zi-Ang Ji 新校陳子昂集 [A New Edition of the Complete Works of Chen Zi-Ang]. Taipei: World Journal Bookstore, 2015.

[8] Du, You 杜佑. Tongdian 通典 [Overall Encyclopedia]. Beijing: Zhonghua Books, 1988.

[To be Continued]

A Respectful Announcement to My Readers: American highe…

09/28/2025

A Respectful Announcement to My Readers:

The following are the partial drafts of my long research paper, having Chen Zi-Ang and Buddhism as its topic.

American higher education is mainly in English. At American higher educational institutions, different programs (such as lectures and courses) have different requirements and arrangements regarding the proportion of English and other independent languages.

I only submit the English version of this long research paper to the school's Canvas on time to obey this course's language policies. This course has thirty-two students; the vast majority of these students do not understand the Chinese language.

I plan to submit this long research paper in both English and Chinese versions to the Rutgers University Libraries Open Access Repository, while circulating it in both English and Chinese versions on such places as my Chinese, English, and French trilingual professional website.

_________________________

[Excerpt I]

Wu Zetian served as Chen Zi-Ang’s political patron, while the two reached an unspoken agreement:

Chen Zi-Ang publicly divinized Wu Zetian and offered her his absolute allegiance, while having no other political patrons. One of the criteria for such divinization and absolute allegiance was his Chinese Buddhism-based construction of her legitimacy. One of Chen Zi-Ang’s efforts to meet with this criteria was his record and narrative of this historical reality in his promotion about “the Great Zhou’s Reception of the Heavenly Mandate” (Chinese original: 大周受命; quote from Chen Zi-Ang’s “Hymn on the Great Zhou’s Reception of the Heavenly Mandate” 大周受命頌): crowds “dressing themselves in Buddhist monastic plain robes” (Chinese original: 緇衣; quote from the same source) asserted that Wu Zetian “receives Heaven’s auspicious signs and serves as people’s Holy Mother” (Chinese original: 受天之符，為人聖母; quote from the same source) and supported her overthrow of the Li-Tang (Chinese: 李唐) imperial dynasty and her establishment of the Great Zhou (Chinese: 大周) imperial dynasty through official procedures.

As long as Chen Zi-Ang reached Wu Zetian's criteria for his absolute allegiance, Wu Zetian very rarely restricted the poet, author, scholar Chen Zi-Ang's studies, researches, commentaries, narratives, and advocacies based on his themes of studies and researches: Confucianist (Chinese: 儒學) heritage, Daoist religious (Chinese: 道教) promotion, Chinese lineage of the warrior (Chinese: 俠) archetype, traditional Chinese poetry and poetics, overall history of China, Chinese learning on the Book of Changes (Chinese: 易學), Bashu (Chinese: 巴蜀; present-day Sichuan Han Chinese regions and Chongqing) research and analysis, and Chinese living arts, regardless of whether these studies, researches, commentaries, narratives, and advocacies involved their contemporary politics or not.

The judgment that Wu Zetian and Chen Zi-Ang had the above unspoken agreement with each other can explain Chen Zi-Ang's behavioral pattern about Buddhism: except for Wu Zetian, Chen Zi-Ang did not construct any other political leader's legitimacy based on Buddhism, yet in the Wu Zetian era, Chen Zi-Ang spread his narrative that the authorities violated Buddhist religious doctrines by their excessive constructions of Buddhist architectural programs:

"I hear the Buddhist faith from the west is about
Cleanliness and purity, distant from evil and anger,
As well as wholeness and gentleness —
Why the need to use up so much gold and jade
To decorate these carvings?
The mountain forests have disappeared to build towers,
The creation of these resplendent images
Has extracted all the treasures of the world.
Not even spirits can do such things;
How can humans ever sustain themselves when they act this way?

(Chinese original:
吾聞西方化，清淨道彌敦。奈何窮金玉，雕刻以為尊。
雲構山林盡，瑤圖珠翠煩。鬼工尚未可，人力安能存。
quote from Chen Zi-Ang's "Meditations on My Experiences: XIX" 感遇·其十九)

[Excerpt II]

Primary Sources

There are three categories of primary sources about the research topic of Chen Zi-Ang and Buddhism: eight traditional Chinese poems composed by Chen Zi-Ang; five Chinese prose composed by Chen Zi-Ang; and Chinese historical sites: the Luoyang-based Dragon Gate Stone Grottoes (Chinese: 龍門石窟; transliteration: longmen shiku); the Luoyang-based White Horse Buddhist Temple (Chinese: 白馬寺; transliteration: baima si); the Beijing-based (during Chen Zi-Ang's time in this world, this city's name was Ji 薊) Dharma Source Buddhist Temple (Chinese: 法源寺; transliteration: fayuan si).

Observing from Dr. Lin Pao-chun (Chinese: 林保淳; alternatively Lin Baochun), a scholar, author, and Taiwan Normal University's Professor Emeritus's Chinese language and literature studies, in addition to my fluent English level and proficient French level, the aforementioned primary sources that came from Chen Zi-Ang was in Chinese language that was written in seventh century CE while possessing relatively strong Literary Chinese nature at relatively many times — this category of Chinese language was not independent from Chinese, which is the native language of Dr. Lin and mine, in the way that such independent languages as Japanese, English, French, and Latin are. Dr. Lin Pao-chun (Chinese: 林保淳; alternatively Lin Baochun) states in the news media: "In China's several thousands of years of language developmental progress, 'Literary Chinese' and 'plain language Chinese [frequently-called Vernacular Chinese]' have long been penetrating through each other, while impacting each other cyclically." (China Times) [Chinese: 在中國幾千年的語言發展過程中，「文言文」與「白話文」早已是相互滲透、彼此循環影響的][1] "In reality, Literary Chinese and plain language Chinese [frequently-called Vernacular Chinese] have already merged and converged in our everyday life, often making it very difficult to separate one from the other." (Hakka TV) [Chinese: 文言和白話，其實已經在我們的日常生活當中，交融匯集，常常是很難去區分得了][2] “Our" refers to native Chinese speakers. In Chinese history, the Chinese language and literature, Literary Chinese has been clearly different from the common speaking pattern, and Literary Chinese and the common speaking pattern have sometimes been very different. However, the degree of overlap and mutual pe*******on between Literary Chinese and the common speaking pattern has been extremely high; such a high degree of overlap and mutual pe*******on has not been observed between two independent languages.

The eight aforementioned traditional Chinese poems were: "To Reverend Brilliance, Within Summer Greenwood and Fountains" (c. 683 CE; Chinese: 酬暉上人夏日林泉), "To Reverend Brilliance from an Autumn Pavilion at Night" (c. 683 CE; Chinese: 酬暉上人秋夜山亭有贈), "Meditations on My Experiences: XIX" (c. 690 CE; Chinese: 感遇（其十九）); "Elegy to County Official Fu of the Area of Longevity and Peace, Accompanied by Reverend Celestial" (684–691 CE; Chinese: 同旻上人傷壽安傅少府); "Goodbye to Li Chongsi the Military Official at the Summer Chamber of Reverend Brilliance" (692 CE; Chinese: 夏日暉上人房別李參軍崇嗣); "Summer Saunter in the Chamber of Reverend Brilliance" (692 CE; Chinese: 夏日遊暉上人房); "Ascension to Opening and Grandeur Buddhist Temple's South Tower After a Rain" (692 CE; Chinese: 雨後登開元寺南樓); "On my Sickbed to Reverend Brilliance from my Autumn Garden" (698 CE; Chinese: 秋園臥病呈暉上人). The five aforementioned Chinese prose were: "At Reverend Brilliance's Chamber, Goodbye Banquet to County Official Qi's Messenger Before His Entry to the Capital: an Introduction" (683 CE; Chinese: 暉上人房餞齊少府使入京府序); "Inscriptions on Portraits of Yanran Warriors" (686 CE; Chinese: 燕然軍人畫像銘); "Hymn on the Great Zhou's Reception of the Heavenly Mandate" (690 CE; Chinese: 大周受命頌); "Goodbye to Li Chongsi the Military Official at the Summer Chamber of Reverend Brilliance: an Introduction" (692 CE; Chinese: 〈夏日暉上人房別李參軍崇嗣〉序); "Epigraph of Mr. Guo of Guantao's Romantic Lover Xue" (693 CE; Chinese: 館陶郭公姬薛氏墓誌銘). These written works by Chen Zi-Ang still enable me to sense and detect his characteristics: his contemplativeness was profound and tranquil, and was abundant in religious and non-cultic devotion; he was self-disciplined, elegant, and melancholic; he did not have a very strong political nature, while he both exercised a suitable degree of self-protection and carried out political struggles with intellect and courage.

[To be Continued]

[1] Lin, Pao-chun 林保淳. “‘Guwen’ Yu Wen Bai Zhi Zheng’ 「古文」與文、白之爭 [“Archaic Literature" and the Disputes About the Literary and the Plain Language] (Taipei: China Times, 2023) https://www.chinatimes.com/opinion/20231210002366-262110?chdtv

[2] Hakka TV 客家電視臺. “108 Kegang Guowen Jiaoyu ‘Qu Guwen Hua’ Xuezhe Biao Youxin" 108課綱國文教育「去古文化」 學者表憂心 [Scholars’ Concerns on 108 Syllabus and Course Outline Chinese Language and Literature Education “Tendency to Delete Archaic Literature"] November 6, 2023, https://www.hakkatv.org.tw/news-detail/1699266808880823

[Excerpt III]

The world that Chen Zi-Ang was geographically aware of was approximately as east as Japan, as west as Iranian Persia, as south as India and Vietnam, and as north as present-day Mongolian regions.