Abstract:

Much has been written about the Chosŏn scholar-officials and the gentry but very little is known about their private affairs, such as their religious activities. To date, socio-political elite males of the Chosŏn period are accepted to have been averse to heterodox traditions, especially heterodox rituals. Despite the overall lack of research on their private lives, it seems this group of men did leave behind clear records of their activities and involvement with Buddhist temples. Indeed, these Chosŏn elites took part in Buddhist events and temple works more than has been realized. This article focuses on the donor ledgers for temple works, which reveal a trove of evidence of the intimate relationship that existed in the Chosŏn period between the Buddhist temples and wealthy gentry women and men. Not much different from the Koryŏ period, during the succeeding Chosŏn period sponsorship by the wealthy and powerful was a lifeline for Buddhism. Despite the five centuries under Confucian rule and anti-Buddhist state policies, during the Chosŏn dynasty the monastic community was able to continue its relationship not only with the masses but also with the socio-political elites. We are aware that beyond the polemical relationship between the Confucian elite and Buddhism, there existed a cultural framework where Buddhism provided to the societal elites not only religious meaning, but socio-cultural significance, practices, and identity.

摘要：

关于Chosŏn学者官员和士绅的文章很多，但对他们的私人事务（如宗教活动）知之甚少。迄今为止，人们认为乔松时代的社会政治精英男性不喜欢异端传统，尤其是异端仪式。尽管总体上对私人生活缺乏研究，但看来这群人确实留下了关于他们的活动和参与佛教寺庙的清晰记录。的确，这些Chosŏn精英参加了佛教活动，庙宇作品超出了人们的想象。本文重点讨论寺庙工作的捐助者分类帐，其中揭示了一系列证据，表明在朝鲜时期佛教寺庙与富裕的士绅男女之间存在着亲密关系。与高丽时代没有太大的不同，在随后的Chosŏn时期，有钱有势者的赞助是佛教的生命线。尽管在儒家统治和反佛教国家政策的统治下已经有五个世纪的历史了，但在朝鲜朝期间，修道院社区不仅能够继续与群众保持联系，而且还能够继续与社会政治精英们保持联系。我们知道，除了儒家精英与佛教之间的辩论性关系外，还有一个文化框架，佛教不仅向社会精英提供了宗教意义，而且还提供了社会文化意义，实践和特性。在Chosŏn王朝时期，修道院社区不仅能够与大众保持联系，而且还可以与社会政治精英保持联系。我们知道，除了儒家精英与佛教之间的辩论性关系外，还有一个文化框架，佛教不仅向社会精英提供了宗教意义，而且还提供了社会文化意义，实践和特性。在Chosŏn王朝时期，修道院社区不仅能够与大众保持联系，而且还可以与社会政治精英保持联系。我们知道，除了儒家精英与佛教之间的辩论性关系外，还有一个文化框架，佛教不仅向社会精英提供了宗教意义，而且还提供了社会文化意义，实践和特性。