著者

中田 美繪

出版者

東洋史研究会

雑誌

東洋史研究 (ISSN:03869059)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.75, no.3, pp.448-484, 2016-12

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This paper attempts to consider the background of the conversion to Buddhism of Sogdians in China through an examination of cases of the acceptance of Buddhism by Sogdians in China proper in the Tang era and their expectations of the role of Buddhism in the process of their migration to and settlement in China. First, for Sogdians, taking the Buddhist tonsure was a means to advance in society, comparable to secular success, and allowed them to acquire higher social status. Likewise, for some lay Sogdian Buddhists who supported temples and priests as donors due to their financial strength, Buddhist-based economic ethics had great influence. Furthermore, they were conscious that the links with temples and priests and with local society that underpinned them meant the acquisition of social trust. In addition to the close ties with temples, above mentioned, the activities of the Sogdians extended into imperial court. Sogdian priests built bonds with women in the court such as empresses and princesses during the first half of the Tang era, and with eunuchs, whose influence surpassed that of these women, in the latter half. In other words, during both the first and the latter half of the Tang era, they increased their Buddhist activities with big temples in the imperial capitals as their bases of operation while cementing ties with political powers in the imperial court. For political powers such as women and eunuchs who could not secure legitimacy for their power in the world of Confucian values, Buddhism provided authority and played the role of pushing them on to political stage, as can be seen in the case of Empress Wu who captured the throne by actively using Buddhism. Based on such characteristics of Buddhism, the Sogdians operating as priests built up links with political powers in the imperial court as a political strategy, intending to acquire the protection of those powers. Furthermore, some also employed an economic strategy as in the case of Huifan who allied himself with Princess Taiping and expanded commercial activities under her protection. From the above, we see that the Sogdians conversion to Buddhism had aspects of a survival strategy and also had proactive aspects designed to acquire political and economic benefits.