Production, Publication and Organizational Framework of Ming Dynasty Buddhist Texts

Speaker: Jining Li | 李际宁, Research Librarian, National Library of China

The publication of Buddhist texts in the Ming dynasty inherited the characteristics and institutional frameworks of the Song and Yuan periods, while profoundly influencing developments in the Ming, Qing and even the Republican era. Drawing on extant Buddhist historical materials and editions of the Buddhist canon (Tripiṭaka), this lecture offers a preliminary overview of the publication and production of Ming Buddhist literature from the following perspectives:

1. The Reconstruction of Monasteries and the Restoration of Canon-Printing Systems: The revival of monasteries: a number of temples that had printed Buddhist texts and canons during the Song and Yuan dynasties were rebuilt after the warfare at the end of the Yuan and the beginning of the Ming; The gradual restoration of in-house printing institutions and scripture workshops (jingfang) within these monasteries; The rapid emergence and growth of new scripture workshops and printing establishments around newly founded printing centers in the early Ming; The establishment of printing and distribution regulations by the government and Buddhist institutions to standardize and manage the production of Buddhist texts.
   
2. The Compilation and Printing of the Buddhist Canon:
   As warfare subsided in the early Ming, the strong demand for Buddhist texts among both the monastic community and lay society prompted the government to organize efforts to compile and edit the Buddhist canon.
   
3. Diversification and Advancement in Printing Practices:
   In response to broader social and economic developments, private and monastic printing in the Ming utilized a wider range of materials, produced richer content, and adopted more advanced techniques in illustration, engraving, and bookmaking. As a result, Buddhist texts became more visually refined, standing out as particularly brilliant cultural products of Ming society.
   
4. Peak Development of Canon Production Techniques and Institutions:
   The carving of woodblocks, printing processes, mounting, and binding techniques, as well as the institutional organization behind the production of the Buddhist canon, reached a historical high point during the Ming dynasty.
   
5. Historical Records in Inscriptions and Local Gazetteers:
   Inscriptions, local gazetteers, and monastic records from the Ming contain valuable accounts of the history of scripture printing and collection in temples—for example, regulations governing the printing of the Northern Canon and records found in the Gazetteer of Gushan Monastery. The publication of Buddhist texts in the Ming enriched the corpus of transmitted literature with diverse and valuable materials for the study of Buddhist history, helping to fill gaps in the historical record available to later generations.

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Born in April 1960 and a native of Xinghua, Jiangsu Province, Jining Li graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Lanzhou University in July 1983 and retired from the National Library of China in 2020. He is a Research Librarian at the National Library of China.

His research focuses primarily on bibliography and textual studies, with particular emphasis on the identification, collation, and study of Dunhuang manuscripts and Buddhist canons. He participated in the editing and publication of Dunhuang Manuscripts Collected in the National Library of China. His publications include Editions of Buddhist Scriptures (Jiangsu Ancient Books Publishing House) and Studies on the Buddhist Canon (Religious Culture Press), along with numerous related articles.

He also contributed to the formulation of national standards, including the Grading Standards for Dunhuang Manuscripts and the Grading Standards for Buddhist Texts. In addition, he has been involved in the collation and publication of several major editions of the Buddhist canon, including the Kaibao Canon, Chongning Canon, Piluzang, Zhaocheng Jin Canon, Sixi Canon, Hongwu Southern Canon, and the Qing Long Canon.