Writing and Printing for Praying: Colophons of Dali Buddhist Scriptures

Yuanyuan Duan, Ph.D. student, Cornell

This presentation introduces the colophons of the Sinitic Buddhist scriptures from Dali, Yunnan dating back to the 12th-17th centuries. These colophons usually consist of the information of the patrons who had the text copied or printed, the prayers stating their motivations to do so, and the date of manufacture. By examining the form and content of the colophons, especially the benediction directed at specific individuals, we will get a glimpse of what people believed that they could gain through engaging in writing or printing Buddhist scriptures, and how monastic and lay communities in Dali handled their everyday existence from the independent Dali Kingdom era (937-1253) to the period of being incorporated as the southwestern frontier of the Ming empire.

The Cornell Classical Chinese Colloquium (CCCC) 古文品讀 is a reading group for scholars interested in premodern Sinographic (古文) text. The group typically meets monthly during the semester to explore a variety of classical Chinese texts and styles. Other premodern texts linked to classical Chinese in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese have been explored. Presentations include works from the earliest times to the 20th century. Workshop sessions are lead by local, national, and international scholars. No prior experience or preparation is necessary.