Buddhism Between Tibet and China

by Matthew T. Kapstein (Editor)

As Tibet enters into its 50th year of Chinese rule, questions of cultural distinctions and similarities become ever more important in determining the future of the relationship between the Snow Lion and the Red Dragon. But often left unsaid is the long history the two countries share, and the significant cultural interchanges that have existed over time. Setting political agenda aside, Buddhism Between Tibet and China features a collection of noteworthy essays that probe the nature of this relationship, from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) to the present. Annotated and contextualized by noted scholar Matthew Kapstein and others, the historical accounts that comprise this volume display the rich dialogue between Tibet and China in the areas of scholarship, the fine arts, politics, philosophy, and religion. This thoughtful book provides insight into the surprisingly complex history behind the relationship from a variety of geographical regions.

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Matthew Kapstein is a scholar of Tibetan religions and Buddhism at the University of Chicago Divinity School. One of his study areas has concentrated on Tibetan culture and the influence of China's invasion.

Reviews

[Jessica Zu · Rating 4 out of 5]

read all the chapters relevant to modern china, skimmed the rest. Tuttle's chapter on lay disciples' translation tibetan-chinese is particularly interesting for my own research purpose. overall a must read for anyone interested in sino-tibetan relations today.

[Jessica Zu · Rating 4 out of 5]

re-reading is always a pleasure

[Alex Schleyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview put in particular it gets pretty much into details. The volume at all assumes a lot of knowledge before and is pretty academic.