Printed edition from the Shousheng Temple, Kaiqing Era, Song dynasty

Dimension of each half leaf: 25 cm (vertical) × 11.4 cm (horizontal)

 

At the end of the scroll, a colophon reads: “Under imperial decree, Monk Yanfu of the Taiping Shousheng Temple proofread and edited the Diamond Sutra. Auspiciously chosen days were selected for engraving and printing, with copies distributed to renowned mountains and ancient temples for eternal recitation. May the merits accrued ensure the emperor’s longevity, eternal peace across the land, and blessings for all living beings to ascend to the realm of longevity. Revised in March 1259.”

 

During the Tang dynasty, there was a tradition of emperors bestowing names upon Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries. For example, in 690, Empress Wu Zetian ascended the throne and issued a decree mandating the construction of Dayun Temples in Chang’an, Luoyang, and various other prefectures. Similarly, in 738, Emperor Xuanzong ordered the establishment of a Kaiyuan Temple or Monastery in each of the two capitals and other prefectures. This tradition was continued during the Northern Song dynasty. In 978, Emperor Taizong decreed that all unnamed temples that had hallways, Buddha statues, halls, and Buddhist monks and nuns be bestowed with the temple names “Taiping Xingguo Temple” or “Qianming Temple.” The former contained the reign title, whereas the latter contained the emperor’s birthday (Qianming Festival, which fell on Oct. 7). Temple names bestowed in honor of an emperor’s reign title or birthday often carried an official status. For instance, in October 1103, Emperor Huizong issued an edict establishing Chongning Temples. These temples were to be managed by abbots appointed by imperial decrees, and the abbots were granted purple robes, land, Buddhist scriptures, and privileges to ordain novices. In January 1067, Emperor Yingzong decreed that all temples with 30 or more rooms and Buddha statues but lacking an official name be designated as “Shousheng Temples.” The name “Shousheng” was derived from Emperor Yingzong’s birthday (Shousheng Festival), which fell on the January 3. At one point, some prefectures had over a dozen temples named “Shousheng Temple” or “Shousheng Monastery,” making it one of the most widely distributed temple names in the empire. In June 1162, Emperor Gaozong abdicated the throne in favor of Prince Zhao Shen, who became Emperor Xiaozong. Emperor Gaozong then styled himself as “Retired Emperor,” and court officials conferred upon him the honorific title “Guangyao Shousheng Retired Emperor.” Out of respect for his imperial name, temples previously named “Shousheng” were ordered to be renamed “Guangfu.” However, many Shousheng Temples did not comply with this decree, and temples bearing the name “Shousheng” continued to be widely found throughout the country. In Buddhist text, to distinguish among these temples, their geographic locations were often prefixed to their name, such as Fengzhou Shousheng Temple, Wujiang Shousheng Temple, Wuyai Shousheng Temple, and Bantang Shousheng Temple. The term “Taiping Shousheng Temple” found at the end of this sutra scroll likely refers to a Shousheng Temple located in Taipingzhou, which was established along Jiangnan East Road (modern-day Dangtu County and Wuhu in Anhui) during the Song dynasty. It is speculated that this version of the Diamond Sutra, which was “proofread and engraved under imperial decree,” was likely produced by monks from a government-affiliated Shousheng Temple in the Taipingzhou region during the late Southern Song dynasty. These monks would have been responsible for the proofreading, engraving, and disseminating the text.