The Chan Immortal and the Tongbai Palace: How Imperial Patronage and Chan Buddhism Shaped the History of a Daoist Temple at the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century

Recent scholarship often mentions the lack of imperial patronage in favour of Daoism during the Qing dynasty compared to previous eras. In this context, Shizong’s patronage of the Tongbai Palace, the most famous Daoist temple of Tiantai county (Zhejiang), during the second half of his reign is very significant. Since the late Ming dynasty, this temple was in disrepair also due to the local elite families taking possession of its land. Therefore, at the end of the Kangxi era, what remained of the Tongbai Palace was a dilapidated temple known as the Qingfeng Shrine, guarded by a lonely Daoist called Fan Qingyun. Given these premises, Shizong’s patronage of the Tongbai Palace is even more remarkable and deserves investigation. In recent years, scholars have made important contributions to the study of the history of the Tongbai Palace and of Daoism in general during the Qing dynasty. This article analyses Shizong’s patronage of the restoration of the Tongbai Palace in relation to the initiatives in favour of Chan Buddhism that he himself organized at court. I have focused on four main issues: (1) Shizong’s patronage of the Tongbai Palace and other Daoist temples in the Taizhou prefecture was related to the cult of Zhang Boduan; (2) the emperor’s interest in Zhang Boduan was related to his commitment to Chan; (3) the Buddhist activities and editorial enterprises organized at court since 1733, including the new edition of the Buddhist Canon, all developed from Shizong’s peculiar religious perspective; and (4) the restoration of the Tongbai Palace was not in itself an act of imperial patronage of Daoism, or of the “doctrine of the Three Teachings.” Instead, it is rooted in the specific religious and historical setting characterized by Shizong’s support of Chan Buddhism and of the “Exoteric Collection” from Zhang Boduan’s Wuzhen pian.