Stairway to Heaven: A Journey to the Summit of Mount Emei (review)

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1 Stairway to Heaven: A Journey to the Summit of Mount Emei (review) Mario Poceski China Review International, Volume 15, Number 1, 2008, pp (Review) Published by University of Hawai'i Press DOI: For additional information about this article Accessed 13 Feb :40 GMT

2 Reviews 101 James M. Hargett. Stairway to Heaven: A Journey to the Summit of Mount Emei. Albany: State University of New York Press, xvii, 294 pp. Hardcover $75.00, ISBN by University of Hawai i Press An increasingly common approach to the study of Chinese religion is to explore local manifestations of discrete beliefs, traditions, and practices. Close attention to specific sites or localized manifestations of religiosity facilitates the unearthing of germane data and the development of fresh perspectives, thereby adding nuance and texture to our understating of the intricacy and richness of religious life in traditional (and modern) China. When properly contextualized, localized studies nicely supplement the many works that reflect a traditional focus on classical texts, paradigmatic thinkers, and mainstream schools of thought or practice, typically subsumed into one of the three main religious traditions in China, namely Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. Within that context, especially fertile topics of study are the various mountains with rich religious associations and close links to Buddhism or Daoism, or sometimes a combination of both. Within the context of Chinese Buddhism, especially noteworthy are the four major Buddhist mountains, which over successive dynastic epochs grew into important pilgrimage sites, thriving centers of cultic activity, and key points in the sacred geography of China. The four Buddhist mountains are strategically located in different parts of China, and each is associated with a popular bodhisattva: Mt. Wutai 五台山 (in Shanxi) with Wenshu 文殊 (Mañjuśrī), Mt. Putuo 普陀山 (off the coast of Zhejiang) with Guanyin 觀音 (Avalokiteśvara), Mt. Jiuhua 九華山 (in Anhui) with Dizang 地藏 (Kṣitigarbha), and Mt. Emei 峨嵋山 (in Sichuan) with Puxian 普賢 (Samantabhadra). James Hargett s informative and well-researched book is a comprehensive study of the history and position in Chinese culture of the last of these important mountains. With its breathtaking scenery, longstanding and illustrious history, and copious presence in Chinese literature, Emei has exerted a notable impact on the popular Chinese imagination. The mountain has elicited and still continues to bring out an array of responses and sentiments, both religious and secular. The book provides a wealth of materials that document the multifaceted developments that facilitated Emei s gradual emergence as a famous mountains and a place renown for its sublime beauty including its early reputation as an abode of Daoist immortals and its evocations by famous poets and writers and details its rich history as a Buddhist pilgrimage site. Thorough his account of Emei s history, the author contextualizes the intricate patterns of human interactions with the mountain. He also relates the growth of its iconic image, with its peculiar physical features and assorted properties, that secured its exceptional place in traditional Chinese culture.

3 102 China Review International: Vol. 5, No. 1, 2008 In the introduction, the author informs us of his decision to structure the book as a guided journey on the mountain, from the monastery at its foothills up to its summit. This approach is adopted by him with the expressed intent of involving the reader and making the narrative more interesting. Instead of presenting himself as a guide, Hargett uses a travelogue written by Fan Chengda 范成大 ( ), the noted Song dynasty ( ) literatus and official. Fan s descriptions of his visit to Emei in 1177, along with the reflections on his experiences there expressed by means of prose and poetry are accompanied by the author s extensive background information and commentary. I am not sure if that is the best way to structure the books as a whole; at any rate, Hargett uses Fan s travel narrative with mixed results. To begin with, the basic structure articulated by the author is not really applied to the whole book, but only to chapters 3 6, which constitute less than half of the text. Moreover, in these chapters the combination of travelogue with commentary is not used with equal success. On occasions, they work pretty well together (e.g., chap. 6); at other places, however, the narrative flow is interrupted as the travelogue disappears for long stretches, and the reader faces page upon page of general or tedious historical detail and background information. For instance, after citing a passage in which Fan notes his arrival in Emei town (that finally happens on p. 91, almost halfway into the book), the author takes a long detour to tell us about the patterns of Buddhist patronage during the Song period (pp ), much of which is general in nature and not directly related to the topic at hand. (For an even longer detour from the travelogue, see pp ). This is not meant to suggest that the travelogue should not have been used, but there might have been better ways to integrate it into the overall structure of the book, perhaps setting it free as a separate chapter and having the rest of the chapters follow a combination of chronological and topical ordering. In fact, the chapters that follow that kind of conventional approach are more coherent and work better (e.g., chaps. 6 and 7). In the fist chapter, which serves as an introduction to the book, Hargett provides a helpful summary of previous studies of Chinese mountains, thereby situating his work in relation to earlier models such as Edward H. Schafer s Mao Shan in T ang Times, and he briefly comments on the place of famous mountains within the broader world of Chinese culture. The chapter also provides pertinent information about Emei, including data about its geological formation, distinctive physical features, diverse flora and fauna, and the famous phenomenon of precious light, which is occasionally observable on the mountain summit when specific climatic conditions are present. Judging from its title, the second chapter is meant to provide information about Sichuan. Much of the material presented in it is interesting, but the chapter hangs somewhat loose and is not that well integrated into the rest of the book. It starts by providing general historical information about ancient Sichuan. After a brief note on the earliest mentions of Emei in Chinese literature, the discussion switches to representations of the mountain in the verses of famous Tang (618

4 Reviews ) and Song poets. The main focus is on Li Bo 李白 ( ), who felt special affinity with the mountain and featured it in some of his poems. After a general account of ancient Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, that begins chapter 3, we finally encounter passages from Fan s travelogue. However, we still have to wait for his visit to Emei, since in this chapter the author translates parts of the travelogue that recount the initial stages of Fan s trip after his departure from Chengdu. This includes detours to other places not directly related to the main subject matter. Some of the translated passages are perhaps worthy of note, even if somewhat off topic, but others tend to be tedious. A case in point is Fan s lengthy reflection on the various ways to store lichees (p. 59). The next chapter brings us within sight of Emei, but we are still not quite there. Chapter 4 is perhaps most representative of the book s structural ambiguity. It starts with a somewhat long-winded survey of the administrative history of Jia county, where Mt. Emei is located, beginning with the Qin unification of the empire in 221 BCE (pp ). An interesting discussion of the history of Emei as a Daoist mountain, which predated the flourishing of Buddhism, follows. After another general historical section on the history of Buddhism in Sichuan, at the end of the chapter at last we rejoin Fan on his trip to Emei as he passes by the famous gigantic statue of Maitreya Buddha, carved into a hill on the confluence of three rivers during the Tang dynasty. Chapter 5 contains the long-awaited description of Fan s ascent to Emei, although only after another historical detour regarding the patronage of Buddhism in late medieval China, at both the national and the local levels. The subsequent section, which tells of Fan s ascent on the mountain, is among the most engaging in the book. Here we find interesting descriptions of Emei s sites and routes that nicely weave together Fan s travelogue with Hargett s commentary. We are treated to an informative guided tour along an ancient pilgrimage route, with stops at various monasteries and other renowned landmarks. The travel narrative continues into the next chapter, which relates Fan s experiences at Emei s summit, including his enchanted response to the spectacular scenery. There is also his eyewitness account of a manifestation of the Buddha light, a phenomenon commonly associated with the mountain that added to its mystique. Encounters with the sublime light performed an important religious function in the pilgrimage, which was construed as a quest for encounter with Samantabhadra. The chapter ends with Fan s reflections on his experiences on the mountain, expressed in strictly Buddhist terms, accompanied by the author s commentary. The last two chapters are arguably the most informative in the book. Chapter 7 explores the historical processes by which Emei became a famous Buddhist mountain and a major pilgrimage site. The author notes the role of imperial patronage and uncovers the legitimizing strategies that shaped Emei s Buddhist transformation and its raise to fame. The creation of a founding myth that engendered a historical connection between Buddhism and the mountain is included in the discussion. There is also some creative scriptural exegesis, which attempts to

5 104 China Review International: Vol. 5, No. 1, 2008 forge canonical justification for construing the mountain as the dwelling place of Samantabhadra bodhisattva. These developments are also related to the broader picture of the emergence of the four great Buddhist mountains. The final chapter provides a chronological survey of Emei s later history as a major pilgrimage site and tourist destination. The author provides a compelling account of the flourishing of Buddhism on Emei during the Ming period ( ), which also saw a surge in tourist activity. This is followed with a brief account of the continued imperial patronage and emergence of organized pilgrimage groups during the Qing dynasty ( ), the decline of the Republican era ( ), and the privation and wholesale destruction of Emei s rich Buddhist heritage during the worse excesses of the Cultural Revolution. The historical overview ends with a brief note on the present predicament. While we can witness a resurgence of Buddhist activity on the mountain, it is accompanied with an aggressive drive on part of the local government to reap economic benefits by developing the tourist industry. The book s comprehensive coverage of Emei s long and complex history is for the most part commendable, but there is a notable omission in the lack of sustained discussion of Samantabhadra, the bodhisattva identified with the mountain. There are, of course, a number of mentions of the bodhisattva throughout the book, but there is no serious effort to look into the constellations of values and meanings associated with Samantabhadra, evident in both canonical sources and popular beliefs and practices, nor is there any intimation of how these might have influenced the Buddhist transformation of Emei and its identification with the bodhisattva. This is indicative of the occasional unsteadiness in the Buddhological moorings of the book. This kind of problem is also observable in its details, such as the misspelling or problematic rendering of Buddhist terms, although this is not a very serious flaw. For instance, the Sanskrit names of bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Kṣitigarbha are misspelled (pp. 159, 263, 268, 276), and the four noble truths are rendered as the four fundamental dogmas of Buddhism (p. 104). In terms of the manuscript s overall presentation, there are a number of nice touches along with occasional misses. The introduction of Chinese characters in the main body of the text is commendable, although it is not applied consistently. The two maps are very useful, but the two photographs of landscape paintings are of poor quality and are hardly legible (pp. 62, 174). In a manuscript of this length and complexity, a few typos and minor inaccuracies inevitably creep in (e.g., Kaibao 開寶 instead of Kaiyuan 開元 reign on pp. 84, 276; the money conversion of RMB into US dollars on p. 192 is way off), but they are not major distractions from what is basically an informative and well-documented volume. Notwithstanding the minor reservations concerning the book s structure and the execution of some of its elements, on the whole there is much to like, and I recommend it to anyone interested in Chinese religious history. The book provides a wealth of information about Emei that not only helps us understand and appreciate its manifold guises and fascinating history, but also sheds light on

6 Reviews 105 broader issues and key patterns of religious life in traditional and modern China. I commend Professor Hargett for producing a thoroughly researched and informative volume, and hope that others will follow with comparable studies of noted mountains and other religious sites in China and the rest of East Asia. Mario Poceski Mario Poceski is an associate professor of Buddhist studies and Chinese religions at the University of Florida. His latest books are Ordinary Mind as the Way: The Hongzhou School and the Growth of Chan Buddhism (Oxford University Press, 2007) and Introducing Chinese Religions (Routledge, forthcoming in 2009).

142 Book Reviews / Numen 58 (2011)

142 Book Reviews / Numen 58 (2011) 129 151 China: A Religious State. By JOHN LAGERWEY. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2010. viii, 237 pp. ISBN: 9789888028047, Softcover $ 16.95; Hardcover $ 40.00.