Abstract

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Abstract:: The characteristics of modern Chinese Buddhist poetics can be summarized as follows. Firstly, it exhibits distinct specialization. The narratives and critiques in this area primarily focus on the internal matters of Buddhism. Even when secular poets are involved, modern Chinese Buddhist poetics is mostly about the events and works related to Buddhism. The narratives and commentaries vividly express a Buddhist standpoint. Secondly, it embodies a spirit of questioning and the pursuit of true knowledge. Particularly in the appraisal of poems, modern Chinese Buddhist poetics pays special attention to the “original insights”, valuing responses to new societal customs and cultural trends of the era, as well as prioritizing the research methods involving debate and questioning. Thirdly, in terms of theoretical achievement, modern Chinese Buddhist poetics puts forward a conceptual distinction between “poems by monks” and “poems by monk poets” and engages in thorough discussions. It not only differentiates the “poems by monks” from the “poems by monk poets”, but also takes Su Manshu's poems as an exemplar of the poems by monk poets. From the perspective of the survival of Buddhist literature, it fully recognizes that in a modern society characterized by transition, without adapting to the tendency of advocating the expression of individuality in modern society, Buddhist poetry will not have a real way out.