Networks of Faith and Profit: Monks, Merchants, and Exchanges between China and Japan, 839–1403 CE (Asian Connections) - Hardcover

Li, Yiwen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1009303104 ISBN 13: 9781009303101

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2023

Synopsis

Between 839 and 1403 CE, there was a six-century lapse in diplomatic relations between present-day China and Japan. This hiatus in what is known as the tribute system has led to an assumption that there was little contact between the two countries in this period. Yiwen Li debunks this assumption, arguing instead that a vibrant Sino-Japanese trade network flourished in this period as Buddhist monks and merchants fostered connections across maritime East Asia. Based on a close examination of sources in multiple languages, including poems and letters, transmitted images and objects, and archaeological discoveries, Li presents a vivid and dynamic picture of the East Asian maritime world. She shows how this Buddhist trade network operated outside of the framework of the tribute system and, through novel interpretations of Buddhist records, provides a new understanding of the relationship between Buddhism and commerce.

About this title

About the Author

Yiwen Li teaches history and cultural heritage at City University of Hong Kong.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1009303104
• ISBN 13: 9781009303101
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 245