Jiuhua Mountain Gazetteer (九華山志)

About 九華山志

Republic of China · by 釋印光重修

123,404 · about 411 min

The Jiuhua Mountain Gazetteer, revised under the direction of the eminent monk Shi Yinguang during the Republic of China period, is an authoritative record documenting the history and culture of the sacred Buddhist mountain Jiuhua in China. Building systematically upon earlier Ming and Qing dynasty gazetteers, it details the mountain’s natural geography, the evolution of its monasteries, the deeds of accomplished monks, and accounts of spiritual wonders, while also including historical inscriptions, steles, and literary works. As a synthesis of local chronicle and Buddhist historical sources, it stands not only as a core document for studying the formation of Jiuhua Mountain as a bodhimaṇḍa of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, but also as a vital resource for understanding the culture of sacred sites in Chinese Buddhism and the social influence of Buddhism during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It holds an exemplary position among the gazetteers of Buddhist sacred mountains.