Buddhist Historiography in China

This book tells us a great deal about a genre of Buddhist writing that we have not understood well so far because of its massive and chronological nature. The patterns of Chinese Buddhist histories are hard to see unless one has read all of them. Buddhist Historiography in China is an excellent critical orientation to this material, written in a lively and engaging way that makes it really enjoyable and informative to read. -- James A. Benn, author of <i>Tea in China: A Religious and Cultural History</i> Somewhat surprisingly, Buddhist historiography has not received much sustained attention before, at least in the West, despite voluminous studies of Chinese historical writing. Kieschnick introduces this subject, delineates its major contours, and argues for its significance. This book will change the way that future studies of Chinese historiography will be written. -- Grant Hardy, author of <i>Worlds of Bronze and Bamboo: Sima Qian's Conquest of History</i> Kieschnick presents us with new perspectives to consider in the study of Chinese history and religion. * International Journal of Asian Studies * Demonstrates why careful consideration of historiography is necessary and important, and he does so in a lively and thought-provoking way. * History of Religions * For the general history-interested reader, the volume can serve as a splendid introduction to Chinese Buddhism. * Religious Studies Review *