The Origins and Development of the Yongming Stūpa

Abstract Yongming Yanshou was a prominent Buddhist figure and associate of King Qian Chu, who played an important role as the leading spokesperson for Buddhism in the Wuyue Kingdom. Because of the eclectic nature of his teaching, Yanshou enjoyed an evolving legacy in the Buddhist community, as promoter of blessings and Patriarch in the Chan and Pure Land movements. Eventually, Yanshou was regarded as a bodhisattva figure, receiver of petitions from those seeking rebirth in the Pure Land, and even as an incarnation of Amitābha Buddha. A special hall was constructed to house the Yongming Stūpa, which served as a focal point for the formation of a cult of worshipers. After falling into oblivion, Yanshou’s relics were recovered in the Ming and his stūpa reconstructed through the efforts of Yunqi Zhuhong, leader of an active Buddhist lay movement, and the secular official Yu Chunxi. The current Yongming Stūpa, private and secluded, represents a response by contemporary Buddhist faithful who wish to preserve the traditions of the past and ensure its continuation into the future.