Regional, Ideological and Inheritable Characteristics of Knowledge: A Survey of Three Compilations of Buddhist Encyclopedias in China from 1950s to 2000s

Abstract

Three official compilations of Buddhist encyclopedias were undertaken in China between the 1950s and 2000s. A sociological examination of these compilations reveals notable characteristics of the Buddhist knowledge system. Firstly, the production of knowledge manifests distinct regional attributes; it is not a process of standardization or objectification, but reflects local idiosyncrasies determined by its place of origination. Secondly, the majority of modern encyclopedia compilations are integral to the construction of national knowledge systems; hence, a nation’s ideological tendencies profoundly influence the articulation of knowledge. Lastly, knowledge is transferred through two mediums: texts and people. Given the immutability of classical knowledge and the consistency of knowledge producers during this period, the results of the three compilations exhibit numerous commonalities.