Lineage in Chinese Buddhism of the Tang and Song Association for Asian Studies 2002 Annual Meeting Washington, D.C. Session 38 Friday, April 5, 8:30 a.m.- 10:30 a.m. Exhibit Hall B North 5 Several schools of Chinese Buddhism boast a "lineage" of masters, or "patriarchs, beginning with the Buddha. The transmission of religious authority through a series of specially designated individuals is not unusual; forms of it occur in many religions, including Chinese traditions predating the introduction of Buddhism to China. In Chinese Buddhism, however, lineage involves an explicit parallel with the family and has to an unusual extent influenced matters of sectarian identity and institutional organization. In addition to "patriarchal lineage, at ordination, all monks and nuns enter a tonsure lineage, which greatly affects their ecclesiastical careers. In spite of its centrality, the varying uses and constructions of lineage have not been fully examined by scholars. The three papers will present different approaches to and perspectives on lineage in Chinese Buddhism. While the formal presentations will focus on lineage within Buddhism, one of the goals of the panel is to explore the wider context of lineage within Chinese social and religious history. With that in mind, the panel will begin with brief presentations of fifteen minutes each, based on the papers posted here, followed by the comments of the discussants, with the remaining time devoted to discussion with the audience. We look forward to your participation and invite your comments before or after the conference. Please feel free to contact the authors by email.   Chair: Thomas A. Wilson, Hamilton College "Local Lineage, Local Practice: A Critical Look at the Biographies of the Eighteen Eminent Monks of Nanyue (Nanyue shiba gaoseng zhuan)"(PDF file) James Robson, Stanford University "The Functions and Meanings of Lineage in Song-Dynasty Buddhism(RTF file) Morten Schlütter, University of California, Los Angeles (Link removed at author's request.) "The Logic and Limits of the Genealogical Model for Chan History(PDF file) Elizabeth Morrison, Stanford University Discussants T. Griffith Foulk, Sarah Lawrence College Linda Penkower, University of Pittsburgh