In the Ming dynasty,monks often used tools in alms collecting.In the most widely circulated edition of Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival,monks are depicted holding hanging scrolls with images of temples,pagodas,and Buddha statues while raising donations on the streets,accompanied by kneeling rituals and musical performances.When soliciting alms from the scholar-official class,monks would utilize scrolls and albums containing pleas,inscriptions,and illustrations of temples.Through relevant images and historical documents,this article discusses these two circumstances to explore the context and significance of temple images in alms collection.It reveals the details of the interaction between monks and laypeople,uncovering the social networks behind these images.During the Ming dynasty,Buddhist activities in Jiangnan were prosperous and increasingly secularized.Temples became spaces for scholars to reside and visit,making them subjects of various types of images.Temple images were endowed with multiple social meanings.There was a widespread and soaring demand for images in Jiangnan society,with painters participating in activities such as birthday celebrations,farewells,and elegant gatherings.This phenomenon contributed to the flourishing of visual culture at that time,with temple images playing a significant role.
Temple imagesalms collectingLife along the Bian River at the Qingming Festivalvisual culture
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