Networks of Faith and Profit: Monks, Merchants, and Exchanges between China and Japan, 839–1403 CE

During the six-century gap in diplomatic relations between China and Japan, Yiwen Li demonstrates that a thriving Sino-Japanese trade network thrived due to the efforts of Buddhist monks and merchants. Li's research challenges the notion that there was little contact between the two countries and offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between Buddhism and commerce in East Asia.

Format: Hardback
Length: 245 pages
Publication date: 08 June 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Between 839 and 1403 CE, a six-century gap in diplomatic relations existed between modern-day China and Japan. This break in the tribute system has led to the belief that there was minimal interaction between the two countries during this time. However, Yiwen Li challenges this assumption by presenting evidence that a thriving Sino-Japanese trade network thrived during this period. Li argues that Buddhist monks and merchants played a crucial role in fostering connections across maritime East Asia. Through a meticulous examination of sources in various languages, including poems, letters, transmitted images, objects, and archaeological discoveries, Li paints a vivid and dynamic picture of the East Asian maritime world. She demonstrates how this Buddhist trade network operated outside the confines of the tribute system and offers novel interpretations of Buddhist records to shed light on the relationship between Buddhism and commerce.

Weight: 512g
Dimension: 157 x 236 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009303101