Jinling Buddhism Publishing House

FJNET, September 5, 2006

Nanjing, China -- On September 22, 2006, Jinling Buddhism Publishing House will celebrate its 140th Anniversary in Nanjing Sun Palace.

Jinling Buddhism Publishing House is a celebrated Buddhism cultural organization established by Yang Renshan, a Buddhist layman, in the year 1866 at the end of the Qing Dynasty. As a place of sutra-carving, printing and circulating, it contributed greatly to the revival of Buddhism in modern China.

For more than forty years, Yang Renshan devoted himself to the place, giving lectures and carving blocks. The sutras printed and circulated amounted to over a million volumes. Besides, he also had more than 100,000 Buddhism paintings printed. More important, Mr. Yang set up a couple of Buddhism study and lecture institutes such as "Buddhism school of Jetavanarama" and "Buddhism Study Association", thereby starting a new trend in Buddhism education in modern China which had a far-reached influence on Buddhism studies and cultivation at later times.

Later Ouyang Jingwu and Lu Zhen opened the famous "China Buddhism Study Institute" (Zhi Na Nei Xue Yuan) and greatly furthered the studies of Buddhism. The institute was broad in scale and had its influence all over the country.

Jinling Buddhism Publishing House had sutra printing and lecturing as its primary undertakings, both of which were based on advanced study of the Buddha' teachings. It has the complete set of techniques of traditional Chinese block-carving and watercolor block printing; it is the world-wide publishing center of Buddhism sutras from blocks in Chinese characters as well as the collection center of block sutras and Buddhist sculptures which are as many as 130, 000 and eighteen respectively.

In addition, it collects a variety of the complete Buddhist Scriptures, which, together with all of the above, makes it a rare treasure house in Buddhist culture, with the introduction of advanced printing facilities in recent years, Jinling Buddhist Publishing House has produced large numbers of sutras and reached an annual circulation of as many as several hundred thousand at home and abroad.

What is most noteworthy, however, is that it is now starting the publication of a Buddhism series "Wen Si" (Hear And Think) whose purpose is "facing the new age, responding to the society, and making still greater contributions".

Add: 35 Huaihai Rd.

     Nanjing --210002, China

Tel: 025-84542531 025-84541042

Fax: 025-84541042

(News in Chinese)