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Flourishing of the Tang Temple Economy

Type Event Region China Time 701–800

In the 8th century Tang Buddhist temples amassed land, mills, shops, and pawnhouses, forming an economy outside state registration that later fueled …

Timeline

  1. 701–750Chang'an, Luoyang · ChinaEmperors and nobles before Xuanzong granted large amounts of land and goods to temples; major monasteries such as Ci'en Temple in Chang'an and White Horse Temple in Luoyang held extensive estates, forming the foundation of the temple manorial economy.
  2. 750–800Temples in Jiangnan and Hebei · ChinaTemples operated water mills, wine shops, pawnhouses, and retail stores, received donations from pilgrims and rents from tenant farmers, and some held slaves and dependent populations; their economic reach extended throughout cities and countryside.

Sources