Self-writing and identity construction in Hanshan Deqing’s Autobiographical Chronology
憨山德清《自叙年谱》的自我书写与身份建构

摘要

憨山德清作为晚明佛教改革的关键人物，与紫柏真可、云栖祩宏并称“三高僧”，其思想与实践对明清佛教具有重要意义。《憨山老人自叙年谱实录》为德清的自叙年谱，该年谱通过双重叙事框架——既遵循传统僧传的修行叙事，又融入士人年谱的事功记载，建构起出世又入世的佛教大德形象。在自我行塑的过程中，涉及到万历年间“弘法罹难”与“宫廷交往”等敏感事件时，德清采用“以佛解儒”的策略，既完成了自我辩白，又塑造了自己方外高僧的形象。这一文本实践折射出德清应对政教关系的策略，为理解晚明僧人的历史处境提供了典型案例。

Abstract

As a key figure in the Buddhist reform during the late Ming Dynasty, Hanshan Deqing, along with Zibo Zhenke and Yunqi Zhuhong, was renowned as one of the “Three Eminent Monks.” His thought and practice held significant importance for Buddhism in the Ming and Qing periods. The Autobiographical Chronological Record of the Old Man Hanshan (《憨山老人自叙年谱实录》) is Deqing's self-narrated chronological biography. This text employs a dual narrative framework—adhering both to the traditional monastic hagiography's emphasis on spiritual cultivation and incorporating the secular achievements typical of literati chronicles—to construct an image of Buddhist elitehood. In shaping his self-image, Deqing adopts an indirect rhetorical strategy of “interpreting Confucianism through Buddhism” when addressing sensitive events such as his “persecution for propagating Buddhism” and his interactions with the imperial court during the Wanli era. This approach allows him to both justify his actions and craft the persona of a transcendent monastic sage. Such textual practices reflect Deqing's strategies for navigating the relationship between religion and politics, offering a representative case for understanding the historical predicament of late Ming Buddhist monks.