Buddhism and Taoism Face to Face: Scripture, Ritual, and Iconographic Exchange in Medieval China

The book opens by situating Buddhism’s implantation in China within a complex religious landscape already shaped by strong indigenous traditions, especially Taoism. Mollier frames the Buddhist–Taoist encounter as a productive but competitive relationship, arguing that medieval religious life involved not only doctrinal interaction but also a sustained contest over ritual power, scriptural authority, healing, protection, longevity, and salvation. The main chapters develop this argument through focused case studies: the Heavenly Kitchens and divine nutrition; rituals and images used against sorcery; talismans and scriptures for augmenting life; Great Dipper and stellar protection practices; and the Taoist adaptation of Guanyin through the figure of Jiuku Tianzun. The conclusion synthesizes these examples to show how Buddhism and Taoism repeatedly transformed shared materials into distinct religious forms while competing for legitimacy and efficacy in medieval Chinese society.