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<p>In China, the notion of <i>shen</i> 神 (spirit) has a long history and its connotation has had variations and controversies. Meanwhile, the idea of identity and subject in Chinese philosophy takes different forms in different contexts. By the seventh century, the concept of <i>shen</i> had been generally adopted by Chinese Buddhism and comprehended as responsible subject, but not without variations in line with its complicated relations with other concepts including heart, <i>vijnana</i> (consciousness), and Buddha-nature. This situation leads to the question of whether it is the same concept discussed in the historical contexts, and also leads to different standpoints and focuses of modern academic research. Although the concept of <i>shen</i> is a crux in the history of Chinese philosophy, its systematic studies are still rare, due to the uncertainty of its connotations and diversity of its contexts. This article, therefore, aims to analyze these previous studies in Sinophone academia and classify them into groups to present a relatively systematic account, and to highlight the core issues that attract academic focuses.</p>

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State of the Field Report ⅩⅧ: Contemporary Chinese Studies of Shen 神(Spirit) in Chinese Buddhist Thoughts Before the Seventh Century

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月25日

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  • Qianxi Chen

摘要

In China, the notion of shen 神 (spirit) has a long history and its connotation has had variations and controversies. Meanwhile, the idea of identity and subject in Chinese philosophy takes different forms in different contexts. By the seventh century, the concept of shen had been generally adopted by Chinese Buddhism and comprehended as responsible subject, but not without variations in line with its complicated relations with other concepts including heart, vijnana (consciousness), and Buddha-nature. This situation leads to the question of whether it is the same concept discussed in the historical contexts, and also leads to different standpoints and focuses of modern academic research. Although the concept of shen is a crux in the history of Chinese philosophy, its systematic studies are still rare, due to the uncertainty of its connotations and diversity of its contexts. This article, therefore, aims to analyze these previous studies in Sinophone academia and classify them into groups to present a relatively systematic account, and to highlight the core issues that attract academic focuses.