Perspective on Historical Royal Lineage from 'Phags-pa Reflected in the "Monument Ordered by Imperial Decree for Burning Fake Collected Daoist Scriptures"

This study analyzes the original text of the "Monument Ordered by Imperial Decree for Burning Fake Collected Daoist Scriptures" 聖旨焚毀諸路偽道藏經之碑 (Shengzhi fenhui zhulu weidaozangjing zhibei, hereafter Fenjingbei), a document issued in the aftermath of the Buddhist-Daoist debates during the reigns of Möngke Khan and Kublai Khan. It mainly considers the perspective of the imperial preceptor 'Phags-pa 八思巴 on the historical royal lineage, with comparisons made to his Buddhist anthology Shes bya rab gsal 彰所知論. This study demonstrates the significance of Fenjingbei within the broader intellectual history of the period. Moreover, by foregrounding the Buddhist political implications embedded in Fenjingbei, it demonstrates how Kublai's 忽必烈 endorsement of 'Phags-pa's Buddhist kingship ideology was concretely enacted in policy and discourse, extending its influence to Daoism and other religious traditions. Thus, Fenjingbei serves as a key case for understanding the intersection of imperial power and religious traditions in Yuan China, with broader relevance to the study of religion.