Phật Biểu họ Hàn

Definition

1. Proper Noun (Historical Document):
   • "Memorial to the Emperor on the Buddha Bone": The title of a famous memorial (biểu) written by the Tang dynasty scholar-official Hàn Dũ (Hàn Yù). It is a Confucian polemic advising the emperor against the extravagant worship of a Buddha relic, arguing that Buddhism is a foreign doctrine harmful to the state and traditional Chinese values.

Usage Examples

• Proper Noun:
  • Hàn Dũ bị giáng chức vì dâng "Phật Biểu họ Hàn". (Hàn Dũ was demoted for presenting the "Memorial to the Emperor on the Buddha Bone".)
  • "Phật Biểu họ Hàn" là một tác phẩm chính luận nổi tiếng phản đối Phật giáo. ("Memorial to the Emperor on the Buddha Bone" is a famous polemical work opposing Buddhism.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often cited in historical and literary discussions as a symbol of Confucian resistance to Buddhist influence during the Tang dynasty.
  • Tinh thần bài Phật trong "Phật Biểu họ Hàn" rất rõ rệt. (The anti-Buddhist spirit in the "Memorial to the Emperor on the Buddha Bone" is very clear.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bài biểu (n): a memorial (a formal document presented to the emperor).
• Hàn Dũ / Hàn Yù (proper n): the author of the memorial.
• Gián nghị (n): remonstrance; the act of advising the emperor against a course of action.

Synonyms

• Memorial Against the Buddha Bone: A direct descriptive synonym.
• Hàn Dũ's Memorial: A common reference.

Historical Context

• The memorial was presented in 819 AD to Emperor Xianzong of Tang. Hàn Dũ argued that the emperor's plan to ceremonially welcome a Buddha's finger bone would encourage superstition and waste. As a result, he was nearly executed and was exiled to a remote province. The document is a classic of Chinese prose and Confucian statecraft.