Building on recent archaeological discoveries of Buddhist burial sites, including stupas and burial caves from the Luoyang area during the Tang dynasty, this study aims to reconstruct their original contexts and associated rituals while uncovering the intricate and uneven process of adopting Buddhist teachings on death and body into funerary practices in Tang society.
This study is structured in three stages: First, by analyzing data collected from the archaeological excavations and utilizing advanced digital technologies, it will restore the initial conditions of two selected examples, illustrating the dynamic process of their constructions. Second, through an examination of relevant Buddhist scriptures and epigraphic sources, it will reconstruct the burial rituals performed at these sites and clarify the functions of different spaces. Finally, it will explore the Buddhist beliefs upheld by practitioners and their role in mediating and negotiating discrepancies between Buddhist doctrines and actual funerary practices.