Supernormal Powers and Sacred Identity: Miracle Accounts in Tang Stūpa Inscriptions

This paper explores the narrative construction of sanctity in Tang stūpa inscriptions, focusing on the role of miracle accounts in shaping Buddhist biographical identity. The paper examines how hagiographic conventions—especially birth omens and posthumous signs—served as narrative strategies to align ordinary monks with the life of the Buddha. Then, the paper presents a case study of the Chan monk Faxian, whose richly detailed inscription demonstrates how miracle narratives could articulate a distinct Chan identity. By tracing the interplay between biography and miracle, this study shows that stūpa inscriptions were not merely commemorative texts but dynamic cultural instruments. Miracle narratives connected the clerics with the broader community, bridging doctrinal ideals with popular beliefs.