The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, Mt. Wutai, and Uyghur Pilgrims
- Once Mt. Wutai, or Five-Peak-Mountain, was recognised as the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī’s domicile in this world, that mountain became a popular pilgrimage destination in China. During the Tang period, the special status of that bodhisattva as state protector was reinforced through the Tang emperors’ Buddhist legitimation strategies, and the mountain enjoyed prosperity under royal patronage. Over time, the flourishing Mañjuśrī cult at Mt. Wutai was transmitted to Eastern and Central Asia. Some rulers in Eastern and Central Asia who legitimated their rule in Buddhist contexts seem to have been aware of the special status of the Mañjuśrī cult at Mt. Wutai for themselves and their states. However, the Uyghur rulers seem to have differed because they relied upon non-Buddhist legitimation strategies. The Mañjuśrī cult at Mt. Wutai flourished among Uyghur Buddhists during the Mongolian period. In that period, pilgrims from various regions, including the Uyghurs, visited the mountain. The activities of those pilgrims spread information about the Mañjuśrī cult at Mt. Wutai throughout Eastern and Central Asia.
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