Palace of Eminent Monks in Dali

Palace of Eminent Monks in Dali

Palace of Eminent Monks, it was said that there were ten or nine emperors of Dali resigned from throne to be a monk. There are nine four meter high statues of emperor monks oblated in the palace. Why did the nine emperors love Buddhism practice instead of secular life? One reason is related the policy of combination of politics and religion in Dali. Other reasons are various:

First, be exiled away as monk after losing for the throne, like Duan Siliang.
Second, become a monk for unstable regime, like Duan Zhengyan.
Third, betrayed by people and forced to resign due to autarchy of the family of Gao, like Duan Shouhui and Duan Zhangming.
Forth, custom made it. Old emperor resigns after enthronement of a new emperor, to stabilize the country.

The nine emperor monks of Dali are:
Duan Siying, the second emperor of Dali;
Duan Sulong, the eighth emperor of Dali;
Duan Suzhen, the ninth emperor of Dali;
Duan Silian, the eleventh emperor of Dali;
Duan Shouhui, the thirteenth emperor of Dali;
Duan Zhengming, the fourteenth emperor of Dali;
Duan Zhengchun, the fifteenth emperor of Dali, who is also father of Duanyu in the novel of Heaven Dragons, the Eight Episodes by Jinyong
Duan Zhengyan, the sixteenth emperor of Dali, Duanyu in the novel.
Duan Zhengxing, the seventeenth emperor of Dali.