Writing with your own blood

Forms of self mutilation were practiced in China such as the cutting off of fingers, self-immolation, and blood-writing as a demonstration of devotion and piety (Baker).

FILIAL PIETY

In the Tang Dynasty, Wan Jingru received official recognition for his filial devotion to his parents by cutting off two of his fingers and copying texts using his blood (Kieschnick ).

WARRIORS’ COURAGE

In AD 1002, a magistrate called Fei Ji defended his city from attack for over a month. He cut his finger and wrote a letter to the Song court using his blood, requesting aid ("imperialchina.org"). A teacher, Xu Teli, wrote a blood letter to protest Japan’s 21 demands on China in 1915 (Wang).

Buddhism

Buddhists believed that by copying Buddhist texts in blood, a person can show devotion and accrue good karma for their next life (Baker). Buddhist scripture written by an 83 year old man using ink mixed with his blood (Baker).

Sources Cited

   Baker, Abby. "Blood writing in Buddhist scrolls." British Library, Untold Lives: Sharing stories from the past. N.p., 02 January 2012. Web. 1 Feb 2012. <http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/untoldlives/2012/01/blood-writing-in-buddhist-scrolls.html>.
   BL, S.5451. 2012. Photograph. British Library, Untold Lives: Sharing stories from the pastWeb. 1 Feb 2012. <http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/untoldlives/2012/01/blood-writing-in-buddhist-scrolls.html>.
   Kieschnick, John. The Eminent Monk: Buddhist Ideals in Medieval Chinese Hagiography. United States: Kuroda Institute, 1997.
   "Tanguts vs Song Dynasty." imperialchina.org. N.p., 2011. Web. 2 Feb 2012. <http://www.imperialchina.org/Xi-Xia.html>.
   Wang, Zheng. Women in the Chinese enlightenment: oral and textual histories. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1999. eBook. <http://books.google.com/books?id=unObToGSvUwC&printsec=frontcover

PART 1: https://docs.google.com/present/embed?id=dc4f2tj3_2cprh46fk

PART 2: https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dc4f2tj3_34ds98bd7q