1. Mapping Social Networks of Buddhist Monks in Medieval China
Marcus Bingenheimer (Temple University)

2. Data and tools available at: http://mbingenheimer

3. Where does the data come from?
Marked-up text of the梁高僧傳, 唐高僧傳, 宋高僧 傳, 明高僧傳, 比丘尼傳, 出三藏記集, 名僧傳抄, 補 續高僧傳 available here:
Contains “nexus-points” markup constructs that express information regarding people, places and dates

5. How much data? How many nexus points?
Total NexusPoints: 17,798 (GSZ: 1790, TGSZ: 5410, SGSZ: 4994, MGSZ: 591, BNZ: 375, CSZJJ: 474, MSZC: 188, BXGSZ: 3976)
NexusPoints with place facet: 13,366
→ For SocNet Analysis only nexus points with 2+ persons can be used (7,872). If two or more people are mentioned together they knew each other, have met or were in contact.
Get those from the DILA SocNet interface

6. The resulting network has 6445 nodes (actors), and 13246 edges (connections)

7. Step 1: Eliminate fluff (Dyads, Triads etc
Step 1: Eliminate fluff (Dyads, Triads etc. not connected to the Giant Component)
But is this fluff?

8. Actually it is a network around Zhuhong, Mingde, etc
Actually it is a network around Zhuhong, Mingde, etc. from the late Ming.

9. Result of Step 1: The giant component

10. Step 2: Understand the larger network
E.g.: Who is important?
What does “importance” mean in a network?

11. Degree vs. Betweeness Centrality

12. Degree Centrality Circular Layout

13. Top Degree Centrality

14. Top Betweeness Centrality
what are these two doing here?

15. Betweeness Centrality is sensitive to Data mistakes
Association of 劉宋文帝 with the wrong 玄暢 ( ) instead of 玄暢 ( ) skews their function in the network (T b18-19: 玄暢以善論而抗宋主)

16. Fix and recast Betweeness Centrality
Delete faulty edge, Rerun “Network Diameter”, Check betweenness centrality again:
Much nicer. Why does Betweeness Centrality pick up on Chan figures?
teacher of
teacher of
teacher of
fellow students
of 法演

17. Step 3: Zooming in
E.g. Time-based
Network of actors who died between 340 and 570 (c.12%), From the Liu Clan 劉氏 (劉宋 420–479 ) to the Xiao Clan 蕭氏 (南齊 479–502，南梁502–587)

18. Step 3: Zooming in
E.g. Person based
Network of Dao’an, Huiyuan, Kumārajīva and their students

19. Step 3: Zooming in
E.g. Person based
Network of Dao’an, Huiyuan, Kumārajīva and their students. Who was in contact with all three masters?

20. Step 4: Build dynamic networks