Forms: 6 bonso, 7 boze, pl. bosses, 7–8 bonzee, 7– bonze. [prob. a F. bonze, ad. Pg. bonzo (early mod.L. bonzus, bonzius); according to Col. Yule prob. ad. Japanese bonzô or bonzi, ad. Chinese fan seng ‘religious person,’ or of Jap. bo-zi, ad. Ch. fă-sze ‘teacher of the law.’ Some of the earlier Eng. forms appear to represent the Japanese word directly.]
A term applied by Europeans to the Buddhist clergy of Japan, and sometimes of China, and adjacent countries.
[1552. Xavier, Epist., V. xvii. (1667) (Y.). Erubescunt enim et confunduntur Bonzii.]
1588. Parke, Hist. China, 379 (Y.). They haue amongst them [in Japan] many priests of their Idols whom they do call Bonsos, of the which there be great couents.
a. 1590. Exct. Treat. China, in Hakluyt, II. 580. In China called Cen, but with us at Japon are named Bonzi.
1618. Cocks, Diary, II. 75 (Y.). There is 300 boze (or pagon pristes. Ibid., I. 143. Bosses.
1688. New Hist. China, 46. In these Temples … Bonzes have their Habitations.
1713. Guardian, No. 3 (1756), I. 20. The Bonzes of China have books written by the disciples of Fo-he.
1756. Burke, Vind. Nat. Soc., Wks. I. 60. The absurd tricks, or destructive bigotry of the bonzees [of China].
1878. Lady Herbert, trans. Hübner’s Ramble, II. ii. 249. A bonze appears on the threshold of the temple.
