This paper represents the prelimmary results of an on-going research project about thehistory and significance of Buddhist dharani pillars (ching-ch'uang 經幢). a type ofBuddhist sculpture highly popular during the Tang dynasty. This paper treats the sutracarved on such pillars, entitled the Fo-ting lsun-sheng l 'o-lo-ni ching 佛頂尊 勝陀羅尼經,describing this sutra's transmission into China, the factors behind its spread, and itsinfluence on dharani pillars. Particular attention is devoted to the ways in which political,social and religious factors all played a role in the spread of this sutra. The evidenceindicates that while this sutra exerted a powerful appeal on Buddhist believers, a key factorbehind its spread throughout the urban and rural landscape of T'ang China involved animperial decree issued by the T'ang emperor Tai-tsung (r. 762-779) in 766, ordering allmembers of the sangha to recite the Fo-ting tsun-sheng t 'o-lo-ni ching a total of 21 timesper day. At the same time, the fact that such a decree was issued in the first place may betraced to the efforts of leading Tantric Buddhist masters at the T'ang court at that time. Thisindicates how the complex interaction between religious, political, and social factors couldinfluence the spread of such an important sutra throughout T'ang China.