Chinese Buddhism (traditional Chinese: 漢傳佛教; simplified Chinese: 汉传佛教) refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices China proper (also known as Inner China) refers to the historical lands of China where the Han Chinese are the majority Ethnic group, in contrast These schools integrated the ideas of Confucianism, Taoism and other indigenous philosophical systems so that what was initially a foreign religion (the buddhadharma) came to be a natural part of Chinese civilization albeit with its own unique character. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Buddhism has played an enormous role in shaping the mindset of the Chinese people affecting as it has aesthetics, politics, literature, philosophy and medicine. Aesthetics or esthetics ( also spelled æsthetics) is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values sometimes called The politics of the People's Republic of China take place in a framework of a single-party socialist republic. Chinese literature extends back thousands of years from the earliest recorded dynastic court Archives to the mature fictional Novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty Chinese philosophy is Philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the
During the Tang Dynasty while at its peak of vitality, Chinese Buddhism produced numerous spiritual masters. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by [1][2]
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History of Buddhism in China
Arrival along the Silk Road
An 8th century Chinese mural in Dunhuang describes an Emperor Wu of Han (156-87 BCE) worshiping the Golden Man statues; "golden men brought in 120 BC by a great Han general in his campaigns against the nomads". The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Dunhuang ( also written as 燉煌 till early Qing Dynasty; is a City (pop Background birth and years as crown prince Emperor Wu was the tenth child of Emperor Jing, and was born to one of Emperor Jing's favorite Concubines, However, there is no such mention of Emperor Wu of Han worshiping the Buddha in Chinese historical literature. [3]
The Hou Hanshu then records the visit of Yuezhi envoys to the Chinese capital in 2 BCE, who gave oral teachings on Buddhist sutras to a student, suggesting that some Yuezhi had already started to disseminate the Buddhist faith in eastern Asia during the 1st century BCE (Baldev Kumar (1973), exact source needed). The Book of the Later Han ( is one of the official Chinese Historical works which was compiled by Fan Ye in the 5th century, using The Yuezhi or Rouzhi ( Chinese: 月支 Pinyin: yuè zhī or ròu zhī; also 月氏 Pinyin: yuè shì Year 2 BC was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices
The Hou Hanshu describes the enquiry about Buddhism made around 70 CE by the Han Emperor Ming (58-75 CE):
- "There is a current tradition that Emperor Ming dreamed that he saw a tall golden man the top of whose head was glowing. The Book of the Later Han ( is one of the official Chinese Historical works which was compiled by Fan Ye in the 5th century, using Family background Then-Liu Yang was born in 28 to Emperor Guangwu and his first love Consort Yin Lihua. He questioned his group of advisors and one of them said: "In the West there is a god called Buddha. His body is sixteen chi high (3. 7 metres or 12 feet), and is the colour of true gold. " The Emperor, to discover the true doctrine, sent an envoy to Tianzhu (Northwestern India) to inquire about the Buddha’s doctrine, after which paintings and statues [of the Buddha] appeared in the Middle Kingdom. Tiānzhú (in Chinese) Tenjiku (in Japanese) Cheonchuk (in Korean) Thiên Trúc (in Vietnamese) are " (Hou Hanshu, trans. John Hill)
This encounter is further described in a 6th century CE account by Yang Xuanzhi:
- "The establishment of the Báimǎ-Sì (White Horse Temple by Emperor Ming (58-75 CE) of the Han marked the introduction of Buddhism into China. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Yang Xuanzhi (楊衒之 was a Chinese Writer and Translator of Mahayana Buddhist texts into the Chinese language during the White Horse Temple ( also White Horse Ministry) was the first Buddhist temple in China, established under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Family background Then-Liu Yang was born in 28 to Emperor Guangwu and his first love Consort Yin Lihua. The temple was located on the south side of the Imperial Drive, three leagues (li) outside the Xiyang Gate. The Emperor dreamt of the golden man sixteen Chinese feet tall, with the aureole of sun and moon radiating from his head and his neck. A "golden god", he was known as Buddha. The emperor dispatched envoys to the Western Regions in search of the god, and, as a result, acquired Buddhist scriptures and images. At the time, because the scriptures were carried into China on the backs of white horses, White Horse was adopted as the name of the temple. " (Translation: Ulrich Theobald).
These Chinese emissaries are said to have visited the country of the Yuezhi and to have brought back with them two missionaries named Dharmaraksa and Kasyapa Matanga together with sutras written with 600,000 Sanskrit words. The Yuezhi or Rouzhi ( Chinese: 月支 Pinyin: yuè zhī or ròu zhī; also 月氏 Pinyin: yuè shì The two missionaries wrote "The Sutra of forty-two sections spoken by the Buddha" to provide guidance on the ideas of Buddhism and the conduct of monks. The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters (also called the Sutra of Forty-two Sections, Chinese 四十二章經 is the earliest surviving Buddhist Sutra It is the first Buddhist text in the Chinese language, although its authenticity is a matter of debate.
Their arrival in 67 CE marks Buddhism's official introduction in China. Historians generally agree that by the middle of the 1st century, the religion had penetrated to areas north of the Huai River. The Huai River ( is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers Emperor Ming's brother Liu Ying the Prince of Chu was the first high-profile believer of Buddhism, although there is some evidence that Emperor Ming himself might have been as well. Liu Ying (劉英 Pinyin: Liú Yīng (died 71 was a son of Emperor Guangwu of Han, and half-brother of Emperor Ming.
The first documented translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese occurs in 148 CE, with the arrival of the Parthian missionary An Shih Kao in China, probably on the heels of the Kushan expansion into the Tarim Basin. An Shih-kao (?-~168 (安世高 Pinyin Ān Shígāo) was a prince of Parthia, nicknamed the "Parthian Marquis" who renounced his prospect The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250 The Tarim Basin ( is a large Endorheic basin occupying an area of more than 400000 km² An Shi Kao established Buddhist temples in Loyang and organized the translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese, testifying to the beginning of a wave of Central Asian Buddhist proselytism that was to last several centuries. Luoyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. Traces of Buddhist iconography can also be seen in works of art from this period.
By the end of the second century, a prosperous community had been settled at Pengcheng (modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu). Administration The Prefecture-level city of Xuzhou administers eleven county-level divisions, including five districts, two county-level ( Postal map spelling: Kiangsu) is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country
Relation to Confucianism and Taoism
Most of the Chinese gentry were indifferent to the Central Asian travelers and their religion. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Not only was their religion unknown, but much of it seemed alien and amoral to Chinese sensibilities. Concepts such as monasticism and individual spiritual enlightenment directly contradicted the core Confucian principles of family and emperor. Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one Confucianism promoted social stability, order, strong families, and practical living. Chinese officials questioned how a monk's personal attainment of nirvana (total state of peace and happiness) benefited the empire. In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण Buddhism was less antithetical to Taoism, the other major religion of China. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Indeed, upon first encountering Buddhism, many Chinese scholars regarded it as merely a foreign branch of Taoism.
Kang-nam Oh (2000: p. 286) frames the mutual influential dialogue of Buddhism and Taoism within China and mentions Kumarajiva:
It is a well-known fact that since its introduction into China, Buddhism has had a close relationship with Taoism, more specifically with Neo-Taoism. Kumārajīva; (also Kiu-kiu-lo, Kiu-mo-lo-che, Kiu-mo-to-tche-po, Tang-cheu) (b As a result of this there developed the method of "matching the concepts" of Buddhism and Taoism, which was known as ko-i. [4] By this method of analogy Buddhists adopted many Taoist terms and ideas to explain their concepts. Although this somewhat superficial and arbitrary method of matching was discarded as useless and misleading after the great translator and scholar Kumārajiiva arrived in 401 C. E. , Taoist influence on Buddhism in general was not, and could not be, totally eliminated. [5]
Local interpretation of Indian texts
To thrive in China, Buddhism had to transform itself into a system that could exist within the Chinese way of life. Thus highly regarded Indian sutras that advocated filial piety became core texts in China. In Confucian thought filial piety ( is one of the Virtues to be cultivated a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors Buddhism was made compatible with ancestor worship and participation in China's hierarchical system. Works were written arguing that the salvation of an individual was a benefit to that individual's society and family and monks thus contributed to the greater good.
It is conjectured that the shocking collapse of the Han Dynasty in 220 and the resulting period of social upheaval and political unrest known as the Three Kingdoms period may have helped the spread of Buddhism. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Events By Place Roman Empire The Goths invade Asia Minor and the Balkans. The Three Kingdoms period ( is a period in the History of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of Buddhism was a minor force, however, compared with Daoism which was directly associated with efforts to defy the emperor (cf. Yellow Turban Rebellion). The Yellow Turban Rebellion, sometimes also translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, ( was a AD 184 peasant rebellion against Emperor Ling of Han The Daoist Zhang family self-governed the Hanzhong Commandry for nearly 20 years until invasion by the renowned Chinese warlord Cao Cao. A warlord is a person with power who has military control over a subnational area due to Armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority Cáo Cāo ( 曹[[wikt 操|操]] 155 &ndash March 15, 220) was a regional Warlord and the penultimate Chancellor of the
A reason for the lack of interest mostly stemmed from the ruling entity and gentry. All the rulers were Han Chinese and had simply never heard of or knew too little of the religion. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The Nine-grade controller system, by which prominent individuals in each local administrative area were given the authority to rank local families and individuals in nine grades according to their potential for government service, further consolidated the importance of Confucianism. Daoism too remained a strong force among the population and philosophers. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions
Buddhism gains political traction in the north
Subsequent chaotic periods of Sixteen Kingdoms and Southern and Northern Dynasties changed the situation, resulting in state support of Buddhism. The Sixteen Kingdoms ( or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas This article is about the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. Most rulers of the Wu, Hu, and the Northern dynasties originated from more than ten distinct ethnic groups including either non-Han Chinese "barbarians", or Han Chinese after generations of "barbarian" influence. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. They did not propagate nor trust the combined philosophical concept of Confucianism and Daoism as zealously as their rivals in the south. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Official support of Buddhism would eventually mould a new Chinese populace with a common ideology out of the diversely ethnic population, which would in turn consolidate these dynasties.
It is instructive that Buddhism propagated faster in northern China than in the south. Social upheaval in northern China worked to break down cultural barriers between the elite ruling families and the general populace, in contrast to the south where elite clans and royal families firmly monopolized politics. Daoist and Confucian political ideology had long consolidated the political status of elite clans in the south. Support of another religion would have unknown and possibly adverse effects, for which these clans would not risk their privileges. Furthermore pro-Buddhist policy would not be backed by the bureaucracy, which had been staffed by members of the clans. Southern rulers were in weaker positions to strive for their legitimacy - some were even installed by the clans. It was not until the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty that saw the official support of Buddhism. Liang Dynasty ( 梁[[wikt 朝|朝]] Pinyin: Liáng cháo (502-557 also known as Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁 was the third of Southern dynasties Rebellion of Hou Jing near the end of Emperor Wu's reign wreaked havoc on the political and social privileges of the elite clans, which indirectly assisted the spread of Buddhism. Early life and career It is not known when Hou Jing was born but it was known that he was from Huaishuo Garrison (懷朔鎮 -- one of the garrisons that Northern Wei But Buddhism spread pretty well in the peasant populace, both in the north and the south.
Monks and rulers join forces
Arrivals of several prestigious monks in the early 5th century also contributed to the propagation of the religion and were welcomed by rulers of the Sixteen Kingdoms and Northern Dynasties. The 5th century is the period from 401 to 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in Anno Domini / Common Era. The Sixteen Kingdoms ( or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas The Northern Dynasties (北朝 běi cháo included Northern Wei Dynasty, Eastern Wei Dynasty, Western Wei Dynasty, Northern Qi Dynasty, Fo Tu Cheng was entrusted by the tyrant Shi Hu of Later Chao. Early life Shi Hu's father was named Koumi (寇覓 and was a son of a cousin of Shi Le 's father Zhouhezhu (周曷朱 The Later Zhao ( 319 - 351) was a State of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 in China. Kumarajiva was invited by Lü Guang, the founder of Later Liang, and later by Yao Xing, second ruler of Later Qin. Kumārajīva; (also Kiu-kiu-lo, Kiu-mo-lo-che, Kiu-mo-to-tche-po, Tang-cheu) (b Early life and career as Former Qin general Lü Guang was ethnically Di (although he claimed ancestry from an ethnically Han man named Lü Wenhe (呂文和 The Later Liang ( 386 - 403) was a State of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 in China. Before and during Yao Chang's reign Yao Xing was born in 366 when his father Yao Chang was a general under the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān. The Later Qin ( 384 - 417) was a State of Qiang ethnicity of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 Biographies of these monks, among others, were the subject of the Memoirs of Eminent Monks. The Memoirs of Eminent Monks ( is a compilation of biographies of monks in China from the introduction of Buddhism to China up to the Liang
The direct experiential impact of contact with practicing monks should not be underestimated. Confucianism had no equivalent to holy men — the archetypical best and brightest was a wise government minister, not a saint. Daoist priests were more immediate, but given to relativism. It is notable that when another "foreign " religion, Nestorianism, sought to extol the virtues of one of its main benefactors they claimed he was so moral that ". Nestorius Nestorius (c 386 &ndashc 451) was a pupil of Theodore of Mopsuestia in Antioch in Syria (modern . . even among the most pure and self-denying of the Buddhists, such excellence was never heard of;" (cf. Nestorian Stele). The Nestorian Stele or Nestorian Stone, formally the Memorial of the Propagation in China of the Luminous Religion from Daqin (大秦景教流行中國碑 Pinyin Through the actions and example of monks, Buddhists successfully laid claim to the high moral ground in society.
In this way Buddhism grew to become a major religion in China. By the start of the 6th century, Buddhism had grown in popularity to rival Daoism. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions We know they were successful because the monks were soon accused of falling into extravagance and their lands and properties confiscated by Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou dynasty and Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty. The Northern Zhou Dynasty (Chinese北周 followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. Emperor Tang Wuzong (ca 810 – 846 born Li Yan, was the fifteenth emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 840 to 846 The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by
During the early Tang dynasty the monk Xuanzang journeyed to Nalanda in India and other important sites to bring back scriptures. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by See also Xuanzang (fictional character Xuanzang ( pronounced Shwan-dzang) was a famous Chinese Buddhist Monk, scholar traveler Nālandā is the name of an ancient University in Bihar, India. He sought to expand influence of Mahayana over Theravada, though the Yogacara school he preferred differs significantly from the later Chinese Mahayana schools that developed such as Pure Land (see Journey to the West). Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Yogācāra (Sanskrit "yoga practice" "one whose practice is yoga" Chinese Yüjiazong "Yoga School" 瑜珈宗 is an influential school of Eastern Philosophy Pure Land Buddhism ( Jìngtǔzōng; 浄土教 Jōdokyō; Korean: ko-Hang 정토종 jeongtojong; Vietnamese: 浄土宗 vi Journey to the West ( is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. The Tang capital of Chang'an (today's Xi'an) became an important center for Buddhist thought. Chang'an ( is an ancient Capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history. UserEl_C --> Xi'an ( Postal map spelling: Sian is the Capital of the Shaanxi province in the From there Buddhism spread to Korea, and Japanese embassies of Kentoshi helped gain footholds in Japan. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Buddhist ideology began to merge with Confucianism and Daoism, due in part to the use of existing Chinese philosophical terms in the translation of Buddhist scriptures. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Various Confucian scholars of the Song dynasty, including Zhu Xi (wg: Chu Hsi), sought to redefine Confucianism as Neo-Confucianism. Confucius ( lit " Master Kung " September 28, 551 BC - 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi (朱熹 born October 18, 1130, Yuxi, Fujian province China &ndash died April 23, 1200 Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi (朱熹 born October 18, 1130, Yuxi, Fujian province China &ndash died April 23, 1200 Neo-Confucianism (/( is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li
The popularization of Buddhism in this period is evident in the many scripture-filled caves and structures surviving today. The Mogao Caves near Dunhuang in Gansu province, the Longmen Grottoes near Luoyang in Henan and the Yungang Grottoes near Datong in Shanxi are the most renowned of the Northern, Sui and Tang Dynasties. The Mogao Caves, or Mogao Grottoes ( (also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas and Dunhuang Caves) form a system of 492 temples 25km (15 Dunhuang ( also written as 燉煌 till early Qing Dynasty; is a City (pop ( is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. The Longmen Grottoes ( ch 龍門石窟/ 龙门石窟 lóngmén shíkū lit Luoyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. Henan ( is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country The Yungang Grottoes ( are ancient Buddhist temple grottoes near the city of Datong in the Chinese province of Shanxi. Datong ( is a city in the northern Shanxi Province in China, and is located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of ( Postal map spelling: Shansi) is a province in the northern part of the People's Republic of China. The Northern Dynasties (北朝 běi cháo included Northern Wei Dynasty, Eastern Wei Dynasty, Western Wei Dynasty, Northern Qi Dynasty, The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by The Leshan Giant Buddha, carved out of a hillside in the 8th century during Tang Dynasty and looking down on the confluence of three rivers, is still the largest stone Buddha statue in the world. The Leshan Giant Buddha ( was built during the Tang Dynasty ( 618 - 907) The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by As a side note, duplications of Buddhist texts were considered to bring meritorious karma. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" Printing from individually carved wooden blocks[2], from movable clay type and from movable metal type[3], proved much more efficient and eventually eclipsed hand copying. Printing is a process for reproducing text and image typically with ink on Paper using a printing press The Diamond Sutra of AD 868, a Buddhist scripture discovered in AD 1907 inside the Mogao Caves, was the first dated example of block printing. The Diamond Sutra is a short Mahayana Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom genre which teaches the practice of the avoidance of abiding in extremes Events By Place Asia 11 May — The Diamond Sutra, the oldest dated book is printed Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year
Modern Chinese Buddhism (Branches and Sects)
Today the most popular form of Buddhism in both mainland China and Taiwan is a mix of the Pure Land and Chán schools. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Pure Land Buddhism ( Jìngtǔzōng; 浄土教 Jōdokyō; Korean: ko-Hang 정토종 jeongtojong; Vietnamese: 浄土宗 vi Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. The central scripture of Pure Land Buddhism, Amitabha Sutra was first brought to China by An Shigao, circa 147, however the school did not become popular until later. The Buddha's Discourse of the Amitabha Sutra, or Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra (阿彌陀經 zh: Ēmítuó jīng jp: Amida kyō An Shih-kao (?-~168 (安世高 Pinyin Ān Shígāo) was a prince of Parthia, nicknamed the "Parthian Marquis" who renounced his prospect Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch is the most important sutra for Chán and this is the only scripture written by ethnic Chinese which is named Sutra. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch ( Chinese:六祖壇經 fully 南宗頓教最上大乘摩訶般若波羅蜜經六祖惠能大師於韶州大梵寺施法壇經 Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Theravada Buddhism and Vajrayana Buddhism exist mainly among ethnic minorities in the southwest and north, respectively.
Opposition to Ancient Chinese Buddhism
Not all people in the Chinese community were with Buddhism, although Buddhism had already attained many followers. Buddhist temples and monasteries grew rich from donations. Tang rulers at first accepted Buddhism. Other Tang rulers viewed Buddhism as a threat.
There were several components that lead to opposition of Buddhism. One factor is the foreign origins of Buddhism, unlike Taoism and Confucianism. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Han Yu wrote, "Buddha was a man of the barbarians who did not speak the language of China and wore clothes of a different fashion. His sayings did not concern the ways of our ancient kings, nor did his manner of dress conform to their laws. He understood neither the duties that bind sovereign and subject, nor the affections of father and son. "
Other components included the Buddhists' withdrawal from society, since the Chinese believed that Chinese people should be involved with family life. Wealth and power of the Buddhist temples and monasteries also annoyed many critics.
As mentioned earlier, persecution came during the reign of Emperor Wuzong in the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Tang Wuzong (ca 810 – 846 born Li Yan, was the fifteenth emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 840 to 846 Wuzong was said to hate the sight of Buddhist monks. In 845, he ordered the destruction of 4,600 Buddhist monasteries and 40,000 temples. Events March 28 — Paris is sacked by Viking raiders probably under Ragnar Lodbrok, who collect a huge ransom in exchange Another 250,000 Buddhist monks and nuns had to give up their Buddhist lives. Wuzong cited that Buddhism was an alien religion, which is the reason he also persecuted the Christians in China. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Ancient Chinese Buddhism never fully recovered from the persecution.
Notes
- ^ Chinese Buddhism
- ^ The Spread of Buddhism Among the Chinese
- ^ Shiji, vol. The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name 史記 or Shiji, written from 109 BC to 91 BC and Book of Han, vol. The Book of Han ( is a classic Chinese Historical writing completed in 111 CE covering the history of Western Han from 206 BCE to
- ^ For this interesting topic, see T’ang, Yung-t’ung, "On ‘Ko-I’," in Inge, et al. , ed. , Radhakrishnan, Comparative Studies in Philosophy (London: Allen and Unwin, 1951), pp. 276-286, K. Ch’en, op. cit. , pp. 68 f.
- ^ Oh, Kang-nam (2000). The Taoist Influence on Hua-yen Buddhism: A Case of the Sinicization of Buddhism in China. Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal, No. 13, (2000). Source: [1] (accessed: January 28, 2008) p. 286
References
- Han, Yu. "Sources of Chinese Tradition. Circa 800
- Chen, Kenneth Kuan Sheng. Buddhism in China: A historical survey. Princeton, N. J. , Princeton University Press, 1964.
- Welch, Holmes. The practice of Chinese Buddhism. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1967.
- Welch, Holmes. The Buddhist revival in China. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1968.
- Welch, Holmes. Buddhism under Mao. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1972.
Further reading
- Huai-Chin, Nan (tr. In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Events By Place Europe Edgar the Peaceable is crowned King of England. Thomas Cleary); The Story of Chinese Zen. Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1995.
External links
- China Buddhist Association
- Timeline of China Buddhism
- About Buddhism in China: A Selected Bibliography
- Buddhactivity Dharma Centres database
- the Confucian Impact on Chan Buddhism
See also
- Buddhism
- History of Buddhism
- Timeline of Buddhism
- Chinese philosophy
- Confucianism
- Taoism
- Neo-Confucianism
- Religion in China
- Chinese Buddhist cuisine
- Buddhist Association of China
- Three Disasters of Wu
- Zen
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