What Is The Influence Of Buddhism In Ancient China

(4, 6, 7) Particularly during its largest period of influence (The Era of Division), they largely welcomed Buddhism, as it offered a type of refuge from the turmoil and war of that time period (ADD EV). Buddhism was very flexible, and as Zong Mi pointed out, was fairly flexible to the needs of the individual worshipper (Document 6). It disregarded previous social structures, and accepted people regardless of social status or education, as displayed in the records of Buddhist teachings transcribed by disciples (Document 4). Though, documents such as this one aren’t fully credible, as the events written about are transcribed by loyal, and heavily biased, disciples (SOURCE). But, around the 840s, the government’s view on Buddhism began to shift. Many confucian administrators claimed that the lack of taxes on the religion caused an economic deficit, feeding state fears and leading to restrictions, and later the open persecution of the religion by Emperor Wuzong (Doc 7). Monasteries either heavily taxed or destroyed, monks/nuns were forced to renounce their religion, and previously Buddhist lands were parceled out to landlords. (ADD EV). So despite the inclusiveness and flexibility of the religion with peasants, the ultimate persecution of worshippers affected buddhist members of the Chinese peasant class

This exception is the religion of Buddhism, which transformed the Post-Classical era and the history of China. Islam spread like wildfire, which was surprising due to the popularity of other Chinese religions at this time, such as Confucianism and Daoism. Trade routes began and facilitated the spread of it and were influential in spreading things other than just goods (Strayer). The diffusion of Buddhism into China is extremely important to Chinese people and Chinese history. Buddhist monasteries sprang up in cities and trade routes, and many people were converted just by immersion in the religion and by just following the crowd. Buddhism was very big for merchants and they had a big role in the spread of Buddhism to less populous villages and towns. While China was leading a massive Buddhist revival, an effort to revive Confucian values was also spreading. This effort was called Neo-Confucianism, which means new Confucianism. This new religious belief system combined Confucian values with Buddhist and Daoist influences. This new way of thinking was popular, and even slowed the Buddhist movement, but Buddhism eventually won, amassing hundreds of thousands of

Confucian scholars and the emperor attacked Buddhism as an outlandish, barbaric belief. “The Memorial of Buddhism” written by Han Yu, a Confucian scholar, opposes Buddhism when the emperor decides to bring “the finger bone of Buddha” into the Chinese palace. He shows the unjust actions of the emperor by referring back to Confucian teachings such as keeping “[ghosts and spirits] at a distance”. The scholar also describes how Buddhism is barbaric because it does not conform to any Chinese laws or Confucian teachings (Doc. 4). As a Confucian scholar, he favored the relationship between “sovereign and subject” and traditional dress. He did not want

Around 845 CE, Tang Emperor Wu states that the spread of the religion wore “out people’s strength” and “pilfers their wealth” (Document 6). The stealing of their wealth is an act of opposing the public policygoing against the rules that were made by the government, while the wearing out strength represented his impression of Buddhism. Emperor Wu did not approve Buddhism because he believed that the religion was corrupting his citizens since they were abandoning the those above them. As a result, he stated that the “evil” should be eradicated (Document 6). In 819 CE, Han Yun, a Confucian scholar at the Tang imperial court, called Buddhism a “cult of barbarian peoples.” He goes on to address that considering how Buddhism “did not exist in [China] in ancient times,” their clothes were different and their lives were lived out differently (Document 4). In his view as a governmental official, Han Yun felt that Buddhism had become such an integral part of their lives that they were tearing apart the foundation of their

China has been the home to various religions. At different times different dynasties endorsed certain religions while repressing others. While Buddhism flourished during the Sui and Tang dynasty, it faced opposition from the government during the Song dynasty. Confucianism lost government endorsement during the Sui and Tang but gained momentum during the Song as Neo-Confucianism. Yuan dynasty promoted Islam and Tibet Buddhism but ignored Confucianism. Different rulers sponsored and protected different religions but Confucianism and some form of Buddhism have always been alive in Chinese society from 600 to 1450.

“It is often said that, aside from the impact of Marxism on twentieth-century China, the only other time when the Chinese looked beyond their own borders for intellectual sustenance was during the period when Buddhism was absorbed from India” (LaFleur 23). Why did this religion appeal to the Chinese when they disregarded so many other external influences? After all, being tied to the rest of the world by the Silk Road meant they were constantly inundated with novel concepts from far and wide. The answer must lie in how Buddhism interacted with the other faiths already established in the country, namely Confucianism and Daoism (sometimes spelled Taoism). While at first glance it may appear that Confucian China would be the last place

The main focus of Buddhism is that the faith centers on correct understanding of human nature and ultimate reality, The Buddha was also called the Enlightened One, he taught that the way to eliminate suffering begins with understanding the true nature of the world. He rejected speculation about such matters as God, the nature of the universe, and the afyterlife, urging his folloers to focus instead on the Four Noble Truths by which they can free themselves from suffering. “We do not believe that this world is created and ruled by God.” The disbelief in God does not make Buddhism an atheistic religion. The Buddha rejected the concept of the atman, or soul. In

Buddhism was founded in India in the sixth century B.C.E. and gradually moved to China after the fall of the Han dynasty in 220 C.E. For several centuries Buddhism influenced China greatly. During that time to 570 C.E., China experienced an era of political instability and disunity, afterwards which the imperial structure was restored. During the 1st century C.E. the spread of Buddhism from India to China was met with mixed results, in which many Chinese people accepted Buddhism and advocated its principles such as the philosophy and promise of afterlife over the Confucian ideals that were previously instituted, but the truth was that Chinese masses turned to Buddhism for its promises of eternal enlightenment during times of struggle and invasion

According to Han Yu, the Buddha was a barbarian and the things he said were not inclusive of Confucian philosophies and beliefs (Doc 4). It is evident that Han Yu responded negatively to Buddhism as he viewed the Buddha as a barbarian and highly discredited the religion. Han Yu continued by stating that a relic bone of the Buddha admitted into the palace was foul and unlucky. He ended by referring to Buddhism as an evil and wanted to eradicate it as soon as possible (Doc 4). An extreme hatred and pessimistic response is seen as Han Yu continuously downgrades the Buddha and wanted to entirely eliminate Buddhism from the country for future generations. This hatred most likely came from the fact that Han Yu was a biased Confucian leader during 819 C.E., which was during the Tang Dynasty when imperial authority already returned. According to Tang Emperor Wu, Buddhism was like a vine poisoning the entire country of China (Doc 6). First of all, an opposing view can be seen as Emperor Wu called Buddhism a “poison.” Tang Emperor Wu continues by stating that Buddhism caused the people to leave their duties and responsibilities behind, affecting the people of China. Monks and nuns were also living off of the people. He also commented that Buddhism should be eradicated as it was an evil (Doc 6). This further emphasizes the negative reaction that the Emperor had towards Buddhism as he believed it ruined the wellbeing of the people who left their jobs of being farmers and tending to silkworms. Emperor Wu did rule during the Tang Dynasty, which was when Confucian exams were brought back and Confucianism was implemented once again into China, hence why he was completely in opposition to Buddhism. In addition, it was uncertain to whether people were actually being negatively affected by those who may have

The interdependency between Wu and Buddhism blooms as early as her overtaking of the imperial rule of China. As resourceful and violent as Wu is in securing her title, demonstrated by the empress’s exploitation of the “secret police force to monitor dissident factions,” she is also cunning in gathering support from the ordinary masses, such as the Buddhists and their followers (Bentley 290). She “generously patronize[s] Buddhists, who return the favor by composing

During the Tang and Song dynasties, Buddhism changed in a way for other beliefs and practices to be involved in. The importation of Buddhist ideas influenced Chinese culture by having schools of Buddhism, borrowing Chinese cultural traditions, and building temples. Monks and scholars coordinated several

Buddhism for centuries, has long been influencing the population all over the world, specifically in China . Buddhism first came to China as a result of merchant traders from India. From there it spread within the merchant community. It mainly expanded because it gave people a sense of hope and faith with the chaos they were experiencing from the collapse of the Han Dynasty. It also spread because it covered what Confucianism lacked; a more spiritual and emotional approach that appealed to many people of different classes. It is because of this that Buddhism spread and was able to influence and greatly affect China during the period of 300-900 CE. Buddhism influenced philosophy and moral teachings, kept the Chinese society peaceful and orderly, as well as affecting the overall economy. Buddhism had strong religious teachings that appealed to the lower class with the idea of afterlife and nirvana as well as an emphasis on following your own path that transformed Chinese beliefs causing a large portion of the population to convert (doc’s 1,4). Buddhism kept the Chinese society orderly by reminding all of Buddha’s life and teachings with statues and the influence it had on monks to spread charity and missionary work (doc’s 2,3,6). Buddhism also had an effect on the economy of China. As it spread from other regions, it caused more farmers and silk producers to convert and spread the religion as monks and nuns. (doc 7,5).

China, reluctant to accept it as an officially sanctioned religion as the tenants of the

Koan, literally meaning “public cases” is one of the most familiar and distinctive elements of Zen Buddhism. It refers to mysterious and often shocking spiritual expressions, most cases in forms of riddles, based on encounters between masters and disciples of the tradition used as “pedagogical tools for religious training in the Zen (Ch’an) Buddhist tradition” (Wright 3). Most classic koans are derived from the T’ang dynasty China. Kung-an, the Chinese pronunciation of koan, is a case which establishes a

Confucianism is a time enduring philosophy that has stood up to invading clans, war, resentment, enforcement and infringement of new philosophies, and eventually, revival. For almost 80 years, up until the late 1970’s, Confucianism and its ideas and values have been all but wiped away from China. Though effort was made to remove Confucianism for good from China by the Communist leader Mao Zedong in 1949, the ideas and values were so deeply embedded into peoples mind and the culture that even suppression could not keep it out of the culture and practices. The main factor that has brought Confucianism back into the limelight in China and other East Asian countries is the recent