After the fall of the Han Dynasty in 220 C.E., China faced a time period of political disunity, when various economic and social factors began to break down the Chinese complex bureaucracy. During this time, Buddhism, which has already reached China in the first century C.E, suddenly became popular among the Chinese people as a refuge for political and social problems after each dynastic cycle. However, after 570 C.E., when the imperial structure and social order were restored, there were mixed responses to the spread of Buddhism in China, which contain neutral, positive and negative undertones.
A neutral tone can be found in Document 1 and 5, which prove that many Chinese remained indifferent in response to the impact of Buddhism on China.
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According to Zhi Dun, Buddhism presents a comforting worldview for Chinese scholars and aristocrats during the period of political disunity, which, in this case, was when northern China was invaded by central Asian steppe nomads, also known as the Mongols, circa 350 C.E. (Document 2). Meanwhile, the author of Document 3, who is an anonymous Chinese scholar, extracted the “goodness and wisdom” of Buddhism from the existent conflict between Confucianism and Buddhism to counter the scrutiny of many anti-Buddhists. By stating that “the monk practices the Way and substitutes that for worldly pleasures [which encompasses wives, children, and prosperity],” the anonymous scholar embraced Buddhism as the sacrifice of “joys of having a wife and children” in exchange for goodness and wisdom (Document 3). Document 2 and 3 are somewhat reliable, since both authors were scholars, which means they belonged to the upper class of the Chinese society and probably knew both Buddhist and Confucian philosophies. As the result, their testimonies unfortunately do not tell how the lower class felt about the spread of Buddhism. Furthermore, the author’s anonymity of Document 3 is questionable and thus, decreases the credibility of the
Since the introduction of Buddhism into China, it was not well received by the population as its foreign beliefs clashed with pre-existent principals of Confucianism and Taoism. On top of that, it was alienated by the Confucianism-based government in the late Han Dynasty. All in all, Buddhism was not a common nor a popular religion throughout China at first. Nevertheless, this all changed after the rise of the Tang Dynasty. There is no doubt that Buddhism and the Tang administration under Wu’s reign formed a critical symbiotic relationship with one another. Buddhism played a pivotal role in justifying Empress Wu’s rule. She enthroned herself as the monarch of China, an extraordinarily difficult achievement for a woman in a male-dominant society, by associating herself with Buddhism: proclaiming herself as the Maitreya and that she will bring an utopian era for the Chinese. (Smarr, 17 Feb. 2012) At the same time, Buddhism benefitted handsomely from government support, as monasteries are exempted from tax and that they are financially supported by the state, as seen in A Pilgrim’s Visit to the Five Terraces Mountains, which ultimately resulted in the substantial growth in attraction of Buddhist converts and Buddhism itself. Wu’s extensive support of the religion with ostentatious gifts and donations contributed to the rapid proliferation of Buddhism. Evidently, the mutually benefitting relationship between Buddhism and the state are crucial to each other’s survival during Wu’s sovereignty, but to what extent did her financial support (donations to monasteries) of Buddhism bettered the government overall?
However, the trend toward supporting Taoism provided a reactionary means in which Emperor Wuzong and court officials, such as Han Yu, were able to invert this form o cultural tolerance to a more xenophobic governmental movement to remove Buddhism from China. In the writings of Han Yu, it is apparent that the weakness of Chinese Emperors tended to be directly related to the practice of Buddhism by elites. More so, Chinese government officials began to become hostile to Buddhist, which set the Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution into motion as a formal movement action against non-Taoists throughout the
Wu Zhao, the first female emperor of China, rose to power during the Tang Dynasty and her active role with Buddhism fabricated a perpetual impact in the Chinese society as a whole. There is no doubt that Buddhism and the Tang administration, under Wu’s reign, formed a symbiotic relationship with one another. She is considered to be one of the most prominent advocators of the religion during the era. Her efforts to spread of Buddhism and the monetary support help Buddhism to expand throughout the people significantly, which provide the religion another source of financial income to spread even further. Regardless of Empress Wu’s intention, she has furnished the religion in numerous ways, but what did she receive in return? This proposes the question: To what extent did Empress Wu’s support of Buddhism, politically and financially, help Wu and better her empire overall?
people were content and happy (Han Yu 111). Han Yu presents a background of China without Buddhism to compare how Buddhism destructed China and left it in ruins. This demonstrates his ambition to rid Buddhism in China, for he depicts how stable ...
of acceptance of Buddhism within China, one must look at each class individually and see
Chinese scholars were positive towards Buddhism and pro-Buddha. In the document of “The Disposition of Error”, an anonymous Chinese scholar answers the challenges to Buddhism in China in an argument about converting to Buddhism between Confucianists and Buddhists. A confused strict Confucianist ask if Buddhism was so great why wasn’t it recorded? “If Buddhism is the greatest and most venerable of ways...
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
The authors of documents #2 and #3 expressed their views on Buddhism positively, contending and supporting the spread of Buddhism throughout China. After the fall of the
The development and evolution of the different sects of Japanese Buddhism such as Zen Buddhism played an important role in the development of classical Japanese culture throughout the four major periods, which was shown in the way that the Nara period, the Heian era, the Kamakura period, and the Edo period were all shaped by the ascent and decline of different Buddhist sects. It is these transitions that make Japanese history a myriad, but fascinating web of interconnecting events that manages to confuse even the most veteran historians. At first, Buddhism was only a pastime of the elite class of landowners and daimyo that held no special significance to the common peoples. It was mainly another way for the central government to gain power and influence among the many local lords that it had to contend with on a regular basis. Although it is to be noted that most of these new converts to Buddhism did not abandon their earlier religions, but instead blended it together with several aspects of Shintoism, the original indigenous religion of Japan(“Japanese Buddhism”,1). This created several amalgamations of the two religions wherever and whenever they met(“Japanese Buddhism”,1). However, as Buddhism was introduced to the general population through the process of hierarchical diffusion, it quickly branched off and evolved from its original form as different sects that shaped contemporary Japanese culture (Kasahara, 302).
In a quote from the Dalai Lama he says, “My religion is very simply. My religion is kindness.” IN buddhism where the main goal is happiness, that quote seems to explain it all. The fact of the matter is, religion has been around since the beginning of mankind; religion gave people faith, structure, and a way of life. Without it people begin to lose their sense of direction and purpose. In today’s society there are over 4,200 religions, and they continue to aid people in their life and accommodate to their needs of self-knowledge. In comparison to Cao Dai, Eckankar and Jainism, Buddhism is a religion because of its similar beliefs, the way it's practiced, and its head figure.
Regarding religion, Chinese culture saw the emergence of Confucianism and Buddhism as the major influence. Confucianism stressed filial piety which meant respecting elders and superiors, ruling righteously, and obeying commands and orders. Confucianism was introduced by the Chinese thinker Confucius. Buddhism was brought to China, but originated in India and was founded by Siddhartha Gautama. Followers of Buddhism worshipped Buddh...
In China, the citizens' inclination of Buddhism varied from that of other states. There was a plethora of mental outlooks on how Buddhism was changing the Chinese society as it expanded from India, where it was founded in the sixth century BCE. The responses are organized depending on their acceptance, rejection, or encouragement of a combination of Buddhism with other religions. These categories are illustrated by the following documents; the acceptance by documents two and five, the rejection by documents four, six, and three, and last, the encouragement by documents two, five, and three. Additional documentations that would be helpful in classifying the reactions of the Chinese people would be a testimony or statement of a Chinese woman, or group of women, and of peasants. These would be helpful as we'd be able to examine exactly how the Chinese were affected by Buddhism's grasp. We would be able to see how Buddhism affected their daily lives and what they thought about the sudden religion.
The Buddhist brought with them the concept of multiple gods and Buddha’s “spiritual state to provide the power for humans to make the transition into death and the afterlife successfully” (Corduan, 2012, p.410). Confucianism brought the obedience of the child to the parent into Chinese mainstream life, plus the “social stratification and codes governing dress, actions and communication” (Corduan, 2012, p.409). Taoism introduced the balance of forces in harmony in spirits in the form of yin and yang, thus creating that balance of nature and humans (Corduan, 2012). Christianity influenced Chinese life both socially and economically by introducing the concepts of “love for one’s neighbor, self-discipline, and trust” (Lu, 2014, p.2) as both essential and beneficial (Lu, 2014). All of these together with the traditional Chinese religion, give the Chinese culture it’s popular religion
Xuanzang was a highly educated Buddhist monk from China, who in 629 C.E. made the long and treacherous journey along the Silk Road to India. His main objectives in his sixteen years away from home were fundamentally religious; he only wanted to study more complete scriptures to answer questions he had, which he deemed unsolvable in his own country. It is important to understand Xuanzang’s own position within the Chinese society and the type of situation it was in: Chinese Buddhists had many disagreements
The four hundred years between the collapse of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.- C.E. 220) and the establishment of the Tang dynasty (618-906) mark a division in the history of China. During this period, foreign invasion, transcontinental trade, and missionary ambition opened the region to an unprecedented wealth of foreign cultural influences. These influences were both secular and sacred. Nomads, merchants, emissaries and missionaries flooded into China, bringing new customs, providing exotic wares, and generating new religious beliefs. Foremost among these beliefs was Buddhism, born in India, but which now took root in China. These new influences entered China by a vast network of overland routes, popularly known as the Silk Road