It is believed that Buddhism entered China from India via Silk Road by monks, merchants, emissaries, and other travelers. In the early 1st century AD, China was a country rich in cultural pluralism and historical antiquity. Emperor Ming (28-75 AD), the second emperor of the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), fascinated by Buddhism, sent emissaries to India, in the land of Yuezhi. The Chinese envoys returned to China in 67 AD with Buddhist sculptures, the image of Buddha, sutras with 600,000 Sanskrit words and two Indian monks. At that year, ‘The Sutra of forty-two sections spoken by the Buddha’ was produced to offer guidance on Buddhism philosophy and the conduct of monks. By the late 1st century AD, a Buddhist community had been established in Loyang, the Chinese capital.
During that first period that Buddhism was just introduced in China, many Buddhist scriptures were translated and interpreted. Besides, at that period of the Han Dynasty, the White Horse Temple was built that signified the first time that Buddhist doctrines were ever delivered in China.
However, Buddhism did not begin to influence China before the 2nd century AD due to a number of significant factors that hindered its earlier acceptance. First of all, Confucianism was the predominant religion at that time and had instilled its values and traditions in the Chinese philosophy. Confucianism had introduced the idea of an orderly social order, in which every human plays a part according to sanctified custom. In contrast, Buddhism encouraged the desertion of all worldly ties in pursuit of a remote and indistinct spiritual ideal. In this context, Buddhism seemed unfavorable and foreign.
On the other hand, the mystical tradition of Taoism upheld a return to simplicity and agreement with nature, which seemed to have similarities with the teachings and practices of Buddhism. Besides, the arrival, in large numbers, of Buddhist monks from Central Asia and India influenced Chinese people. In the beginning, their awkward appearance with shaved heads and robes made them look like beggars and their defiance towards the traditional Confucian importance on family was disheartening. Although the first Buddhist monasteries were built by Chinese-speaking Indians, over time Chinese monks took over their administration and translated all Buddhist texts into Chinese. This allowed Buddhism to advance into Chinese culture.
The decline of the Han dynasty in 220 AD weakened the Confucian ideology and saw a period of great turbulence in China. In the turmoil of the Six Dynasties Period (AD 220 - 589 AD), Buddhism developed and spread swiftly. During that period, smaller dynasties took power in southern and northern regions of China. In the absence of one self-governing dynasty to promote Confucianism, Buddhism gained enormous momentum, gradually becoming the single largest religion in China.
During its second period, when Chinese Buddhism entered its prosperous time, the majority of Buddhist scriptures were translated while many more Buddhist writings came into light. Besides, at that period of the Jin Dynasty (265AD-420AD) and the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386AD-589AD), the Buddhism doctrines were made popular across the country and the number of Buddhists increased.
Chinese Buddhism maintained many elements of the Indian Buddhism, but it also featured new elements and rituals that were directed to the Chinese culture and philosophy. The monastic system, the sacred writings, the worship rites and the contemplative exercises were retained from the Indian philosophy. Besides, Buddhism beliefs about reincarnation were one of the main reasons that Buddhism was so profoundly accepted and followed in China.
Soon, Buddhism influenced deeply Chinese cultural and philosophical ethics. At the time of the Sui Dynasty (581AD-618AD) and the Tang Dynasty (618AD - 907AD), Buddhism reached its peak. Many Buddhist schools and monasteries were built; doctrines were introduced and refined; the worship of Amitabha and the Pure Land School became extremely popular. Besides, the emperors of the Sui Dynasty believed in Buddhism and in spite of the Taoist beliefs of the Tang emperors, Buddhism was protected and developed in China during that period. This explains its rapid spread and its profound influence on Chinese tradition, culture and thought.
Between 629 AD and 645 AD, the Chinese monk Hsuan Tsang left the Capital of the Tang Dynasty and traveled to India returning with 700 Buddhist texts to deepen the understanding of Buddhism in China. The trip of Hsuan Tsang was the inspiration for one of the greatest Chinese novels, ‘Journey to the West’ that retraces Tsang’s paths in search for enlightenment.
However, in the late years of the Tang Dynasty, Taoism was favored over Buddhism due to social unrest and instability leading to the secularization of monks and nuns and the destruction of many temples and libraries. Taoism and Confucianism remained the prevailing religions until the 11th century when Buddhism experienced a revival.
From the 11th to the 13th century, during the Song Dynasty, the Chan School infused deeply the Chinese culture and influenced the Neo-Confucian philosophers who detested Buddhism. However, the overall interest in Buddhism seemed to have declined as Chinese religion was divided in many movements. Particularly Taoism and Confucianism focused on the importance of living into this world and of being committed to family, education, good citizenship and fulfilling duties expected by society.
Finally, Buddhism experienced a new revival in the early 20th century prospering before the chaos of the World War II, but it was soon suppressed by the Maoist rule. After the proclamation of the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949 by Mao and the employment of the policy of freedom in religion belief, Buddhism entered a new growing phase. However, in the period of Culture Revolution in 1966, Buddhist temples were destroyed, scriptures were burned, statues were shattered and monks were thrown out on the streets. Today, Buddhism is related to the social and ethnic backgrounds of people and it appears in three main forms, Han, Tibetan and Southern Buddhism.
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