Buddhism in
China
China has
56 ethnic groups, each with its own culture and
religion, but among all the religions in China, the largest
is Buddhism. Over centuries, Buddhism in China has developed
into three linguistic forms: Chinese-language Buddhism, Pali-language
Buddhism, and Tibetan-language Buddhism, also called
Lamaism. It is difficult to estimate how many people follow
Chinese-language Buddhism, as it is widely distributed and
does not have invitation rituals, but the Chinese-language
Buddhism has at least 40,000 monks and nuns and more than
5,000 temples and monasteries. Tibetan-language Buddhism is
found mainly among the 7 million people of the Tibetan,
Mongolian, Tu, Yugur, Naxi, Pumi, and Moinba ethnic groups,
and has 120,000 lamas and nuns, and over 3,000 temples and
monasteries. Pali-language Buddhism is found mainly among
the 1.5 million people of the Dai, Blang, De’ang, Va, and
Achang ethnic groups, and has more than 8,000 monks and
nuns, and over 1,000 temples and monasteries.
Tradition has it that Emperor Ming Di of the Eastern Han
Dynasty (25-220A.D.) dispatched Cai Yin and 17 other
officials to China’s western neighbors in a quest for
spiritual teachings. They met Kasyapamatanga and Dharmaranya,
great Buddhists of India, and brought them to Luoyang. When
the two Indian Buddhists arrived, leading a white horse
carrying Buddhist images and sutras, Emperor Ming Di ordered
the construction of a residence for them in Luoyang. Thus
the Baima (White Horse) Monastery, the first Buddhist
monastery in China, came into being. The translation of the
“Forty Two Chapter Sutra” by the two Buddhists is the
earliest translation of a Buddhist text in China. Later,
Buddhism was widely disseminated in China during the reigns
of the Eastern Han emperors Huan Di and Ling Di (147-189
A.D.).
When Sakyamuni founded Buddhism in ancient India, different
preaching methods were adopted according to the audience.
After the departure of Sakyamuni from this world, his
followers established several sects according to their own
understanding. Among these sects, Mahayana and Theravada are
the two most important. Theravada Buddhism stresses
overcoming illusion and detachment from death so that one
can become an arhat, an enlightened saint. Mahayana Buddhism
emphasizes salvation and the attainment of Buddha hood not
only for oneself, but also for all other living creatures.
Mahayana has two forms: Tantrism, and the open school, which
is further divided into the Madhyamika and Yogacara schools.
Buddhism in China also became separated into various schools
and sects. During the Sui (581-681) and Tang (618-907)
dynasties, the monasterial economy was well developed, and
many rituals were systematized. Among the flourishing
schools and sects of Buddhism at the time, there was the
San-lun (Three-Treaties), Tien-tai, Hua-yen (Avatamsaka),
Zen, Fa-hsiang (Dharmalaksana), Lu (Vinaya), Ching-tu (Pure
Land), and Tantrism.
In the years between the Eastern Han and Song dynasties, 130
famous Chinese and foreign scholars translated Buddhist
scriptures into Chinese. Some 5,620 texts in 1,520 fascicles
of the “Tripitaka” in the Chinese language still exist
today. These translations can match any other known
translations in the world. Of all the translators in the
history of Chinese Buddhism, the monk Xuan Zang of the Tang
Dynasty is considered the greatest. Travelling 25,000
kilometers in 17 years, he brought back 520 Sanskrit-edition
Buddhist scriptures from India, and spent more than 20 years
translating 1,335 texts in 75 fascicles from the scriptures
of Mahayana Buddhism.
One of the most important Buddhist scriptures is the “Tripitaka”,
an encyclopedia covering all aspects of Buddhism. It is not
only an essential book for the study of Buddhist philosophy,
but also a treasure house of information for the study of
ancient Oriental culture. It has been translated into
various editions in different languages such as Chinese,
Tibetan, and Mongolian. The first wood-block edition of the
Chinese-language “Tripitaka” was printed in the early Song
Dynasty (960-1279). By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the
“Tripitaka” had been printed 20 times by the imperial court
and the commonalty, each edition requiring over 10,000
blocks.
Buddhism made a great impact on Chinese civilization. Its
introduction into China broke the cultural domination of
Confucianism and contributed to a new cultural pattern
dominated by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The
translation of Buddhist scriptures enriched the Chinese
vocabulary and grammar and improved the literary style and
writing technique. The Chinese classic “Journey to the West”
is an example of the effect of Buddhism on Chinese writing.
Buddhist philosophy influenced many famous poets, including
Tao Yuanming, Wang Wei, and Bai Juyi, as well as painters,
architects, astronomers, and doctors.
Buddhist monasteries and pagodas are found all over China.
Wutai Mountain in Shanxi, Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang, Emei
Mountain in Sichuan, and Jiuhua Mountain in Anhui, are four
famous Buddhist shrines highly regarded by practitioners.
Among the famous monasteries are Baima Monastery in Luoyang,
Manchan and Foguang monasteries on Wutai Mountain, Biyun
(Azure Clouds) Temple and Yonghe Monastery in Beijing,
Linggu Temple in Nanjing, Jokhang Monastery in Lhasa, and
eight temples in Chengde. The famous pagodas include Zhuanta
(Brick Pagoda) on Mount Songshan, Muta (Wood Pagoda) in
Yingxian County of Shanxi, Shita (Stone Pagoda) in Quanzhou,
and Dayan (Greater Wild Goose) Pagoda in Xi’an. The Dunhuang
Grottoes in Gansu, Yungang Grottoes in Datong, and Longmen
Grottoes in Luoyang, are world famous for their Buddhist
art. Buddhist buildings are also considered jewels of
ancient Chinese art.
The Chinese government has formulated relevant policies,
which have been constantly developed and perfected. The
central government has also appropriated large sums of money
to maintain and rebuild ancient monasteries. Today, China
has more than 9,500 monasteries, and 168,000 monks and nuns
conduct regular religious activities under the protection of
national laws and regulation. The Buddhist Association of
China, established in 1953, is a nationwide organization led
by Zhao Puchu, a famous Buddhist lay scholar. The
association has its own journal, “Fayin”, and 14 Buddhist
academies. |