Describe the development of Buddhism in china
By aarya rao
This objective would be the college board theme development and interactions of cultures because Buddhism is a religion, and this is the college board theme that talks about religion.
China's interactions with different people encouraged social and cultural change in the Tang dynasty. Confucianism and Daoism made way for another religion in the Tang dynasty, and that is Mahayana Buddhism. This type of Buddhism adapted to the needs of the people and society in the Tang dynasty, which made it more popular. |
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The Establishment of Buddhism
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Buddhism in China
- Buddhism was attractive to the Chinese because it had high moral standards, intellectual sophistication and because it promised salvation
- Buddhists created monastic communities in China and collected land that was donated by wealthy donors
- They cultivated the lands and stored a part of their harvests to distribute among residents if there was a drought, famine or other hardship
- Buddhist monasteries soon became very important to the economy of Chinese communities
- However Buddhism also challenged Chinese culture and social beliefs
- For example Buddhism wanted individuals to live an ascetic lifestyle and to live in celibacy
- In China, everything was centered around respecting your family and it encouraged procreation
- Some Chinese even thought that Buddhist monasteries were harmful to the economy since they paid no taxes
Buddhism and Daoism
- Because of all the differences between Buddhism and Chinese social and cultural beliefs, Buddhist missionaries tailored some of the beliefs of Buddhism so it could better adapt to the Chinese community
- They explained their ideas in vocabulary that was familiar to Chinese
- They still believed in the establishment of monasteries and living in celibacy, but they also accepted family life and traditions
- They taught Buddhism as a faith that would benefit Chinese families
Chan Buddhism
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Hostility to Buddhism and Persecution
- Buddhism was resisted by Daoists and Confucians.
- Daoists disliked Buddhism because of the amount of followers Buddhism had, because they felt that it took away from their own followers
- Confucians didn't like that Buddhists believed in celibacy and believed that Buddhism was an alien superstition
- Confucians also thought that the Buddhist monasteries were wasteful and unproductive
- Starting in the 840's the Tang emperors ordered all monasteries to close and the expulsion of Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Nestorian Christians as well as Manichaeans
- Although they forced Buddhists out of China, Buddhism still survived in China.
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Neo-Confucianism
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Zhu-Xi
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Neo-Confucian Influence
- Neo-Confucianism was important because it showed how strong Buddhist influence was on China
- Neo-Confucian writings had many Buddhist ideas and themes as well as Confucian values
- Also, Neo-Confucianism was an officially recognized creed by the Song dynasty, except for when the Mongols ruled
- It shaped political and philosophical thought in many ways