History of Buddhism in China

According to Chinese tradition Buddhism penetrated China in 2 C. E. from Central Asia.  In the beginning it was regarded as a variety of Taoism as associated with Lao-Tzu.  The latter is said to have left China riding on an ox in order to bring his teaching to the ‘barbarians" in the west.  Thus  Buddhism was understood as the barbaric version of Taoism.  This equation of Buddhism and Taoism was probably based on the fat that both religions offer a teaching of salvation and the differences between them were not know in this early phase.  One reason for this was that the Chinese language did not possess a conceptual apparatus adequate for the abstract thought of Buddhism and therefore translations had to have recourse to the terminology of Taoism.  The use of familiar concepts contributed significantly to the diffusion of Buddhism in China.  The 3rd century saw the beginning of lively translation activity; the most important Sanskrit texts were translated into Chinese.  The preeminent figures of this period are ? An Shih-kao who primarily translated Hinayana sutras, and Chih-lou Chia-ch’an, who devoted himself to the translation of Mahayana works.

In the year 355, permission was given for Chinese officials to enter the Buddhist sangha.  This considerably advance the establishment of Buddhism in China. In the 4th century the various Prajñâpâramitâ schools emerged, the most important spokesman of which was Chih-tun.  In 399 Fa-hsien was the first Chinese pilgrim to travel to India.  A series of others was to follow Xuanzang, I-ching.

In the 5th and 6th centuries Buddhism spread throughout China and received the support of the imperial house, which also encouraged the building of monasteries and the study of the teaching.  At this time the renown cave temples of Yun-kang and Lung-men were created.  In the years 466 and 574-77 there were persecutions of Buddhism, which did not hinder its rise.  The translations of sutras thanks to the work of Kumârajìva and  Paramârtha reached a very high level.  By this time all the important Hinayana and Mahayana tests existed in Chinese.  The most important for the development of Buddhist philosophy were the Lankavatara-sutra, the Mahâparanirvâna-sutra and the Satyasiddhi, San-Lun and Nirvana schools were formed.

During the Sui and Tang dynasties (end of the 6th to the beginning of the 10th centuries) Buddhism in China reached its h igh point.  The great schools of Chinese Buddhism (Hua-yen, t’ien-t’ai, Chan (Zen), Pure Land, Fa-hsiang) made their appearance.  The most important spokesmen of this period were Xuanzang, Chih-I, and Tu-shun.

The monasteries became so powerful that they represented a threat to the ruling house.  Since monasteries were exempt from taxes, many peasants gave them their properties and leased the lands back.  In that way the peasants were able to elude compulsory labor levies and military service, while the monasteries grew richer.  For this reason in 845 there was a further persecution of Buddhism; the monasteries were dismantled and the monks and nuns were obliged to return to worldly life.  Buddhism in China never entirely recovered from this blow

During the Sung Dynasty 10th-13th centuries), there came a fusion of Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist thought.  Of the many schools, only Ch’an and Pure Land were still of any significance.  The others were reduced to objects of Buddhist philosophical study.  Under the Ming Dynasty (14th 17th centuries) Chu-hung brought about a synthesis of the Ch’an and Pure Land schools and a strong Buddhist lay movement developed.

Under the Manchurain Ch’ing dynsty (17th-20th centuries) Lamaism made a major advance, but soon a strong decadent tendency became visible.  The Buddhism of the 20th century is characterized by an effort toward reform and adaptation to modernity.  Under Communist rule "religious freedom" subsisted nominally but the party functionaries made it clear that citizens did not have the freedom to believe anything that conflicted with the basic principles of Communist policy.  Buddhists were permitted to continue their activities with the monasteries.  During the land reform of 1950-52, most of the monasteries were dispossessed and the monks, whose basis of livelihood was removed, for the most part returned to worldly life.  After 1957 no further ordinations took place.

In 1953 the Chinese Buddhism Association was founded, the task of which was to convey to Buddhists directives of the government and to report on their activities.  In 1956 the Chinese Buddhist Institute was founded, its curriculum also included political training. Its task was to educated Buddhist scholars and monastic administrators.

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-76) many monasteries and other Buddhist monuments were destroyed.  The last remaining monks left the monasteries.  After the end of the Cultural Revolution still existing monasteries were renovated; the monks, in limited numbers, could return. The Chinese Buddhism Association resumed its activities; local associations were created in all the provinces. The Chinese Buddhist Institute in Peking and other large cities was again educating monks in Buddhist philosophy.  These monks, after completing their three years of study, assume leadership positions in the monasteries.

Since 1981, the journal Fa-yin (Voice of the Teaching) has appeared.  It has the task of supporting the government in its religious policies; it also gives practical instruction for Buddhist practice and discusses problems of Buddhist philosophy.  The government has recognized the value of the temples for tourism dollars, so many temples have been recently repainted and new sculptures commissioned.

From Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, p. 34-35
 

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