Buddhism & China Blog 3
I found it very interesting in the way Buddhism started in China. I had no idea it started with the Silk Road trading network around 200 C.E. As we know Buddhism originated in India. Most Chinese were not open to the idea of Buddhism due to the conflicting teachings of Confucianism. Initially, it started with only practiced by foreign merchants and monks living in China.
About 300 and 800 C.E. Buddhism started to become more popular due to the collapse of the Han dynasty. Chinese started to welcome the idea and supported the monasteries, temples and even art.
As one might suspect with the Buddist culture, they provided help to those in need. The provided food, shelter, treatment if one was sick and even provided a place for children to learn.
There was also great effort to translate the religion into information the Chinese could understand. One that I don't necessarily love is the translation from the Indian teaching that "husband supports wife" was translated to husband controls wife. As you can understand all was not perfect. This was not at all the intent of the Buddist teachings. When we take a look forward, by 600 C.E. over 4,000 monasteries now existed.
However, there was always pushback. As the wealth of the monasteries grew so did frustration with the tax-exempt status. Thus began the criticism.
In the end, there was an order of 260,000 monks and nuns to begin paying taxes. Thousands of monasteries, temples, and shrines were destroyed and they went under control of the state.
About 300 and 800 C.E. Buddhism started to become more popular due to the collapse of the Han dynasty. Chinese started to welcome the idea and supported the monasteries, temples and even art.
As one might suspect with the Buddist culture, they provided help to those in need. The provided food, shelter, treatment if one was sick and even provided a place for children to learn.
There was also great effort to translate the religion into information the Chinese could understand. One that I don't necessarily love is the translation from the Indian teaching that "husband supports wife" was translated to husband controls wife. As you can understand all was not perfect. This was not at all the intent of the Buddist teachings. When we take a look forward, by 600 C.E. over 4,000 monasteries now existed.
However, there was always pushback. As the wealth of the monasteries grew so did frustration with the tax-exempt status. Thus began the criticism.
In the end, there was an order of 260,000 monks and nuns to begin paying taxes. Thousands of monasteries, temples, and shrines were destroyed and they went under control of the state.
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