Buddhism In The Chinese Culture And Politics

Buddhism is the religion founded by Buddha Shakyamuni and is based off of the principle that human suffering stems from desire, and in order to live a peaceful and happy life and become enlightened, you must let go of these wants. These ideals proved to have an impact on many different peoples and cultures and have shaped the way they live today. One major group of people who have been affected are the Chinese.

Buddhism was originally founded in India, but eventually spread to China during the 1st century C. E. It gained popularity and converts in China during the time of political disarray following the collapse of the Han dynasty in 220 C. E. However, over time as the circumstances surrounding Chinese politics changed, the support of Buddhism began to waver and mixed feelings and opinions toward Buddhism developed, which can be seen through primary source documents obtained from these eras. As China transitioned from a period of political instability to the restoration of imperial order with the Tang dynasty, Buddhism continued to receive support from some people of power, but as the imperial structure was restored, Buddhism was no longer thought of as an essential implement of unification that was needed to keep peace and it also began to be perceived as a threat to traditional Chinese culture and government.

Although many opinions of Buddhism changed throughout the course of time in China, some positive impressions remained constant. This can be seen in documents 2, 3, and 5. All three of these documents are advocates for Buddhism as they cite that Buddhism guides and directs people to live a moral life which helps to promote harmony. It is important to note that Document 2 was written by a confidant of Chinese aristocrats and high officials around 350 C. E. , Document 3 was written by a Chinese scholar around 500 C. E. , and Document 5 was written by a man who was favored by the Tang imperial household around early 9th century C. E. This is important to note because we can see that some aristocrats and influential figures continued to support Buddhism even after the Warring States period (220 C. E. -570 C. E. ) and well into the rule of the Tang dynasty, all the way from 350 C. E. to early 9th century C. E.

Also, through Document 3 we see how people still favored Buddhism even though it was thought to clash with traditional Confucius teachings, which may also explain why it continued to receive some support even during the rule of the Tang. One response to Buddhism that changed over time was the necessity of it to unify the people. We are given insight to this alteration of thought in Documents 1, 2, and 6. Document 1 is the first sermon preached by the Buddha, and it outlines the main philosophies and principles of Buddhism. These principles prove to be a perfect solution for the reunification of China during the time of political turmoil after the fall of the Han dynasty, known as the Warring States period. This sermon directly influences Chinese officials and aristocrats, which is evident in Document 2. Document 2 is written during the Warring States period, when China was constantly under attack by nomadic groups. It restates and draws attention to the principles that can be utilized to restore peace among the Chinese. This illustrates the fact that early Chinese officials understood the importance of Buddhism as a method of unification because Zhi Dun was an adviser to Chinese officials meaning that his opinions were probably valued and he was most likely listened to. However, as unity was restored and the Tang dynasty rose to power, Buddhism was no longer essential for conformity amongst the people. This is made apparent in Document 6. Tang Emperor Wu knows that he has the Chinese people under his control and that his position as ruler is relatively safe under current conditions. Because he no longer needs the principles of Buddhism to aid in his ruling, he is allowed to express his negative views and distaste of Buddhism without risking disunification or any unfavorable repercussions.

Another change over time in regards to the reception of Buddhism is that it gradually begins to be seen as a threat to traditional Chinese culture, the economy, and the emperors. Originally, emperors advocated and encouraged the practice of Buddhism because it served as a tool to assist in stabilizing the empire during the Warring States period. The opposite became true once imperial order was restored in the Tang dynasty. Instead of Buddhism being identified as a means of maintaining power and sustaining unity, it became recognized as a threat to traditional Chinese values. This is evident in Documents 4 and 6. Both of these documents were written during the rule of the Tang dynasty after the nation had been united. They both touch on similar themes: Buddhism is destroying Chinese culture and it poses a threat to the economic and political stability of the current times. Document 4 is written by a leading Confucian scholar who was an official at the Tang imperial court. It states that Buddhism “is no more than a cult of the barbarian peoples spread to China. ” It also highlights the tension and conflict between followers of Confucianism and Buddhism, as Confucianists see Buddhism as a threat to their philosophical control. Document 6 is written by Tang Emperor Wu and remarks that Buddhism should be eradicated because it is poisoning Chinese culture, has amassed too many followers (which threatens the emperors), and has weakened the economy (due to the fact that monks did not have to pay taxes). Emperor Wu would go on to begin a persecution of Buddhists in hopes of strengthening his governmental control.

In conclusion, Buddhism played a major role in both politics and everyday life of China during times of political chaos and times of harmony. The initial response of the ruling class to the spread of Buddhism was positive, largely due to the fact that it could be used as a tool to promote political unity during a turbulent time after the collapse of the Han dynasty. However, while some positive receptions of Buddhism remained over time, it gradually became thought of as nonessential for unification, and it began to be perceived by the aristocrats and emperors as a threat to traditional Chinese values. Although we are given a glimpse into the response to the spread of Buddhism in China through these primary source documents, in order to accurately determine what the majority of people thought of Buddhism, more documents from ordinary people would be needed because they make up the bulk of the population. With this being said, we are still able to see just how influential Buddhism was on the politics of China and are able to infer why certain people had different reactions to Buddhism through the interpretation of primary source documents.