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==History==  

==History==  

===Introduction to China===

===Introduction to China===

Buddhism was first introduced into China around the first century CE, as missionaries from India crossed the steppes and entered China. Many Central Asian regions, and their rulers, converted in the second century, and by the third century, Chinese scholar-elites were familiar with Buddhism. The religion did not take hold in any widespread way in elite Chinese society until the fifth century, though, and began to gain popularity among the masses in the sixth century.

Buddhism was first introduced into China around the first century CE, as missionaries from India crossed the steppes and entered China. It was originally misunderstood as a variant on [[Taoism]], however, giving rise in fact to the belief that [[Lao Tzu]] had traveled to India, where the [[Shakamuni|Buddha]] became his disciple, and that Buddhism was, thus, simply the Indian form of Taoism.<ref name=craig50>[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Chinese Civilization'', Third Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 49-51.</ref> Still, many Central Asian regions, and their rulers, converted in the second century, and by the third century, Chinese scholar-elites were familiar with Buddhism. The Taoist misunderstanding going by the wayside, Buddhism began to spread in earnest in China at that time, taking hold in elite Chinese society by the fifth century, and gaining widespread popularity among the masses by the sixth century.

Mayahana Buddhism, which allowed for a syncretic pantheon of Buddhist deities, incorporating figures from Chinese folk religions alongside numerous other [[Buddha|Buddhas]] and [[bodhisattva]]s, of whom the [[Shakamuni|historical Buddha]] was only one, took root relatively easily in China, as compared to Theravada Buddhism, which focused more strongly on the historical Buddha and his teachings. Buddhist concepts such as [[karma]] also shifted and changed, adapting for example to the Chinese focus on the family, and on ancestors, rather than on individual honor or virtue.

Mayahana Buddhism, which allowed for a syncretic pantheon of Buddhist deities, incorporating figures from Chinese folk religions alongside numerous other [[Buddha|Buddhas]] and [[bodhisattva]]s, of whom the [[Shakamuni|historical Buddha]] was only one, took root relatively easily in China, as compared to Theravada Buddhism, which focused more strongly on the historical Buddha and his teachings. Buddhist concepts such as [[karma]] also shifted and changed, adapting for example to the Chinese focus on the family, and on ancestors, rather than on individual honor or virtue.

The rulers of the [[Northern Wei Dynasty]] ([[386]]-[[534]]) were among the first, and most prominent, to convert to Buddhism and advocate its spread. Buddhism gained significant traction in southern China at that same time. Shrines and temples began to be built, and monks and their institutions to gain wealth and power as elites, inspired by the idea of gaining spiritual merit through acts of faith and charity, began to donate land and funds to Buddhist institutions.

Taoist heads of some Chinese states persecuted Buddhism harshly, including in northern China from [[446]]-[[452]], and again from [[574]]-[[578]]. However, other states were more accepting of the new religion. The rulers of the [[Northern Wei Dynasty]] ([[386]]-[[534]]) were among the first, and most prominent, to convert to Buddhism and advocate its spread. The so-called [[Emperor Wu of Liang|"Bodhisattva Emperor" Wu]] entered monastic life on three occasions, being ransomed back from the temples by his nonplussed courtiers.<ref name=craig50/> Buddhism gained significant traction in southern China at that same time. Shrines and temples began to be built, and monks and their institutions to gain wealth and power as elites, inspired by the idea of gaining spiritual merit through acts of faith and charity, began to donate land and funds to Buddhist institutions.

Buddhism gained more widespread popularity (i.e. among the masses) in the sixth century, as it began to take on new forms specifically adapted to Chinese society, and became more accessible to the masses. The emergence of [[Pure Land Buddhism]] at this time was a key element of these developments, focusing on the idea of salvation through faith, committing oneself to a spiritual and upright life, and through the aid of compassionate deities, especially [[Amitabha]] (Amida Buddha, the Buddha of the Western Paradise, i.e. the Pure Land) and [[Kannon|Guanyin]] (J: Kannon), the bodhisattva of compassion. Other forms of Buddhism required its devotees to possess significant wealth (to donate to Buddhist temples), leisure time (to devote to prayer, ritual, and study of religious texts), and learning (to study the religious texts, and to perform complex rituals); by contrast, Pure Land Buddhism focused on simpler rituals, and expressions of faith.

Buddhism gained more widespread popularity (i.e. among the masses) in the sixth century, as it began to take on new forms specifically adapted to Chinese society, and became more accessible to the masses. The emergence of [[Pure Land Buddhism]] at this time was a key element of these developments, focusing on the idea of salvation through faith, committing oneself to a spiritual and upright life, and through the aid of compassionate deities, especially [[Amitabha]] (Amida Buddha, the Buddha of the Western Paradise, i.e. the Pure Land) and [[Kannon|Guanyin]] (J: Kannon), the bodhisattva of compassion. Other forms of Buddhism required its devotees to possess significant wealth (to donate to Buddhist temples), leisure time (to devote to prayer, ritual, and study of religious texts), and learning (to study the religious texts, and to perform complex rituals); by contrast, Pure Land Buddhism focused on simpler rituals, and expressions of faith.