The goal of this book is to study the ways in which Chinese Buddhists expressed their religious faiths and how Chinese Buddhists interacted with society at large since the Northern and Southern dynasties (386-589), through the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911), up to the Republican era (1912-1949). The book aims to summarize and present the historical trajectory of the Sinification of Buddhism in a new light, revealing the symbiotic relationship between Buddhist faith and Chinese culture. The book examines cases such as repentance, vegetarianism, charity, scriptural lecture, the act of releasing captive animals, the Bodhisattva faith, and mountain worship, from multiple perspectives such as textual evidence, historical circumstances, social life, as well as the intellectual background at the time.

Buddhism in China during the late Qing and Republican period remained a powerful cultural and religious force. This innovative book comes from a rising star in this field, offering a new perspective on the influence of Buddhism on Chinese culture.

Translated and revised by respected scholar of Chinese religions Franciscus Verellen, who has worked closely with Gernet, this edition includes new references, an extensive, up-to-date bibliography, and a comprehensive index.

Beginning with the introduction of the religion into China, this chronicle depicts the evolution of Buddhism. The career and achievements of the great Kumarajiva are investigated, exploring the famed philosophical treatises that form the core of East Asian Buddhist literature. Providing a useful and accessible introduction to the influential Tien-t'ai school of Buddhism in Japan as well as the teachings of the 13th-century monk Nichiren, this examination places special emphasis on the faith of the Lotus Sutra and the major works of masters such as Hui-su, Chih-i, and Chanjan. From the early translations of the Buddhist scriptures to the persecution of the T'ang dynasty, this exploration illuminates the role of Buddhism in Chinese society, and by extension, in humanity in general.

What are the foundational scriptures and major schools for Chinese Buddhists? What divinities do they worship? What festivals do they celebrate? These are some of the basic questions addressed in this book, the first introduction to Chinese Buddhism written expressly for students and those interested in an accessible yet authoritative overview of the subject based on current scholarship. After presenting the basic tenets of the Buddha’s teachings and the Chinese religious traditions, the book focuses on topics essential for understanding Chinese Buddhism: major scriptures, worship of buddhas and bodhisattvas, rituals and festivals, the monastic order, Buddhist schools such as Tiantai and Chan, Buddhism and gender, and current trends—notably humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan and the resurgence of Buddhism in post-Mao China. Each chapter ends with discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. A convenient glossary of common terms, titles, and names is included.

From the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist: a revelatory portrait of religion in China today, its history, the spiritual traditions of its Eastern and Western faiths, and the ways in which it is influencing China's future. Following a century of violent antireligious campaigns, China is now awash with new temples, churches, and mosques as well as cults, sects, and politicians trying to harness religion for their own ends. Driving this explosion of faith is uncertainty over what it means to be Chinese, and how to live an ethical life in a country that discarded traditional morality a century ago and is still searching for new guideposts. Ian Johnson lived for extended periods with underground church members, rural Daoists, and Buddhist pilgrims. He has distilled these experiences into a cycle of festivals, births, deaths, detentions, and struggle a great awakening of faith that is shaping the soul of the world s newest superpower. (With black-and-white illustrations throughout).

Although Buddhism had declined during the Ming Dynasty, an age characterized by corruption, weakness, and oppression, new interest in the old religion arose as the dynasty came to an end. Han-shan Te-ch'ing--as well as two other reformers of his time, Yun-ch'i Chu-hung (1535-1615) and Tzu-po Chen-k'o (1543-1603) contributed to the revival of Buddhism. Even to the present day, the teachings of these masters have influenced many Chinese Buddhists. Han-shan wrote extensively on Buddhism and other subjects, but his most interesting work is his autobiography, describing his spiritual development together with significant events of his life. Han-shan was a Ch'an master who also practiced the Pure Land faith. The philosophy of Mind, a synthesis of the Hua-yen, T'ien-t'ai, and Wei-shih teachings, is his system of thought. Han-shan argued that all philosophical teachings are ultimately the same because they lead to the truth of Mind. Dr. Hsu's book is the first detailed study of Han-shan Te-ch'ing's life to appear in any language. As Derk Bodde writes in his foreword, "A good deal of excellent modern scholarship has been devoted to the ascending centuries of Chinese Buddhism, extending from the religion's entry into China (first century AD) through its age of greatest glory (seventh, eighth, and early ninth centuries). Much less, yet nevertheless significant, scholarship has been devoted to the surviving elements of Chinese Buddhism that are still observable in the present century. Almost nonexistent--at least in Western languages has been serious scholarship devoted to the long centuries of intervening decline. The present book, which is the only one known to me in a Western language to devote itself wholly to a single personality from this intervening age, is a notable exception. A Buddhist Leader in Ming China consists of four chapters. In Chapter 1 the sources and methodology are discussed. Chapter 2 concerns the background of Han-shan Te-ch'ing's life and thought. Chapter 3 presents a detailed account of Han-shan's life, based almost entirely on his autobiography. The last chapter discusses his teachings and his views about the Mind, the Universe, Man, Evil, and the Path to Salvation.