Those who learn Chinese in China all know that the Buddhism is one of the most important three religions in the world. It originated from the ancient India in the period from the sixth century to the fifth century BC. Then it was gradually popularized in the subcontinents of India. The founder of the Buddhism was Siddhartha Gautama. He was regarded as the Buddha by his believers, thus the name of the religion “Buddhism”.
From the third century BC, the Buddhism started to be introduced to the other areas. Gradually, it became a world religion with many believers. When foreigners study Chinese in China, they should know that there were three schools of Buddhism formed after the introduction of Buddhism into China, namely, Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism.
All of them have great and profound influence on Chinese people in thoughts, ethnic relationships, culture and arts and customs and so on. But when foreign learners come to study Mandarin in China, they will realize that the most important influence should be that of the Chinese Buddhism.
Most people think that the introduction of Buddhism into China was along the Silk Road and finally reached the area of Xinjiang in China. Then it went through the Yumen Pass and Hexi Corridor to Chang’an and Luoyang and gradually the whole China. However, those foreigners who learn Chinese in China may hear about that the other route is the sea.
In the Han Dynasty, Zhan Qian was appointed to visit the Western Regions. According to the record of the historical books, he ever seen there were many clothes and bamboo rods from Sichuan. That is to say, the people from China and India had communication at that time. Therefore, when you study Chinese in China, teachers would tell you that it might be great relationship with the introduction of Buddhism into China.
When it came to the period of Emperor Wu in Han Dynasty, the seaway was opened up. As a result, the relationship between China and the areas of the eastern India was established. It could be a possible approach of the introduction of Buddhism into China. In recent years, when foreigners come to study Mandarin in China, they may know that much archaeological discovery has provided many evidences to research the time and routs of the Buddhism introduction into China. There are many legends about the introduction of Buddhism into China, among which the popular and influential one is that the Emperor Ming in Han Dynasty dreamed of the golden people. Those who learn Chinese in China may have heard about it. The Emperor Ming dreamed of a high golden people with shining light on his head flying to the palace. The next day, he enquired about this deity, Fu Yi said that it is the deity named “Buddha” in the western areas.
The Emperor Ming was so admire the “Buddha” that he hoped to worship him for protection. As a result, he sent Cai Yin and Qin Jing to the western areas to seek the Buddhist doctrine. After three years, the people he sent arrived in the “da yue zhi” country and met two eminent monks and invited them to China. In order to welcome the two monks, the emperor built the White Horse Temple for them to live, which those students who study Chinese in China may know.
In the temple, the two monks translated the “Forty-two Chapters Buddhist Sutras”, which is regarded as the earliest translation version of the Buddhist scriptures. Learners who study Mandarin in China may know that the White Horse Temple is still one of the most important temples in Chinese Buddhism until now. Since the Western Jin Dynasty, the legend of Emperor Ming has been very popular.
However, it was so mysterious that many scholars doubted the authenticity of it. Now, people think the time for the introduction of Buddhism into China was the Yuanshou period in the late Han Dynasty. When people learn Chinese in China, they would be told that the historical books showed Yi that Cun passed on the Buddhist scriptures orally, which was regarded as the traditional method of spreading Buddhism.
About the introduction of Buddhism into China, the foreign learners who study Chinese in China should know that the Buddhism was introduced into the Tibet areas in Tang Dynasty, the same as the time it was introduced into Yunnan. They were called Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism respectively.
After knowing about the introduction of Buddhism into China, the foreign learners can have a better understanding about the Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism in China.