In early 526, a Chinese emperor granted a personal audience to an elderly Buddhist monk. The monk, Daodu, explained to Emperor Liang Wudi that he had grown weary of “this physical frame.” The body “is ...

Chinese Theravada Buddhism is in no position to serve as a tool of soft power for the state. For centuries Yunnan has served as China’s gateway to Southeast Asia. Besides trade, an important component ...

Buddhism originated around the fifth century B.C.E. in India, but today, more Buddhists live in China than India. Han Buddhism, the dominant branch of Buddhism in China, has blended with local belief ...

While Western students of Zen are primarily familiar with Japanese traditions, Zen originated in China, and is known there as Chan, before it spread to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Master Guo Jun, abbot ...

A short history of Chinese "religions." (The word "religion" did not enter the Chinese lexicon until the 19th century.) This essay examines Chinese belief systems, which refers to how people think and ...