Buddhism in China

Buddhism in China is a study of the historical, textual, philosophical, and religious development of Buddhism in China. The book explains how Buddhism entered and shaped Chinese religious life, especially through the interaction of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist traditions. It discusses the sources of Northern Buddhist literature, the relationship between Northern and Southern Buddhist texts, the historical connection between India and China, the legend of Śākyamuni Buddha, and the transmission of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese. The work also examines important doctrinal and devotional themes such as Kwan-yin, Amitābha, the Western Paradise, nirvāṇa, Buddhist ethics, the Vinaya, monastic order, heaven and hell, and the tolerant spirit of Buddhism. Overall, the book offers an early English-language account of Chinese Buddhism based on textual sources, missionary-era scholarship, and comparative study of Buddhist traditions.