Buddhism in Chinese History

The book is structured into six main chapters. Chapter One, “The Thought and Society of Han China,” establishes the social, political, and intellectual background of early imperial China before Buddhism became influential. Chapter Two, “The Period of Preparation,” discusses the decline of the Han order, the rise of religious and philosophical alternatives, and the early conditions that allowed Buddhism to spread. Chapter Three, “The Period of Domestication,” examines how Buddhism was gradually translated, interpreted, and accommodated within Chinese cultural frameworks. Chapter Four, “The Period of Independent Growth,” studies the phase in which Chinese Buddhism developed its own institutional strength, doctrinal creativity, and social presence. Chapter Five, “The Period of Appropriation,” analyzes the ways Buddhism was absorbed, reshaped, and used within later Chinese religious and cultural life. Chapter Six, “The Legacy of Buddhism in China,” evaluates Buddhism’s long-term influence on Chinese civilization, including thought, art, social institutions, religious practice, and cultural identity.