The Confucian-Daoist Persecution of Buddhism n China

by Molly King through Professor Rev. Dr. James Kenneth Powell II, opensourcebuddhism.org
This astute work chronicles the situation during Buddhism's heyday in China and Emperor Wu Tai's decision to crack down on the lazy rich bums! Daoist and Confucian forces combine to put Buddhism in its place, wrecking havoc on the great monasteries and leaving only the more "peasant" Buddhisms of "Pure Land" and "Ch'an" (Zen) remaining.

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• opensourcebuddhism.org

[SanguineBullet667]

Taoists never exactly 'persecuted' against Buddhists. They viewed them as just a different version of Taoism. Now Confucianists are another matter. They are known for their militaristic mannerisms and did discriminate regularly, however they do not today.

[opensourcebuddhism]

@SanguineBullet667 Daoist advisors told Emperor Wuzong that if he "wiped out black" (= Buddhism) he would become an immortal. Indeed, the Confucian thinkers were the ones who viewed Buddhism as a real threat to the family, economy and military. To this day, China, more Confucian now that Communist, persecutes Buddhism (Falun Dafa, Tibet traditions....)

[opensourcebuddhism]

and of course, the protestants, though individually oriented and seeking ever more secular governments, nevertheless agreed with catholics on most points, whereas, though the chinese mind may synthesize the three philosophies, the philosophies are oddly nevertheless far more anti-thetical. a strange inverse relationship....

jp

[xingfenzhen]

This video isn't correct in the political context of wuzong's actions. Buddhism have been an official religion since Emperor Wu of Liang (464549), hundreds of years of state sponsorship meant it have acquired lots of land and power and more importantly it is interfering into politics. This persecution is political in nature as a way win back secular control of the government, and was not religious in nature. Which why it didn't target believers, but monasteries instead.

[opensourcebuddhism]

thank you for that insight xingfenzhen.

Iwt would be nice to have had that point included in the documentary.

james

[xingfenzhen]

yes, it's actually not too dissimilar to the reformation in Europe. The church has gotten too powerful and too rich (and listens only to the Pope in Rome), so the kings tried to get rid of it.

[opensourcebuddhism]

indeed,

and more than that, i suspect you will agree the dalai lama position may well be an eastern import of a political divine overlord, no? this is something many miss about the tibet/china conflict. they do not know the other side of sanghacracy as we lately call it.

jp

[xingfenzhen]

actually if you digg far enough how 1st dalai lama first come into power, you'll find out it might as well being a comprise between the various tribal leaders. Actually Mongols tried to pull the same thing in China with Drogön Chögyal Phagpa. However due both resentment of mongol rule and many, many unpopular policies he enacted, it never flew and it also brought down the other esoteric sects. Thus paving the way for Chan and Pure Land popularity in later years.

[jongruner]

tai chi is a discipline, a practice forming elements of the teachings of Daoism, but not part of the actual religious practice. I mean I wouldn't meditate and say prayers and then tai chi the first person i saw;) It's difficult to articulate my point here as there is limited space, but i appreciate your point. peace.