Buddhism in China: A Historical Survey

by Kenneth K.S. Ch'en

CONTENTS: Preface. Table of Chinese Dynasties. Maps of Dynasties. Introduction, Growth and Domestication. Maturity and Acceptance. Decline. Conclusion. Glossary. Chinese Names and Titles. Bibliography. Index.

Genres: Buddhism, History, Religion, China, Nonfiction, Philosophy

576 pages, Paperback

First published December 21, 1964

Reviews

[AskHistorians]

An excellent history of Chinese Buddhism, including its intellectual development and the societal reactions to it.

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 4 out of 5]

No great fan of Buddhism, partly due to its excruciating superfluity in an age where apathy and resignation to the supposed senselessness of existence is the last thing we need; partly due to its obscene appropriation by legions of well-off white people who actually require apathy to maintain an equilibrium of so-called sanity, I nevertheless found this work nifty, if niche-y. It certainly doesn't lack in detail which might bog down the layperson, e.g. the myriad schools of Buddhist thought in each dynastic age of China might be things I'm well-off without understanding. Overall, it's a nice, soaring epic tale of a religion's origins and spread into one of the pivotal colossals of world history and its eventual decline. For me, its value lies in its discussion of the origins of Buddhism and its spread, as well as its collisions with Taoism and Confucianism in all their various permutations.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Buddhism in China by Kenneth K.S. Chen last night. I did skim a little, I also skipped the last few sections as they talked about more recent Buddhism that I am really interested in. But it was still a very enjoyable read. It was written in the early 60's and was nice just to read a good old fashioned history book for a change. One that's just informative, telling you what happened when, rather than trying to cram all the latest ideas and methodologies in with the history. A few of Chen's idea did seem a little dated, particularly some of his views on Taoism and it's relationship with Buddhism. But I found them to be perfectly excusable.

The book went through how Buddhism was introduced to China, how and where it was a success, how it influenced the country from the lower levels up to the highest society. Chen also wrote what was believed and taught and the different scriptures and teachings. Very good reference material but still interesting enough to read for an introductory book.

The chapters that impressed me the most were written about the monasteries and popular Buddhism. The detail and insight was surprising. The thing that surprised me the most however was the figures for the monks and nuns, every where it talked about "monks and nuns" but it made me wonder how much women were really able to participate in Buddhism, particularly during this time. However when figures were given the women seemed to make up 2/5ths of the monastery population. While it's hard to say how representative these figures really were the fact that it was so much more than I was expecting I felt was fairly significant. However, most of the descriptions of life did seem to mainly deal with the men. But nonetheless enjoyable, and definitely adding to the pile of books to use for later essays/ dissertation. I am also reminded again of how much I need to read Ennin's diary and think I will to borrow that from the libary this week.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

still holds up pretty well for 1964.

[Andy McLellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although published in 1964, I found this to be a pretty good primer on the history of Buddhism in China, and much clearer and easier to read than Erik Zürcher's 'The Buddhist Conquest of China' from around the same time.

[Chant · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be expected it is dated and surveys a lot of info but it is one of the best for getting an understanding of Chinese Buddhism and general Buddhism.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ch’en’s classic is the grand narrative of a cultural translation on a civilizational scale. Yet reading it today, with postmodern eyes, reveals a text more complex than its title suggests. Ch’en traces the long arc from the first translators in the Han dynasty to the flowering of distinct Chinese schools—Tiantai, Huayan, Chan. The story is ostensibly about importation, but what emerges is a story of mutual transformation.

His chapters on translation are vibrant. You see how Buddhist terms—śūnyatā, dhyāna, bodhisattva—become Chinese concepts, sometimes distorting, deepening their original sense. It’s a case study in what Derrida called “hospitality”: translation as both welcome and violence. Ch’en also maps the political patronage cycles, showing how Buddhism waxed and waned with imperial support and how monastic wealth triggered backlashes.

The tone is more old-school scholarly than Lopez or McMahan, but precisely because of that, the gaps and silences become visible. Women’s roles, lay practice, and heterodox sects appear only in flashes. A postmodern reader fills in these absences, reading against the grain.

Ultimately, Buddhism in China is like an X-ray of a process still ongoing: how ideas migrate, mutate, and sediment into new forms. It’s also a mirror for our own moment of global Buddhism, where mindfulness apps are today’s “translations.”

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Straightforward survey that covers most of the main topics, although clearly outdated in a few places and outright incorrect in others. I got more or less what I was looking for out of it, but it would have been more helpful if standard Chinese translations had been included along with or instead of Sanskrit and Pali terms.

[hoffnarr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very outdated now, but still very widely cited in literature. Distinctive feature is the narrative of decay and decline from Song to 20c with “only” Pure Land and Chan continuing and syncretic trends depicted as signs of decay.

[Glenn Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic survey.

[Dimitrios Souvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an incredible source of information that you won't find anywhere else. I highly recommend to anyone interested in Chinese history. This explains many facets of Buddhism and society in China that make it very useful. Warning, it uses the old system and not pinyin - but if you are familiar with it you will be OK.