Buddhism and Beijing Temple Culture

Author: Tong Xun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-12-01
Features: Comrade Tong Xun has long been dedicated to the study of the history of the Qing court, Beijing local history, and religious history. Now, she has edited the book "Buddhism and Beijing Temple Culture," which is very helpful for people to understand Buddhism and the colorful temple culture phenomena that emerged during its spread. Buddhism, like other religions, is a social and historical phenomenon and a form of social consciousness that reflects people's worldview. Buddhism originated in India around 6–5 BC, spread to the central plains of China during the late Western Han and early Eastern Han periods, and reached the Beijing region in the early to mid-4th century. Buddhist teachings promote the "Twelve Causes and Conditions" and the "Four Noble Truths," explaining the cycle of life and death through the so-called "Three Ages and Double Causation of Past, Present, and Future," and using suffering, aggregation, cessation, and the path to illustrate the causal relationships of both worldly and transcendent realms, as well as the way to achieve nirvana and liberation. Therefore, ultimately, the emergence and development of Buddhism are inseparable from people's self-awareness that they feel their fate is beyond their control and hope for a supernatural force to rely on.