Buddhism in China
Susan Daly
Buddhism came to China along the Silk
Roads from India where it was started in the
5th century BCE by Siddarta Gautama.It
brought with it several symbols shown in
many Buddhist images. The most familiar is
the lotus flower, a symbol of purity,
renunciation and divinity. Buddha is often
shown sitting on a lotus.
Another important symbol is the Golden
Wheel. The wheel represents motion,
continuity and change, forever moving
onwards like the wheel of heaven.The eight
spokes point in the eight directions and
symbolize Buddha’s Eightfold Path: right
understanding, right thought, right speech,
right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, and right concentration.
Big Wild Goose
Pagoda
Buddha
Big Wild Goose
Pagoda &
Buddhist
monastery in X’ian
Statue of Buddha – X’ian
Buddhist monk,
Xuangzang
leaving X’ian on
pilgrimage to
India
Leshan carved Buddha- 25 stories tall
Buddha’a hand can
hold 100 people on
it.
Since the Taliban blew up the 2 Buddha’s at
Bamyan, Afghanistan, Leshan is the largest
carved statue of Buddha in the world. It is
mainly visible by boat from the river because
it was carved where 3 rivers converge to
stop the many drownings which took place
there and quiet the water. It did stop the
rapids.There are stairs which circle the
statue to allow you to get several views of it
as you climb around it.
30 foot tall head
Buddhism in western China
Mt. Emei – a sacred Buddhist
mountain
Mt. Emei is over 10,000 feet tall. The act of
climbing it, is also an act of worship. There
are five different Buddhist monasteries at
different levels of the mountain. At each
stage, pilgrims can stop, pray, and rest.
There are four mountains sacred to Buddha
in China.
Lingyan Buddhist Temple
Lingyan Temple
Bell
Interior painting of a Lion
Wannian
Temple on Mt.
Emei
A fish hanging in this direction says a pilgrim
may stay for free here.
Monastery buildings
A Buddhist monk
A Buddhist stupa
Beautiful &
peaceful
surroundings
Collecting the days donations
Buddhist prayer
wheel
Ladies at worship on Mt. Emei
As we toured the 2 Buddhist
monasteries on Mt.Emei, we were a
curiosity for many of the pilgrims we
saw along our travels. It was the most
foreign I felt in all of China. The young
woman with very light blonde hair had
people ask if they could have their
picture taken with her because she was
so different.
John and a
Buddhist monk
at Wannian
Temple on Mt.
Emei
Mt.Emei is a beautiful natural
environment with 5 monasteries
leading up to its peak. We saw 2 and
along the way saw gorgeous scenery
and many types of butterflies. We did
not see the monkeys who also live on
its slopes.