Buddhism and Buddhists in China

The work traces Buddhism's arrival and adaptation in China, surveying its institutional growth, integration with ancestor worship, and interactions with Taoist and Confucian ideas. It examines monastic influence on rural life, family practices including devotion to Kuan Yin and funerary rituals, social expressions such as vegetarian sects and pilgrimages, and doctrines about purgatory, heaven, and nirvana. Chapters analyze spiritual values and paths to salvation for different social strata, recent developments in monastic reconstruction and lay organizations, and the stance of Tibetan lamas. A concluding section outlines how Christians might engage with Buddhists, followed by study aids and a brief bibliography.