When did Buddhism enter China？
2 min readBuddhism made its entry into China very slowly and it entered the south of China by sea and the north by land.
High-Seat Buddhism was even divided as the southward and northward dissemination sections.The southward section first entered Southeast Asia，and about 7th century it entered Yunnan，China，via Burma.Propagated in Bali language family，it gradually became the primary form of Chinese Buddhism.Up to the present time，this form is sti1l prevalent as Hinayana or Theravada Buddhism（Lesser Vehicle）in regions inhabited by Tai nationality.
About the 2th century，when Mahayana Buddhism was in its middle stage in India，it entered Central China，inhabited by the Han nationality.There is a tradition that Han Emperor Ming Di（汉明帝），in response to a dream，sent to India for Buddhist images and scriptures.It is said that he had these scriptures translated into Chinese at Luoyang（洛阳）.About 65A.D.，he invited two Indian monks to China，and he even established a monastery in the suburbs of Luoyang.At this stage，however，Buddhism in China was confined to a few believers at court.
About the 7th century，Buddhism entered Tibet from both central China and India. Since the 1lth century，another prevalent form of Buddhism in India entered Tibet i a big way.Since that time，the evolution of Buddhism in China followed two ma jor forms，one in the Chinese language family，and the other in the Tibetan language family.
How did Buddhism develop in Tang Dynasty？
During the Tang Dynasty（618-907），the state employed Confucian forms and learning，and Tang emperors often favored Daoism.The early Tang state could restrict the number of monks and regulate monasteries.However，monasteries gradually flourished；they fulfilled important roles，and the most outstanding monks had sufficient self-confidence to make their own formulation of doctrine and develop the teaching in new ways.For Buddhist art，it was an age of classic achievement.
There were eight Buddhist sects that appeared between 581 and 755 A.D.Of them，four en joyed only temporarily or limited success:the Disciplinary Sect，the Dharma Image，the Sect of the Three Stages and the Esoteric Sect
. The growth of sects not only illustrated the inner vigor of Buddhist religion，but also it manifested the strength of Buddhist monasteries.In the countryside，Buddhist monasteries performed important economic functions operating mills and oil presses.The monasteries also held much land that cultivated with semi-servile labor.Much of their wealth was channeled into building and the arts.
