Arrival along the Silk Road

     Buddhism arrived in China at the start of the 1st century from Central Asia by way of the Silk Road, the main trade route connecting China with the Middle East and India. References to early Chinese Buddhism in the histories, however, contain hagiographical elements and are not necessarily reliable or accurate. These include references to how Emperor Ming of Han China|Emperor Ming of Han dreamt of Buddha and the persecution of King Liu Ying, who was denounced and exiled for his religious beliefs. Nevertheless, historians generally agree that by the middle of the 1st century, the religion had penetrated to areas north of the Huai River. 67 saw Buddhism's official introduction to China with the coming of the two monks Moton and Chufarlan. In 68, under imperial patronage, they established the White Horse Temple close to the imperial capital at Luoyang. By the end of the second century, a prosperous commuity had been settled at Pengcheng (modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu).

     The first Buddhist scripture to be written in Chinese was probably Sutra of Forty-two Sections  although its authenticity is a matter of debate. An Shigao, a Parthia|Parthian Buddhist prince, arrived at the Han capital in 148 and was the first to initiate a systematic translation of Buddhist texts into Chinese. Traces of Buddhist iconography can also be seen in works of art from this period.