Where is Buddhism distributed?

There are many factors affecting the geographical distribution of Buddhism, among which natural geographical conditions play an important role. Natural conditions include many factors, and the main factor affecting the geographical distribution of Buddhism is topography, such as plains, basins, valleys, mountains, hills and oases. Location conditions include geographical location, traffic conditions and spatial relations. The so-called location conditions in this paper mainly refer to the traffic conditions and political status or the spatial relationship with the political center. The distribution of various elements in Buddhism is not consistent with the influence of topography. For example, the dense areas where monks originated are all in plains, basins or river valleys; But there are not many monks in mountainous and hilly areas. The fundamental reason is that such areas are sparsely populated and few people believe in Buddhism (absolute number), so it is difficult to produce monks. Some people may ask, wasn't there 10 monks in such a high-altitude area as Luzhou (now Changzhi, Shanxi) on Hedong Road in the Tang Dynasty? In fact, Luzhou is located in the basin despite its high terrain. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, this place has been the political, economic and transportation center of southeast Shanxi. Generally speaking, the distribution of the birthplace of eminent monks is not directly affected by topography, but directly caused by population, economy and traffic conditions. However, the distribution of monks in Xihe temples (including cave temples) is much more closely related to the terrain. Plains, basins and river valleys are also the concentrated distribution areas of these elements. The difference is that many hills with beautiful scenery and quiet environment are full of monks and temples. The sentence "There are many famous monks in the world" reveals this truth. Buddhism is the birth of Buddhism, which is most suitable for meditation and enlightenment. Therefore, every mountain and hill is where the monks live. And there are often wonders of mountains and rivers, which can easily attract tourists and promote Buddhism; And because it is far from political influence. Legal activities can last forever. So there are mountains that are predestined friends with Buddhism (there are also mountains with beautiful scenery, and Buddhism is not prosperous, so there is no chance. ) has become an important Buddhist resort and a base for the spread of Buddhism.

In the Tang Dynasty, especially in its later period, Zen flourished, and Zen monks preferred to look around for secluded resorts and practice Zen in nature. According to teacher Lunga's record, a disciple asked Hongren (the fifth ancestor of Zen), "Why don't you learn Taoism and live in the mountains?" Endure a day: "The building materials come from the valley and are not used by the world, so as to stay away from people and not be damaged by knives and axes. When it grows into a big thing, it can be used as a pillar. So, I know that I live in the valley of God, away from the noise, nourishing the mountains and having a long talk. There is nothing at present, and my heart is calm. Since then, the trees have blossomed and the Zen forest has borne fruit. " It can be inferred that the rise and development of Zen in the mountainous and hilly areas of southern China is closely related to the beautiful mountains and rivers in this area. The book "Three Treasures of China" says: "South of Jianghan, there are mountains and rivers in biutiful. If you forget it, the land is natural. " According to the Biography of Monks, there are many monks who like to live in the mountains, such as Xuance's "seeing the wonders of Jiujingshan Mountain in Huangpi for a living"; Yu Zi, Tang Zhou (now Biyang, Henan Province), "The peak is lonely and the forest is dense, and there are no people in the four places, so it's really interesting outside the dust". Master Daotong lives here.

Buddhism develops in mountainous areas, which can be divided into two types, one is near the city, and the other is far away from the city. The mountains near the city, which have the advantages of both cities and mountains, often become the first choice for monks to stay in Wuxi to build temples, especially the mountains near some metropolises. The famous Mount Zhongnan, near Chang 'an in the Tang Dynasty, is famous for taking the seedlings, picking up the ashes of Gansu Cave, watching the waves in the east and hanging the moon in the west, and .................................................................................................................. Daoxuan and other eminent monks and great virtues are stationed on this mountain. Not far from Luoyang, there is Zhongyue Songshan Mountain. There are too many rooms on the mountain and too few rooms, facing each other and in danger of falling out of the shaft and being blocked by Iran. It is often visited by emperors of past dynasties, so it is run together with Italy and Buddhism flourishes. After Wei Xiaowen, the emperor built a temple for the Buddhist Zen master in Shaoshi Mountain, and the Shaolin Temple, the ancestor of China Zen Buddhism, stood face to face here the day after tomorrow; Master Xuanzang in the Tang Dynasty once thought of translating Buddhist scriptures when he saw that "the spring and stone are at leisure". There is Longmen Mountain in South Sanli, Luoyang, which is a branch of Songshan Mountain. Cliff Grottoes are world-famous. Because of the abundant mountains and rivers, Hangzhou ranks first in the world, such as Lingyin Mountain, which is rich in products and Buddhism is also prosperous. Famous Buddhist mountains far away from the city are not uncommon, such as Wutai Mountain. The story of the ancient cool story quotes the cloud of the broad ambition: its mountains are beautiful, its winding paths are winding, and its spirit is like a sacred stream. Non-thin customs can live. If you stop, you will know that you are a Zen person and will think about the mystery. And husband, thunder, smoke, sadness, self-distance, early mountain exam, gone forever. In addition, Hengshan, Tiantai Mountain, Lushan Mountain and Taihang Mountain. It's always like this. Today's Jiangxi, Hunan, Zhejiang, Fujian and other regions were all developed in the late Tang Dynasty, and the beautiful mountains and hills in the territory also contributed. The natural conditions in the vast area of Longyou Road are harsh, especially in the Gobi desert area. Only oases are inhabited, and Buddhism has developed in these places. Generally, there is a large oasis in front of the grottoes in Xinjiang that we see now. The prosperity of Buddhism is related to the size of oasis, the quality of natural conditions, the size of population and the rise and fall of economy. Traffic conditions play an important role in the development of Buddhism. The transportation is convenient, people gather together, monks often come and go, Buddhism is easy to flourish, and it has also become a base for Buddhism to spread to surrounding areas. Convenient transportation can also promote economic development and provide material guarantee for the prosperity of Buddhism.

Buddhism originated in India, so the communication between ancient China and India was directly related to the spread and distribution of Buddhism. China and India have land and sea transportation. Land passes through Central Asia and present xinjiang, along the Hexi Corridor, and reaches present Xi 'an, the ancient Silk Road. From the distribution of grottoes in Xinjiang, Gansu and Ningxia today, we can see the development and distribution of Buddhism along the way. If you go by sea, you will have to land in Guangzhou or Jiaozhou (now Hanoi, Vietnam) or release to the ocean, so the rise and fall of Buddhism in these two places is closely related to the changes in their respective traffic conditions.

In the Tang dynasty, domestic transportation was very developed, with two major systems: land and water. The land is centered on Chang 'an and the waterway is centered on Yangzhou. Developed Buddhist distribution belts are often formed along some important traffic lines, such as (1) Mangou-Jiangnan Canal distribution belt. Yangzhou, located at the intersection of the Canal and the Yangtze River, is an important transportation hub with developed Buddhism. Runzhou, Changzhou and Suzhou and Hangzhou are all places where the Jiangnan Canal passes. The four states of Hu, Tai, Wu and Ming are not close to the Canal, but they are all connected by convenient transportation. From Mingzhou, you can also cross the sea to Japan, and all Japanese monks who entered the Tang Dynasty in the late Tang Dynasty passed through here. (2) The Hewei distribution belt is the busiest and most important traffic artery between east and west and Beijing, and it extends to both sides of the east-west extension line. Monks and customs were once the most frequent. Bianzhou at the eastern end is also an important town on the canal, and the most important basis for its Buddhist development is the transportation extending in all directions. The main line from Chang 'an to Taiyuan passes through Tongzhou, and Hezhongfu is the important town of this line. In the middle of the river, there is a hall to help the suffering, which is located in Yao Chong and Jiuqu Metropolis. Master Huixian lives here, and believers flock to him. "All diseases are the same, and all disasters are saved." If the traffic between Fengxiang and Chang 'an is inconvenient, it is inconceivable to welcome Buddha bones on a large scale as in the period of Xianzong and Zong Yi. (3) The distribution zone in the lower reaches of Hanshui River refers to Jing, Xiang and Deng. Jingzhou is located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, which can control the shipping of the Yangtze River and go up to Chengdu. Down the river, you can go to Yangzhou. Jingzhou is also the only way from Chang 'an to the south and from the south to Hunan, traffic and Guangzhou. Monks are on their way from east to west and from south to north. From Jingzhou to the north, you can go to Chang 'an or Luoyang via Xiangzhou and Dengzhou. Xiangzhou is close to Jingzhou and Hanshui, and the traffic is more convenient than Dengzhou. (4) The distribution zone in the west of Sichuan Basin is centered on Chengdu, reaching Chang 'an in the north and the two sides or nearby of the busiest section in the southwest in the south. The Yangtze River, the most upstream of Chengdu, can be reached everywhere along the river, so it has become the largest land and water transportation hub in southwest China. From the northeast of Chang 'an, Fenzhou and Taiyuan can be easily reached. Taiyuan is located between Taihang Mountain and the Yellow River, in the middle of Hedong Road, and it is the transportation hub in this area. When monks go to Wutai Mountain, they often pass through Taiyuan as a resting place. The developed areas of Buddhism in Jiangxi formed in the late Tang Dynasty include Yuan, Fu, Hong, Jiang and E, with Hongzhou as the center. The traffic in Ezhou mainly depends on a Yangtze River, and Xiangzhou can also be reached in the northwest. Jiangzhou is located in the lower reaches of Ezhou, which is not only close to the river, but also the place where Li Peng Lake (now Poyang Lake) enters the river, with convenient transportation. Hongzhou, located in the lower reaches of Ganshui River, is a transportation hub. Going back to Jiangxi, passing through Jizhou (or Fuzhou), crossing Dayuling, reaching Shaozhou and Guangzhou; Down Jiangxi, into the Yangtze River, down to Yangzhou. This was the most convenient road between the Central Plains and Lingnan at that time. In today's Hunan, the four counties of Li, Lang, Tan and Heng were very developed in the late Tang Dynasty. The prosperity of Buddhism in Hengzhou started from the closest relationship with Hengshan Mountain in Nanyue, supplemented by transportation. There is a road from Chang 'an to Jingzhou to Guangzhou, passing through Tanzhou and Hengzhou along the coast of Hunan. Lizhou is close to Lishui and Langya is close to the place where Shui Yuan enters Dongting Lake, which are all improper arteries, but. It is also convenient to go to Jing and Xiang in the north and Tan and Heng in the south. However, the development of Buddhism in these two States is later than that in Tan and Heng, and it is still related to transportation. I'm afraid traffic has played a considerable role in the prosperity of Buddhism in Zeguo and Lu in southeastern Shanxi. Zezhou is Changping County in Sui Dynasty, and Luzhou is Shangdang County, both of which belong to Taihang Mountain in Shanxi Province. According to the records in Geography of Sui Shu, people here also attach great importance to agriculture and mulberry, which provides a certain economic foundation for the development of Buddhism. It was an important road from Luoyang to the north, through Huaizhou, across Taihang Mountain, through Zezhou and Luzhou, and to Taiyuan. Not only that, Zeguo and Lu are also closely related to Xiangzhou in Taihang Mountain. Gu Zuyu said in the early Qing Dynasty: "Fuxiangzhou has lips and teeth, and its arm refers to prosperity and Luo, which is a dangerous plug, and it is the crown when it is closed to the east." Luoyang, Xiangzhou and Taiyuan are all areas where Buddhism developed very early and developed, and Ze and Lu are bound to be greatly influenced by it. As for the decline of the late Tang Dynasty, it is consistent with the fate of Buddhism in the vast areas of northern China.

Jian Zhen's whereabouts are recorded in Journey to the West of the Tang River, from which we can further understand the relationship between the spread of Buddhism and traffic. Jian Zhen traveled to the east for six times, made a big circle for the fifth time, followed the traffic route at that time, traveled by land and water, started from Yangzhou for two years, passed through Wan Li, and finally failed to reach Japan. Back to Yangzhou. Although the eastward crossing was unsuccessful, Jian Zhen spread Buddhism everywhere along the way, which promoted the spread of Buddhism. & lt The Journey to the West said, "River merchants go from Nanzhen to Yangfu, passing through counties and counties, and set up altars to be ordained, and there are no empty people". The location of the political center and the spatial relationship between a place and the political center are generally political factors, but they are only a location condition from a non-political point of view. Such geographical conditions can cause spatial differences in the development of Buddhism. Political center can often become the center of Buddhism, and the level of political status determines the prosperity of Buddhism to a certain extent, no exception in all historical periods. The main reasons are:

First of all, the ruling class regarded Buddhism as a tool to maintain its feudal rule and promoted Buddhism based on political centers at all levels. There are high and low political centers and uneven political influence, so their status in Buddhism is also different. For example, at the beginning of the Tang dynasty, it was stipulated that the location of the altar for monks was in Beijing and other major States, and the rest must be specially approved. In the second year of Dazhong (860), Buddhism was restored, and it was also in Shangdu, Nanjing, Yangyang, Bianyi and other places that the monks and nuns became monks again. The Tang Dynasty was an era of worshipping Buddhism. Central and local governments at all levels often invest in the construction of Buddhist temples, organize the translation of Buddhist scriptures and hold various other sacrificial activities. Most of these are concentrated in the offices of governments at all levels, and Chang 'an and Luoyang are of course the most important. When Xuanzang returned from studying Buddhism in India, Emperor Taizong built Hongfu Temple in the capital for him to translate Buddhist scriptures, and all the people, materials and officials needed were provided by the government. Xuanzang began his career of translating scriptures in Chang 'an, which had a great influence on the history of Buddhism in China. Emperor Taizong also wrote Preface to Tang Sanzang for Xuanzang's translation of Buddhist scriptures, and Prince Li Zhi also wrote an essay, Syria's Holy Record. These two articles by Emperor Taizong and his son had an extraordinary influence on the development of Buddhism. "Since the preface of the second scripture came out, the princes have tried their best to study laws and customs. They danced and recited virtues. ..... The dark clouds of kindness are gloomy again, and the bright days are coming again. Those who ask for help return to the Fog Wave Committee. What are the so-called "top to top" and "bottom to top"? It is good for the Tathagata to pay the king in the same way. Xuanzang translated 100 Volume "On the Land of Yoga Teachers". Emperor Taizong immediately ordered his ministers to save nine translated scriptures and give them to Kyushu, such as Yong, Luo, He, Xiang, Yan, Jing, Yang, Liang and Yi, in order to "spread widely and make people in the territory share unheard-of meanings", from which we can understand the reasons why important urban Buddhism is easy to flourish. Wu Zetian's special worship of Buddhism has its political purpose and does not exclude other factors. She once lived in Luoyang for a long time, where Buddhism flourished in Longmen and nearby Songshan. Even Lingzhou, which only served as a temporary military and political center for a period of time, has a lot to do with the development of Buddhism. Another example is Taiyuan. The Tang Dynasty was the land of Longxing and the foundation of the country. Built as the northern capital, Buddhism is quite prosperous. Two temples have been built in Beijing, with an etheric name. There is Datong, Wei Jian was once the capital, and Buddhism flourished; When filial piety moved to the capital, Buddhism suddenly declined. Yunzhou was established here in the Tang Dynasty, and Buddhism was just so-so. This shows the influence of political conditions. In some areas isolated from the mainland and very backward in politics, economy and culture, such as Liuzhou and Ge Xiang, Buddhism has been spread and developed because of the advocacy of local officials.

Secondly, the political center concentrates on bureaucrats and nobles (including the royal family). They have superior economic conditions, but they are afraid of occupational risks and life uncertainty. As a result, they believed in Buddhism one after another, were enthusiastic about their merits, made a fortune and gave alms, gave up their homes for temples, donated money to build temples, and became monks, which became a common practice and promoted the development of Buddhism. This phenomenon is most prominent in Chang 'an. For example, in the first year of Zhenguan of Emperor Taizong (627), the former residence of Longqian in Unify Square was built into Sheng Xing Temple. In the first year of Zongrui Jingyun (7 10), Changle Square, San Francisco, was the former residence and was established as the Daan National Temple. When Prince Zhang Huai was the captaincy, he used Andingfang as the Qianfu Temple. The house of Princess Xindu, the daughter of Zhongzong, is the hoe of Xindu Temple. Fang Shan House, the hometown of Gao Lishi, is Baoshou Temple. Baoying Temple is the first place of Wang Yu's Daozheng. Wait, wait, wait Outside the capital, many places have followed suit. For example, Lushan Temple in Tanzhou was built in the fourth year of Jin Dynasty (268), which has been more than 400 years since the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty. After the Jin Dynasty, Wang Sengqian, Liang Xiahou Xiang, Wang Lin, Xiao Ling, Chen Wuming Che, Sui Jin 'an Wang, and other dignitaries successively came here to worship. It is precisely because of these powerful Tan Yueren's devotion to merit that this temple can exist for a long time. With temples, there must be monks. When Tang Zhongzong was recorded in history, "when a temple was built, tens of billions of people spent money to buy goods; There is no end to people, and there are thousands of people without rent. " Another example is that in the third year of Dali (768), the first month was ugly. On behalf of Zongxing Zhangjing Temple, there were more than a thousand monks and nuns.

Thirdly, in order to win the support of political forces, the Buddhist community tried its best to carry out activities in the political center to win the support of princes and nobles as believers. Daoan, a monk in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, said, "If you don't obey the Lord, it will be difficult to legislate." This is a summary of his experience, which was still regarded as a treasure by monks in the Tang Dynasty. See how Xuanzang did it: when he heard that Empress Wu Zetian had a difficult birth, he was in a hurry and immediately went to the table and said, "I am deeply worried and willing to make peace." When Wu Zetian gave birth to a child, she competed for the birthday, the third day and the full moon four times in a row (the full moon is connected with two watches).

Again, according to Buddhists, suffering is endless, and it depends on saving the economy. Therefore, if you want to spread Buddhism, you must develop into a political center. Because the political center of a region is generally an economic center, a cultural center and a densely populated center.

Social unrest, especially large-scale wars, will change the geographical conditions for the development of Buddhism in some areas, destroy the economic and demographic basis on which Buddhism depends, and directly force monks to move to other places, thus changing the geographical distribution of Buddhism. During the reign of Yang Di, Du Dong built four Dojo, where famous monks from all over the world lived. "Therefore, Buddhism will be like a forest." . At the end of Sui Dynasty, the country was in chaos, the Dojo "stopped eating" and the monks "traveled in Mianshu". & lt Continue the Biography of Eminent Monks, Volume 15, Biography of Yizan, saying: "Mahayana teaches, and Yuan goes out; It seems that at the end of the Sui Dynasty, the Central Plains was expanding to promote YueYang. An Shi Rebellion broke out in the mid-Tang Dynasty, which was extremely serious to the north, causing the population of the north to move southward on a large scale. In this wave of immigration, there should be many monks and nuns fleeing. In the fourth year of Zhenyuan (788), "there were only 5,000 monks and nuns in Fujian". According to the author's statistical analysis, a considerable number of eminent monks stationed in southern Anhui in the late Tang Dynasty were northerners, and some of them were driven south by unrest. After the Anshi Rebellion, the overall level of Buddhist development in the south surpassed that in the north.