6o SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I42 



new music and musical instruments, and changes in the theory and 

 practice of medicine and in religious practices, doctrines, and phi- 

 losophy (Wright, 1957, pp. 24-31; 1959, pp. 42-64). 



The third period, A. D. 589-900, the author calls the Period of 

 Acceptance and Independent Growth. 



We shall see that under the Sui and the T'ang those elements of Buddhism 

 which had been domesticated in China were accepted — regardless of the predi- 

 lections of individual rulers — as integral parts of social, political, economic 

 and cultural life ; the prevalence of Buddhist belief in all classes of society made 

 it essential for those in power to take account of this in formulating state 

 policies at all levels. Acceptance by the populace and by the state — these are the 

 conditions that make possible the notable development of Buddhism in this 

 period of independent growth: the creation of a Buddhism by and for the 

 Chinese. (Wright, 1957, pp. 31-32.) 



"In the life and culture of the upper class, Buddhism was every- 

 where accepted." Buddhism was the dominant intellectual, spiritual, 

 and esthetic interest of the educated. Officials and nobles were mu- 

 nificent patrons of Buddhism. Buddhist ideas saturated Chinese 

 literature and pervaded the thinking of the upper classes. It was 

 fully accepted by the common people, even in rural districts. The 

 development of the different schools of Buddhism was part of the 

 process of domestication, carried into this period. Before the end 

 of this period, the decline of Buddhism began (Wright, 1957, pp. 31- 

 38; 1959, pp. 65-85). 



The fourth period, A. D. 900 to the present, the author calls the 

 Period of Appropriation. He mentions the fact that Buddhist and 

 Taoist doctrines and practices have been largely amalgamated in the 

 secret societies, and that in the country districts Buddhism has fused 

 with the folk cults, the priests often resembling the shamans of the 

 popular reglion. Elements of the Buddhist, the Taoist, and the folk 

 religion fused into the popular religion (Wright, 1957, pp. 30-40; 

 1959, pp. 98-104). Many Buddhist words and phrases are used in 

 the Chinese vocabulary, Buddhist art designs have been adopted, and 

 some Buddhist ideas, such as karma and rebirth, have been trans- 

 formed and accepted by the Chinese as their own (Wright, 1957, 

 p. 40; 1959, p. 105). 



While the eighth century was the golden age of Buddhism in China, 

 the ninth century saw the beginning of its decline. The empire was 

 severely shaken by the rebellion of An Lu-shan. There were attacks 

 and threats of attacks by the Uighurs and the Turks. These humili- 

 ated the rulers and impoverished the people, weakening the confi- 

 dence of the Chinese people in their government and in their culture. 



