Buddhism first appeared in China during the first century CE. Rather than discussing it as a religion, I'll examine it as a system of thought, exploring its causes, effects, and the lessons we can learn from it.
Why Emperor Ming Embraced Buddhism
Emperor Ming of Han had an extremely troubled family background. During his childhood, even though he lived in the palace, he was separated from his mother—they lived in different houses. Other princes lived with their mothers, but he could not. His father had numerous concubines, and many of the princes had their own palaces from age fifteen or sixteen.
This created deep psychological wounds. While such arrangements might seem normal for an emperor, Chinese culture emphasizes collective values over individualism, making it difficult to simply ignore these painful experiences. Growing up in these conditions, Emperor Ming and other princes developed problems with interpersonal relationships.
Before becoming emperor, members of the extended family were dominant and controlled various aspects of court life. After ten years as emperor, Ming still couldn't fully manage these interest groups. He was capable of suppressing them but couldn't address the root problems. Tragically, his own brother, the Prince of Chu, even attempted to overthrow him.
Why Confucianism Failed Him
Confucianism doesn't teach people how to deal with extreme emotional situations. It considers an ideal world where everything runs properly—with standard ways for children to interact with parents, subjects with rulers, and officials with emperors. But reality doesn't match this ideal, and Confucianism doesn't teach how to face these discrepancies or how to find comfort in difficult circumstances.
The Effects: Two Sides
The immediate effect was mutual benefit. The emperor still performed Confucian rituals publicly, but privately embraced Buddhism for comfort. High and low-ranking officials followed his example, and common people—who faced daily suffering—also found solace in Buddhism.
Emperor Ming clearly needed something to comfort his broken heart. If even a prince and emperor faced such difficulties, ordinary people and government officials needed comfort even more.
The Long-Term Decline
At first, Buddhism provided genuine comfort. But over time, problems emerged. Within 50-70 years, by the second century, politics descended into turmoil. Officials and bureaucrats became less devoted to their duties, holding positions to support their families but making no real contributions.
Confucianism was no longer supreme. By the late Western Han period, political complexity meant young emperors succeeded to the throne, and power shifted to local governors and great families. People transferred their loyalty away from the central government.
By the third century, loyalty shifted further toward regional powers and aristocratic families. Buddhism and Daoism became the two major schools of thought from the third to seventh centuries.
The Darkest Consequence
Because politics was so messy in later Han years, educated people devoted themselves to increasingly abstract philosophical debates, memorizing texts and creating elaborate concepts divorced from practical matters. They became obsessed with theoretical purity rather than real-world applications.
This had a disastrous, long-lasting effect for centuries after Emperor Ming died.
Conclusion: China's "Dark Ages"
Reflecting on this period, I realize the third to seventh centuries in China could be considered a "dark age," much like Europe's fifth to tenth centuries. Before the first century, China was perhaps the most civilized region in the world. But by the mid-nineteenth century, China had become "the sick man of Asia."
Perhaps those four hundred years—when practical innovation and development stagnated—are a major reason why Chinese civilization declined so drastically. The lack of practical invention from the third to seventh centuries caused China to stop progressing and even move backwards.
The Lesson
This serves as a warning not just for myself, but for our children and future generations. Before we take action on anything—whether major decisions or everyday matters—we need to think carefully about the consequences. We must consider before we act.
 
#Confucianism vs Buddhism China#Chinese dark ages since third century#Buddhism political effects ancient China#emotional coping mechanisms history#psychological comfort religion#avoidance coping strategies
 
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