RELIGION

=Buddhism in China= By Kang K.

=Buddhism in China =  Buddhism's a very big religion. There are tons and tons of people in the world that are Buddhist. Buddhism began in India 2500 years ago, and later spread to many other countries, like China. Buddhism believes that life is full of a lot suffering because people want things too much. The only way to end suffering is through enlightenment. Enlightenment ends the cycle of being born, dying, and being born again. Buddhism's different in every country. There are many special ways that China practices Buddhism like their schools, funerals and festivals.

=Chinese Buddhist Schools =  Buddhism has many different schools in China. By schools, they don't mean a building with teachers and students. They mean different beliefs of Buddhism, like how Catholicism and Lutheran are both under Christianity, but believe in different things. The first Buddhist sc hools are the schools where Buddhism split up into smaller, different forms of Buddhism. Later, there was the Golden Age of Buddhism. The Golden Age of Buddhism happened from the time of the Three Kingdoms to the T'ang Dynasty. During this time, a lot of Buddhist schools evolved their theories based on the teac hings of Sakyamuni Buddha. The two main types of Buddhism are Theravada and Mahayana. They both believe in the main teachings of Buddhism, but they disagree on some of the smaller teachings. = = A Tang Dynasty Amitabha sculpture http://www.arthistoryclub.com/art_history/upload/thumb/2/22/200px-Longmen-hidden-stream-temple-cave-amitabha.jpg =Chinese Buddhist Funerals =  Traditional Buddhist Chinese Funerals are really important practices in Buddhism. There are two main traditions that are practiced. 1. The first type of the funerals lasts 49 days. The first seven days are the most important. The number of ceremonies done depends on how rich or poor the family is.The family prays every seven days for 49 days, but it can be shorten to from 3 to 7 days. The daughter usually has to pay for the funeral. The head of the family should be there for at least the first and maybe the second prayer ceremony. The head of the family should also be there for the burial or the cremation. 2. The second type of funerals lasts over 100 days. After 100 days of prayer ceremonies are done, the final ceremony is performed. In Mahayana Buddhism, which most Chinese people believe in, they believe that there is a period between death and rebirth. This is an important period that affects what form the rebirth will take. If the family gives the right help with prayer ceremonies, the departed is more likely to have a better rebirth. Traditional Chinese Buddhist funeral ritual http://www.buddhachannel.tv/portail/local/cache-vignettes/L500xH375/Chinese_Buddhist_Funeral_Ri-dd142.jpg =Chinese Buddhist Festivals =  Buddhist Festivals are celebrated often in China. The day of the festivals are given dates that follow the lunar calendar. Festivals are "the holy days that Chinese Buddhists celebrate by visiting temples to make offerings of prayer, incense, fruits, flowers, and donations" (Buddhist Holidays). On the festival days, they follow moral rules and only have vegetarian food. Most of the festivals celebrate birthdays and enlightenment days of different Buddhas. The dates given are based on the Chinese Lunar system so that 1.1 means the 'First day of the First lunar moon' and so on (Buddhist Studies).
 * **Dates —  <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Festivals ** ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8.12 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Buddha Sakyamuni's Enlightenment Day ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">30.12 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Avatamsaka Bodisattava's Day ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1.1 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Maitreya Buddha's Birthday ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">9.1 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sakra Devaraja's Brithday ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8.2 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sakyamuni's Renunciation Day ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">15.2 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sakyamuni Buddha's Mahaparinirvana Day ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">19.2 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Kuan Shih Yin P'usa ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">21.2 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Pu Hsien P'usa ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">16.3 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Cundi P'usa ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">23.3 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Marichi Devata ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4.4 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Wen-shu P'usa ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8.4 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Buddha Sakyamuni ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">15.4 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vesak Day ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">28.4 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Yao-Wang P'ua (Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva) ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3.6 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Wei-to ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10.6 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">19.6 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Enlightenment Day of Kuan Shih Yin P'usa ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">13.7 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Ta-Shih Chi P'sua ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">15.7 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yu-lan-pen (Ullambana) Ceremony, for feeding hungry ghosts ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">30.7 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Ti-tsang P'usa ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">28.8 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Buddha Jan-teng (Dipankara Buddha) ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">19.9 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kuan Shih Yin P'usa's Renunciation Day ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">30.9 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of Yao-shi Fwo (Bhaisajyaguru Buddha) ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5.10 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anniversary of the death of Ta-mo (Bodhidharma) ||
 * <span style="display: block; text-align: center; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">17.11 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">— || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birthday of O-mi-to Fwo (Amitabha Buddha) ||

Chinese celebrate Buddhist festival http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/03/xin_0320206031614109153149.jpg

=Works Cited=

__The Art History Online Reference and Guide__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.arthistoryclub.com/art_history/upload/thumb/2/22/200px-Longmen-hidden-stream-temple-cave-amitabha.jpg>. __Buddhachannel : le portail du bouddhisme, de la santÃ© et du bien-Ãªtre__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.buddhachannel.tv/portail/local/cache-vignettes/L500xH375/Chinese_Buddhist_Funeral_Ri-dd142.jpg>.

"Buddhist Holidays and Festivals." __Urban Dharma - Buddhism in America__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/holidays.html>. "Buddhist Studies: Chinese Buddhist Festivals." __BuddhaNet - Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/chin_fest.htm>.

"Buddhist Traditional Chinese Buddhist Funeral Arrangements." __BuddhaNet - Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.buddhanet.net/cfuneral.htm>.

"Chinese Buddhism." __Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism and Other Resources__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.hinduwebsite.com/buddhism/chinese_buddhism.asp>.

"Early Buddhist schools -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_buddhist_schools>.

23 Mar. 2009 <http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/03/xin_0320206031614109153149.jpg>.