Hinduism: Details about 'Hinduism In China'
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Hinduism is a minor religion in China, with roughly about 130,631 followers and composing only of .01% of China's total population.
Difference between Hinduism and BuddhismThough both beliefs originated in India and are commonly associated with each other, essentially the two beliefs are still different. Such differences include:
It is important that these differences are noted, as Tibetan Buddhists are not considered Hinduists History of HinduismEarly Hindu InfluenceEvidence of Hindu influence on China existed very early on, when ancient Chinese traditions shared many similarities to the belief of Vedic Hinduism in that both had a large pantheon of gods and both based themselves on nature. It is also said that the Chinese belief of Taoism later on was influenced by Hinduism, though this has not been not proven. Other influences by Hinduism on Chinese religion included the belief of "six schools" or "six doctrines" as well as use of Yoga, pagodas, and the martial arts (which was said to be based on a fighting style used by anchient Hindu warriors). Even with such a rich Hindu influence, in China, Hinduism has never gained much popularity, unlike the beliefs of Buddhism and Confucianism. Reasons for the lack of believers include that most believers of Hinduism are centered around India, the United States, and the United Kingdom. However, there are a minority of believers, mostly situated in Southeastern China which was once colonized by the Hindus very early on. The Four Heavenly Kings originated from the Lokapala. Hanuman is believed by some scholars to be a source for the Chinese mythological character Sun Wukong. Yaksha (Chinese: 夜叉, Pin Yin ye4 cha1, J. yasha) originally from Hindu mythology, a class of nature ghosts or demons. They transferred over to China through the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra was originally translated into Chinese by Dharmaraksa around 290 CE, before being superseded by a translation in seven fascicles by Kumārajīva in 406 CE. Hinduism in the Cultural Revolution and BeyondHinduism in China faced even more obstacles during the rise of Communism in China where the Chinese Communist government discouraged any practice of religion, as it was considered anti-socialist as well as a symbol of feudalism and foreign colonialsim. During the Communist Cultural Revolution, in a movement from 1966 to 1977, anyone who was caught practicing their religion was persecuted. It is also noted that during this time many religious buildings and services were closed down and replaced with non religious buildings for more materialistic services. However, from 1977 onwards the government eased their restrictions on religion as the Constitution of the People's Republic of China was signed and many of the Chinese were allowed to practice their religions and personal beliefs once again. Even so, the government is still very suspicous of other religious activities, specifically if it involves foreign nations. Hinduism in Modern ChinaEven though Hinduism and Buddhism are essentialy two different beliefs (as mentioned above), in the modern world many Tibetan Buddhists are influenced by Hindu ideals and take part in Hindu religious gatherings and discussions. It is believed that this had resulted from the increase of Tibetan refugees (including that of the Dalai Lama) in India after the Republic of China's occupation of Tibet to prevent Tibet from successfully declaring independence. An example of Hindu influence on Tibetan Buddhists is the practice of Yoga, which originated as a major spiritual tradition within the Hindu society, though is practiced among Buddhists throughout Tibet in China. Even with the influence in the Modern China, Hinduism is still a very minor religion in China, practiced among only a few believers.
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