Arth 2

Front 1

Silk Road

Back 1

An ancient network of trade routes stretching from China to the mediterranean. The most major routes in the exchange of trade goods between China and India, as concerns the spread of Buddhism.

Front 2

Xuanzang

Back 2

Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar; searched for important Buddhist texts in China, then travelled overland to visit India, hoping to rectify the incomplete nature of texts that had arrived in China from India.

Front 3

Vairocana

Back 3

Celestial Buddha; often interpreted as the Dharma Body of the Buddha.

Front 4

Northern Wei Dynasty (386-535)

Back 4

The first dynasty to firmly adopt Buddhism as an acceptable religion in China.

Front 5

Prabhutaratna

Back 5

Previous Buddha; took a vow that whenever a Buddha is going to teach the Lotus Sutra to others, he will appear and assist in teaching this Sutra as a dialogue with this other Buddha.

Front 6

Tang Dynasty (618-906)

Back 6

One of the longest lasting and most successful Chinese empires. During this dynasty, China's territory expanded westward. Wealth during this Dynasty came primarily from trade routes, and all of the silk they exported.

Front 7

Daoism

Back 7

Chinese philosophy. Emphasizes the flow of energy through life and nature. Daoism often teaches to live a simple and balanced life. Main text is the Dao-de-Jing.

Front 8

Laozi (Lao Tzu)

Back 8

Considered a founding figure of Daoism. Wrote the famous Daoist text, the Dao-de-Jing, emphasizing the values of Daoism.

Front 9

Confucianism

Back 9

A philosophy/religion originating in China. Created from the ideas of Kungzi, a political thinker in China during a time of political turmoil. Emphasizes the values of a traditional, patriarchal family, and virtue guiding one's actions.

Front 10

Kongzi (confucius)

Back 10

Chinese political thinker, active during a time of political turmoil in China. His students created Confucianism from his ideas after his death.

Front 11

Pagoda

Back 11

A tall, tiered building with multiple eaves, originating with early Asian Stupa designs for Buddhist worship.

Front 12

Sui Dynasty (581-618)

Back 12

One of the first large-scale dynasties in China to adopt Buddhism. At this transition, tension arose between Buddhists and already-present religions in China and became evident through the artwork.

Front 13

Pure Land Buddhism

Back 13

A branch of Buddhism characterized by the realm known as the Pure Land, wherein anybody who asks for help from the Amitabha Buddha will be reincarnated into the heavenly "Pure Land" and reach enlightenment within that lifetime.

Front 14

Amitabha

Back 14

A celestial Buddha originating in East Asian Mahayana beliefs. Created a branch of Buddhism known as Pure Land Buddhism, allowing anyone who asks for his help to reincarnate into the pure land and reach enlightenment faster.

Front 15

Empress Wu Zetian

Back 15

A Tang Dynasty empress; the only Empress of China during this dynasty and for a long time afterward. She validated her rule using Buddhism, since Confucianism doesn't condone women at the head of state. Sponsored the Fengxian Temple.

Front 16

Guanyin

Back 16

The Boddhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara translated to China over time as more and more female, until he became represented as female and her name in Chinese became "Guanyin".

Front 17

Han Yu

Front 18

Tiantai Buddhism

Back 18

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Front 19

Li Cheng

Back 19

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Front 20

Song Dynasty (960-1279)

(Northern Song, 960-1126; Southern Song, 1127-1279)

Back 20

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Front 21

Zanning

Back 21

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