The Datong Yungang Grottoes, built during the Northern Wei Dynasty
After Buddhism was introduced to China along the Silk Road at the end of the Western Han Dynasty, it has gone through several ups and downs and eventually become an indispensable part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. As an important part of the Chinese nation, Buddhism has experienced several devastating blows after its introduction to China, and history calls it "three martial arts and one sect" to destroy Buddhism. Today we are going to talk about the first extinction of The Buddha, the Destruction of the Buddha by Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Northern Wei Emperor Taiwu Tuoba Tao
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="4" > background</h1>
The Southern and Northern Dynasties were a period of great turmoil and turmoil in history, before the Southern and Northern Dynasties were the Sixteen Kingdoms in the North, the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the South, and the Western Jin Dynasty before that. Before the Western Jin Dynasty, it was the Three Kingdoms. The Three Kingdoms was a period of great war and chaos, and as mentioned in the previous article, the Conquests were continuous during the Three Kingdoms period, and the people were in a state of fire and water. The Western Jin Dynasty was a great chaotic era, and the Wuhu Chaohua began in the Western Jin Dynasty. After the Western Jin Dynasty, the north fell into war, sixteen countries appeared successively, except for the brief unification of Former Qin, the north was in war for most of the time. In the south, the rule of the Sima clan continued, but the sima clan's regime also existed in name only, and the king and ma ruled the world together in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. After the Tuoba clan established the Northern Wei Dynasty, the north was finally unified. Liu Yu replaced Sima Shi in the south and established the Song Dynasty, and It was only at this time that China entered the relatively unified Era of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Emperor Taiwu's destruction of the Buddha took place in this context.
Territory map of the Southern and Northern Dynasties periods
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="7" > Emperor Taiwu took the throne</h1>
Tuoba Tao has been smart and generous since childhood, and has dealt with Yuru. In the eighth year of Tai Chang (423), he officially ascended the throne, and his era name was Shiguang, when he was sixteen years old. With the ambition of "defining four tables and mixing one Ronghua", he personally led the army to conquest and maneuvered around dangerous situations. Make good use of cavalry, lightly ride and attack, attack Huxia, Northern Yan, and Northern Liang, conquer Shanhu, surrender the western states of Shanshan, Guizi, and Sogdia, expel Tuguhun, and unify northern China. The north is gentle and rou, driving away the enemy for thousands of miles. Attack Liu Song in the south, "drinking horses on the Yangtze River". The combat eagle is brave and strong, feared by the enemy, and is called "Yingtu Wuluo, before the ancient", surpassing Mao Dun and Tan Shi Huai.
This is the evaluation of History to Tuoba Tao, so it is a very high evaluation. Tuoba Tao was the third emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty, who was sixteen years old when he reigned. The young man who took the throne and had a long military career meant that the emperor was a powerful monarch. It was in his hands that the Northern Wei Dynasty was unified.
Buddhist temple
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="10" > Buddhism occupies a large amount of real estate and population</h1>
A monk can also be called a shami. This theory originated in the Northern Dynasty. That's why Buddhism was called Shamen in that era. At that time, because Shamen had always been exempt from taxes and servitude. Under this name, Shamen concentrated most of the population and land. Therefore, Emperor Taiwu of Ruizhi Martial Arts issued an edict in the fourth year of Taiyan (438 AD) that all Shamen under the age of fifty should still perform military service. He listened to the advice of the prime minister Cui Hao, converted to Kou Qianzhi's Heavenly Master's Tao, rejected Buddhism, and gradually developed into an action to destroy the Buddha.
Buddhism as an idea, or as a religion, can only grow and grow if it meets the needs of its rulers. During the period of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, after a long period of accumulation, the Buddhist Gate had become a force that could break the wrist with the imperial court. Under such circumstances, Emperor Taiwu, who was ambitious and intent on unifying the world, would certainly not allow it.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="12" > Postscript: The "Three Martial Arts and One Sect" extinction of Buddhism is all purge movements against Buddhism, which is its similarity. But it is in a different era background, so there will certainly be differences, so I plan to analyze these four actions to eliminate Buddhism in four articles. </h1>
I am a young man in the countryside, an amateur history lover, and I talk to you every day about history and our view of wild history.