What Elements of Chinese Buddhist Miracle Tales Provide Insights into Popular Conception

Buddhism was first introduced in China during the first centuries A.D., during the time when the Han Dynasty was falling apart. Many people lost confidence in the native Confucian ideals and decided to turn to the new Buddhist principles. As Buddhism became popular gradually, it was also later under much influence by indigenous Chinese society and belief. The interaction between Buddhist and indigenous Chinese beliefs could be readily seen in some popular Chinese conceptions of the netherworld. The netherworld consists of retribution and rebirth, the five modes of existence, and the bureaucratic structure of the underworld.…