Buddhism held great influence in the ancient world and is still very popular today. Buddhism was spread to China from India and Central Asia and there it found a permanent home. It significantly impacted the Han and Tang dynasties of China in different ways and was characterized by its accepting nature, which brought the conversion of many Chinese women. Buddhism also gave much importance to its monasteries, and developed intellectually and impacted culture in China, Korea, and Japan.
Monks and merchants played a huge role in bringing Buddhism from Central Asia to China. The ruler of India, Ashoka, was a passionate Buddhist and helped to spread Buddhism to Central Asia. Ashoka actually caused most Central Asian city-states to become Buddhist centers. The form of Buddhism formed in Central Asia called Mahayana, in which Buddha assumed the role of God, was then taken to China and Japan by the monks and merchants through trade routes. These merchants and monks not only brought the......
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