Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The use of Chinese concepts, such as the Tao, that were close to Buddhist ideas and terms helped spread the religion and make it more amenable to the Chinese people. However, the differences between the Sanskrit and Chinese terminology led to some initial misunderstandings and the eventual development of Buddhism in East Asia as a distinct entity.
There are also special symbols in Chinese arts, such as the qilin, and the Chinese dragon. [1] According to Chinese beliefs, being surrounding by objects which are decorated with such auspicious symbols and motifs was and continues to be believed to increase the likelihood that those wishes would be fulfilled even in present-day. [2]
Zhenren (Chinese: 真人; pinyin: zhēnrén; Wade–Giles: chen-jen; lit. 'true/ upright/ genuine person' or 'person of truth') is a Chinese term that first appeared in the Zhuangzi meaning "Taoist spiritual master" in those writings.
Chinese Taoist Priest's Robe, 19th century. Aside from Taoist symbols like the dragon, it also adopts the eight auspicious symbols from Buddhism. The taijitu, commonly known as the "yin and yang symbol" or simply the "yin-yang", and the bagua are important symbols in Taoism because they represent key elements of Taoist cosmology (see above).
The Chinese character fu (福; fú ⓘ), meaning 'fortune' or 'good luck' is represented both as a Chinese ideograph and, at times, pictorially, in one of its homophonous forms. It is often found on a figurine of the male god of the same name, one of the trio of "star gods" Fú, Lù, and Shòu.
Other variations include "keeping still, mountain" and "stilling". The symbol also means, "blunt, tough, and chewy like hard leather". Its inner (lower) trigram is ☶ (艮 gèn) bound = (山) mountain, and its outer (upper) trigram is identical.
Fulu for placement above the primary entrance of one's home, intended to protect against evil. Fulu (traditional Chinese: 符籙; simplified Chinese: 符箓; pinyin: fúlù) are Taoist magic symbols and incantations, [1] [2] translatable into English as 'talismanic script', [a] which are written or painted on talismans by Taoist practitioners.
The Chinese shen 神 "spirit; etc." is also present in other East Asian languages. The Japanese Kanji 神 is pronounced shin (しん) or jin (じん) in On'yomi (Chinese reading), and kami (かみ), kō (こう), or tamashii (たましい) in Kun'yomi (Japanese reading). The Korean Hanja 神 is pronounced sin (신).