Buddhism in China.

There were regular trade relations between India ( I ) and China ( C ) around 140 b.c. The official account of the introduction of Buddhism into China places the event in 65 a.d. In that year Han emperor Ming-ti ambassadors brought two Indian monks Dharmaratna and Kasyapa Matanga to C. The monks brought a number of sacred texts and relics. They spent the rest of their lives translating Buddhists texts into Chinese and preaching Buddhism amongst the people. It is also possible that Buddhism entered C thru Burma around 50 a.d.

A number of Central Asia missionaries like Lokottama, Sanghabhadra, Dharmaraksha settled in various parts of China, converted people to Buddhism, translated Sanskrit texts into Chinese. We must remember that the Chinese were highly civilized and followed the Confucian faith. With time Buddhism spread within C and became popular. This created a desire of pilgrimage to the Holy Land ie India. ( I wonder why this feeling does not exists today. I has not done anything to recreate this feeling or else I would be flooded with Chinese tourists wanting to visit Bodh Gaya etc .)