John Kieschnick provides an innovative, expansive account of how Chinese Buddhists have sought to understand their history through a Buddhist lens. Exploring a series of themes in mainstream Buddhist historiographical works from the fifth to the twentieth century, he looks for what they tell us about their compilers' understanding of history.
Buddhism's arrival in China profoundly influenced both spiritual and material aspects of Chinese culture from the first century onward. The study explores how various objects, including relics, prayer beads, and monastic attire, were integrated into Chinese life, reshaping beliefs and rituals. Kieschnick highlights the unexpected connections between everyday items like bridges, tea, and chairs with Buddhist practices, illustrating the religion's enduring impact on material culture in China, which persists even after Buddhism's decline in India.