The spread of Buddhism eastwards to the Chinese soil not only formed a new religion and thought, but it was also shaped into a new cultural movement in Asia. In regard to Asia's new religion and thought having taken shape within Chinese Buddhism, you experts and scholars present here today at the conference have already made it all clear; I indeed benefited a great deal from reading your papers through. I, therefore, can only offer you ladies and gentlemen my humble opinions in "Chinese Buddhism Formed a New Cultural Movement in Asia." Kindly bear with me: Buddhism, since its transmission to China in the second year prior to the Christian Era, going through the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties close to 600 years, unremittingly formed a new cultural movement in Asia during the Sui and Tang Dynasties (588-907). This was a process exceedingly long and arduous. In 1924, Mr. Xu Zhi-mo invited Indian literary giant Rabindranath Tagore to visit China, where Mr. Liang Qi-chao at a welcome assembly in Beijing, delivered a speech to the effect that Buddhism was introduced into China, and Indian culture was also brought in; there were as many as 12 imported things as pointed out by him. Subsequently, Chinese Buddhism promulgated entirely or partially the 12 things to all neighboring allied countries, thereby creating a new cultural movement in Asia. What we would like to highlight is: the Buddhism disseminated to China was transformed from a transplanted culture to a rooted culture; most of the surrounding countries actually grew into China's rooted cultures. China, as an ancient civilization herself, was based on the innately local culture associated with Buddhist cultures similar to Chinese culture, so that the so-called “transplanted culture” became a mainstream culture out of annexed ones. Nevertheless, the neighboring countries, in which no mainstream culture had been identified, could only form their own mainstream cultures after Buddhism was brought in from China. This is what I deem the difference between "transplanted culture" and "rooted culture." Also, this is why some consider "China as the second motherland of Buddhism." In fact, as far as ontology goes, the Buddhist faith belongs to no "motherland," in that the Dharma uttered by the Buddha is no more than "the way it is."
In short, whether Buddhism is "transplanted culture" or "rooted culture," during the Sui and Tang Dynasties it was regarded as "A New Cultural Movement in Asia."
