Modern Chinese culture has been influenced by Western culture from a number of aspects. In terms of society, the trend of science and democracy has effected and changed numerous disciplines. Related to this is the turn toward the creative principle of realism in the discipline of the arts. Reflecting on some debates within modern concepts of art, we see a division between creative artists and the appreciating audience in the visual arts coming more into relief. In the end, the position of emphasis on realism and education took the fore, and where Buddhism originally already had a trend of borrowing art in order to propagate the Dharma, following this sort of artist ideal revolution, it became a route for Buddhist to move toward modern society. Beautifying life become one of the internal modern aims of Buddhism. As much as possible, Buddhism takes the modern ideals of art and choses those which most suit its own development. However, in the process, it overlooked the independent spirit of the revolution of modern art. That is, Buddhism ignored the perspective of the relationship between the creative artist’s artistic thought and Buddhism itself. Modern artistic ideals are still in a state of revolution, and using ancient examples to examine the present state of Chinese Buddhist artist change and experience, we make a new reflection on the relationship between Buddhism and art, in order that Buddhism in the future will progress with a stronger foundation.
