The Reasons Why Timothy Richard the Missionary Participated in Buddhist-Christian Dialogue

The Reasons Why Timothy Richard the Missionary Participated in Buddhist-Christian Dialogue

Chi-ho LEE Yuen-tai SO

Although research on Timothy Richard is a hot topic in the academic circles of both Christian and Chinese history, most of the efforts concentrate on his influence on political reform in China, especially his relation to Chinese scholars supporting the Wei-xin (restoration) movement. Few papers attempt to deal with his interest in Chinese Buddhism or other religions. However, Timothy Richard translated some significant Chinese Buddhist sutras into English (for example, Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna [Da Sheng Qi Xin Lun]). He also claimed that Mahāyāna Buddhism was an Asian form of Christianity after his discussion with some famous Chinese Buddhists, in particular the lay Buddhist Yang Wenhui.

This paper attempts to find out why and how he got the idea to dialogue with Chinese Buddhists from the perspective of a missionary. We will focus on how his contact with Chinese religions caused him to change his style of ministry—from personal preaching of Jesus Christ to attempting to reform Chinese culture through Christianity. We intend to show that after Timothy Richard understood the “truth” of Chinese religions, he changed his mind. He became more open to the possibility that they were valid avenues of leading not just Chinese but all humanity toward the Christian God. As a result the value of Chinese religions, especially Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism, was affirmed in the mission to China.