So early as the third century B.C., Buddhism seems to have appeared in
China, though it was not until the latter part of the first century A.D.
that a regular propaganda was established, and not until a century or
two later still that this religion began to take a firm hold of the
Chinese people. It was bitterly opposed by the Taoists, and only after
the lapse of many centuries were the two doctrines able to exist side
by side in peace. Each religion began early to borrow from the other. In
the words of the philosopher Chu Hsi, of the twelfth century, "Buddhism
stole the best features of Taoism; Taoism stole the worst features of
Buddhism. It is as though one took a jewel from the other, and the loser
recouped the loss with a stone."

From Buddhism the Taoists borrowed their whole scheme of temples,
priests, nuns, and ritual. They drew up liturgies to resemble the
Buddhist _Sutras_, and also prayers for the dead. They adopted the
idea of a Trinity, consisting of Lao Tzu, P'an Ku, and the Ruler of the
Universe; and they further appropriated the Buddhist Purgatory with all
its frightful terrors and tortures after death.

Nowadays it takes an expert to distinguish between the temples and
priests of the two religions, and members of both hierarchies are often
simultaneously summoned by persons needing religious consolation or
ceremonial of any kind.

Doubts.--In a chapter on "Doubts," by the Taoist philosopher Mou Tzu, we
read,

"Some one said to Mou, The Buddhist doctrine teaches that when men die
they are born again. I cannot believe this.