Who is Bodhidharma?
Meet Bodhidharma, founder of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and Kung Fu promoter!
In our ABCsof Art History video, we explore one of the most popular figures depicted in Buddhist art across East Asia, Bodhidharma, an itinerant monk who traveled to China in the 5th or 6th century CE and founded Chan (Zen) Buddhism. We examine a 20th-century Chinese ink painting showing a fictional rendering of Bodhidharma while exploring some of the legends that surround this famous Buddhist. The video also discusses three of his most important teachings, which relate to meditation, qigong 气功, and gongfu 功夫 (kung fu).
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Learn more about the story of the Buddha
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Check out our entire glossary of art history
This information text/reading comprehension "bundle" covers the story of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, and his teachings. It includes topics such as the Buddha's birth, his enlightenment, his teachings, his death, and more. For ease of reading, the text is in one full-color PDF and is similar to a textbook chapter. It is beautifully illustrated with photographs to make the story of the Buddha come alive.
