e western frontier of Kansu[599] prove that China had
communication with Central Asia, but neither the accounts of Chang
Ch'ien's journeys nor the documents contain any allusion to Buddhism.
In 121 B.C. the Annals relate that "a golden man" was captured from
the Hsiung-nu but, even if it was an image of Buddha, the incident had
no consequences. More important is a notice in the Wei-lueh which
gives a brief account of the Buddha's birth and states that in the
year 2 B.C. an ambassador sent by the Emperor Ai to the court of the
Yueh Chih was instructed in Buddhism by order of their king.[600] Also
the Later Han Annals intimate that in 65 A.D. the Prince of Ch'u[601]
was a Buddhist and that there were Sramanas and Upasakas in his
territory.

The author of the Wei-lueh comments on the resemblance of Buddhist
writings to the work of Lao-tzu, and suggests that the latter left
China in order to teach in India. This theory found many advocates
among the Taoists, but is not likely to commend itself to European
scholars. Less improbable is a view held by many Chinese
critics[602] and apparently first mentioned in the Sui annals, namely,
that Buddhism was introduced into China at an early date but was
exterminated by the Emperor Shih Huang Ti (221-206) in the course of
his crusade against literature. But this view is not supported by any
details and is open to the general objection that intercourse between
China and India _via_ Central Asia before 200 B.C. is not only
unproved but improbable.

Still the mystical, quietist philosophy of Lao-tzu and
Chuang-tzu has an undoubted resemblance to Indian thought. No one
who is familiar with the Upanishads can read the Tao-Te-Ching without
feeling that if Brahman is substituted for Tao the whole would be
intelligible to a Hindu. Its doctrine is not specifically Buddhist,
yet it contains passages which sound like echoes of the Pitakas.
Compare Tao-Te-Ching, 33. 1, "He who overcomes others is strong: he
who overcomes himself is mighty," with Dhammapada, 103, "If one man
overcome a thousand thousand in battle and another overcome himself,
this last is the greatest of conquerors"; and 46. 2, "There is no
greater sin that to look on what moves desire: there is no greater
evil than discontent: there is no greater disaster than covetousness,"
with Dhammapada, 251, "There is no fire like desire, there is no
monster like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent
like covetousness