Abstract
Background and objective: Plants in temples are the results of cultural symbolization that embraces the experience and enlightenment of humans about life. As a way to improve the acceptance of the foreign religion, China gave cultural symbolization to plants in temple gardens through integration with traditional cultures and the understanding of the nature of plants themselves. This study aimed to identify cultural symbolism and signs of acculturation associated with Buddhist plants, targeting Bolisu, the most essential and symbolic plant in temple garden forests in China and Korea. Methods: The morphological and ecological characteristics of plants, functions, the texts that contained the history of Buddhism and literary works were examined through literature review, and the relation of Ficus religiosa with its planting conditions and nature, and Buddhist culture was explored. In addition, the cultural value of Buddhist plants themselves in establishing temples and the reason why Bolisu was planted in temples were reviewed through time series analysis. The obtained results were interpreted using an inductive method to identify substitutes for F. religiosa, cultural symbolism and signs of acculturation. Results: F. religiosa as one of the three holy trees and the five trees and six flowers in Buddhism is known as the original Bolisu. Since it grows well and is widely distributed in regions that accepted Indian Buddhism, it became the most representative holy tree in Buddhism. From the perspective of tree shape and nature, F. religiosa is in line with the Buddhist spirit of saving those in need with mercy and redeeming mankind, and figuratively shows that perfection can be attained like the fruit of Bolisu. Chines Buddhism had adopted highly symbolic plants for a long period of time as a means to spread the same belief and doctrines as Indian Buddhism. In China, however, there were only limited areas suitable for the growth of F. religiosa, and for this reason, borrowed Bolisu trees including Tilia. miqueliana, T. mandshurica and T. amurensis and other plants such as F. virens Ait. var. sublanceolata, G. biloba and M. alba were planted as a substitute in most regions, having been given with symbolism and belief as Bolisu. Conclusion: Chinese Buddhism planted the same plants as Indian Buddhism in order to enhance symbolism and also similar substitutes to express the same symbolism. This is a kind of acculturation and its influence and customs were not limited to China, but were introduced to Korea, The difference between China and Korea was that G. biloba was excluded from the substitute for Bolisu in Korea.
