THE INFLUENCE OF BUDDHISM ON THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE ANCIENT UIGHURS

Dong Yang

The article examines the influence of Buddhism on the funeral practices of the ancient Uighurs. The article analyzes changes in rituals, types of burials and the use of funeral equipment under the influence of Buddhist ideas about death and the afterlife. Based on archaeological finds and written sources, the characteristic features of the syncretism of Buddhism and the traditional beliefs of the Uighurs have been identified. The study shows that Buddhist ideas of rebirth and karma contributed to the adaptation and change of local funeral customs.

Keywords:Uighurs, Buddhism, funeral practices, afterlife, cremation, archeology, religious syncretism, medieval rituals, ancestral cult.