Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Cultural Embracement and Incorporation: The Analysis of Kanishka Coins

Qianjia LiuBeijing City International School*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the political intention of Kanishka through the coins circulated during his reign and the historical context of the Kushan empire. Although there are studies discussing Kanishka’s effort to promote Mahayana Buddhism, there is insufficient literature that comprehensively relates Kanishka's religious beliefs to the political means and context of the era and reveals the complexity of Kanishka’s intention. Hence, this work synthesizes and discusses the reasons for the unprecedented appearance of Buddhist elements in the Kanishka coin through Kanishka's support for Buddhism, Kanishka's political intentions, and the diversity of the Kushana religions. The multifaceted analysis of Kanishka coins and supplementary evidence suggests that although Kanishka may utilized the promotion of Mahayana Buddhism as a unifying force, he did not limit the development of other religions in the reign but rather encouraged religious diversity, in order to foster stability, harmony and prosperity of the empire.

Keywords: Kushan Empire; Numismatics; Kanishka; Archeology
Published: April 19, 2024
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/29/20230753
Volume: CHR Vol.29
pp. 225-230
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