The Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution initiated by Tang Emperor Wuzong reaches its height in the year 845 CE.

Among its purposes are to appropriate war funds and to cleanse China of foreign influences.

As such, the persecution is directed not only towards Buddhism but also towards other foreign religions, such as Zoroastrianism, Nestorian Christianity, Manichaeism.

Only the native Chinese ideologies of Confucianism and Taoism survive the upheaval relatively unaffected.