近代中國文化受到西方文化的衝擊是多方面的，在社會層面的科學民主的風潮裹挾著諸多領域的變動，於此相應的是藝術領域向寫實求真的創作理念的轉變。回顧近代的藝術觀念的爭論，凸顯了從創作者和欣賞者角度審視藝術價值觀念的分歧。那種切中於寫實和教化的立場最終占了上風，而佛教本來就有借助藝術弘法的傾向，隨著這樣的藝術觀念的變革開始了佛教轉向現代社會的一個路徑，美化生活成為佛教內部的現代目標之一。佛教儘管隨著時代的藝術觀念選擇著適合自身發展的藝術觀念，但是卻無形中忽視了藝術在現代變革的內在獨立精神，也就是佛教缺失從創作者立場思考藝術與佛教之關係的視角。現代的藝術觀念仍然在劇烈變革，借鑒近代中國佛教藝術變革經驗，重新反思藝術與佛教的關係，才能為未來佛教藝術的走向奠基。

Modern Chinese culture has been influenced by Western culture from a number of aspects. In terms of society, the trend of science and democracy has effected and changed numerous disciplines. Related to this is the turn toward the creative principle of realism in the discipline of the arts. Reflecting on some debates within modern concepts of art, we see a division between creative artists and the appreciating audience in the visual arts coming more into relief. In the end, the position of emphasis on realism and education took the fore, and where Buddhism originally already had a trend of borrowing art in order to propagate the Dharma, following this sort of artist ideal revolution, it became a route for Buddhist to move toward modern society. Beautifying life become one of the internal modern aims of Buddhism. As much as possible, Buddhism takes the modern ideals of art and choses those which most suit its own development. However, in the process, it overlooked the independent spirit of the revolution of modern art. That is, Buddhism ignored the perspective of the relationship between the creative artist’s artistic thought and Buddhism itself. Modern artistic ideals are still in a state of revolution, and using ancient examples to examine the present state of Chinese Buddhist artist change and experience, we make a new reflection on the relationship between Buddhism and art, in order that Buddhism in the future will progress with a stronger foundation.