Etymology
On arrival of the two monks from the land of the Yuezhi (who controlled northern Afghanistan and parts of north-western India at this period), they were housed in the temple. This temple was called the "Pi-ma-sai" meaning White Horse Temple" where 'pi' means "white", 'ma' means "horse" and 'sai' or 'ssi' is "temple". 'Ssi' in Chinese also means residence of "Buddhist priests".
Notably, the emperor ordered the suffix 寺 (pinyin si) to be used in the temple's name, as a display of respect. Previously, this character had been used to denote the ministries of the government. In later periods, all temples, even mosques, came to use this character in their name and it was dropped from the names of government ministries. As a result, the temple's name is sometimes translated as White Horse Ministry, a translation true to the time. However, White Horse Temple is the correct, literal reading.
However, this may be a "folk etymology" as there were other early temples in different centres with the same name. The monk Zhidun (or Chih Tun) (314–366), who was a famous propagator of Buddhism in the southern capital is recorded as having discussions with Fenghui at the Baima si (Pai ma) monastery in Jiankang (Chienk'ang) (previously Jianye), the capital of the Eastern Jin (317-420). There was also a Baima si at Xiangyang where Daoan and his disciples stayed c. 365. To further complicate the search for the origin of the name, it should be remembered that there were peoples known as the 'White Horse Qiang' and 'Di' who lived in the 'White Horse Valley' on the upper reaches of the Min Xiang (river), which flows south from the Min Shan (mountains) near the town of Zhangla : 32.50° N, 103.40° E., and that there are still people calling themselves the 'White Horse Di' living there. It is possible, but unprovable, that the name Baima derived from some of these peoples, who may have been influenced by Buddhism at an early period, rather than from literal white horse(s) carrying scriptures. It does seem strange that there should have been other early monasteries with the same name, if the legend of the origin of the White Horse Temple in Luoyang was really true.
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