Metamorphosis of Buddhism in China’s New Era

Between State, Culture, and Religion

David L. Wank, Ji Zhe, Yoshiko Ashiwa

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Year: 2025
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781350504585
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Chinese History

The metamorphosis of Buddhism synchronizing with alterations in political ideology, rapid
economic growth, and evolving societal demands in China's new era is the focus of this
book. It traces the metamorphosis to 2002 when the Communist Party of China declared
upholding traditional Chinese culture, including Buddhism, to be essential to its leadership.
The chapters offer rich case studies of updated "authentic" Buddhist teachings by clerics
and other innovations in temples and nunneries, new lay communities and their practices,
and the emergence of Buddhist cultural sites ranging from scenic areas to mega-expos.

The comprehensive view of Buddhism in China illustrates how Buddhism is going beyond
state-imposed boundaries of religious space. With a primary focus on Mahayana Buddhism
practiced among Han Chinese, it also considers interactions with Theravada and Tibetan
Buddhism, as well as Confucianism, Daoism, and folk beliefs. The eleven contributing
scholars-experts in anthropology, history, philosophy, religious studies, and sociology-
draw on extensive fieldwork to provide transdisciplinary analyses of the metamorphosis,
raising key questions about the dynamics of religious space

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle Page
• Title Page
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Contributors
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1 METAMORPHOSIS OF BUDDHISM IN CHINA’S NEW ERA: THE FRAMEWORK OF ANALYSIS
• Chapter 2 THERAVA?DA MEDITATION IN MODERN CHINESE BUDDHISM—WITH A FOCUS ON MAHASATI DYNAMIC VIPASSANA? IN SHIFO TEMPLE
• Chapter 3 BUDDHIST ACADEMIES AND THE CHINESE DREAM: DISCOURSES, DESIGNS, REALITIES
• Chapter 4 VINAYA AND VOLUNTEERS: UPDATING TRADITION AND INITIATING CHANGE AT PUSHOU TEMPLE
• Chapter 5 IN THE NAME OF WUSHU CHAN: REINVENTING CHAN BUDDHIST MEDITATIVE TRADITION IN SHAOLIN TEMPLE
• Chapter 6 INNOVATIONS IN LAY BUDDHIST EDUCATION IN THE SINOPHONE TIBETAN BUDDHIST MILIEU: THE RISE OF THE LARUNG TEXTUAL COMMUNITY
• Chapter 7 SAVING THE ABORTED FETUS SPIRIT, SAVING THE WORLD: AGENCIES, VARIETIES, AND IMPLICATIONS OF A RITUAL INVENTION
• Chapter 8 BUDDHIST TEMPLE AS A SOCIAL ABSTRACTION: URBAN PLANNING AND NUNNERY RELOCATION IN SHANGHAI
• Chapter 9 BLURRING DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR SPACES: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FAMEN TEMPLE BUDDHA CULTURAL SCENIC AREA
• Chapter 10 COMBINING MEANINGS IN THE POPULAR REALM: BUDDHIST AND GOVERNMENTAL ENGAGEMENTS IN A SYNCRETIC “SCENIC AREA”
• Chapter 11 BUDDHISM IN THE CULTURAL INDUSTRY: ANALYSIS OF THE XIAMEN BUDDHIST PRODUCTS EXPO
• Index
• Imprint