Metamorphosis of Buddhism in China's New Era: Between State, Culture, and Religion

by David L. Wank (Editor), Paul-François Tremlett (Editor), Ji Zhe (Editor), John Eade (Editor), Yoshiko Ashiwa (Editor)

Overview

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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350504561
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/07/2025
Series:	Bloomsbury Studies in Religion, Space and Place
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Paul-Francois Tremlett is Senior Lecturer of Religious Studies at The Open University, UK

Ji Zhe is Professor of Sociology at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations, France and Director of The Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on Buddhism (CEIB).

John Eade is Professor in Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Roehampton, London, UK, member of the Migration Research Unit, ULC, UK, and Visiting Professor at the Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto, Canada.

Yoshiko Ashiwa is Visiting Professor at National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Japan and Emeritus Professor, at Hitotsubashi University, Japan.

Table of Contents

1. Metamorphosis of Buddhism in New Era China: Framework of the Analysis Yoshiko Ashiwa, David L. Wank, and Ji Zhe
2. Theravada Meditation in Modern Chinese Buddhism with a Focus on Mahasati Dynamic Vipassana¯ in Shifo Temple. Ester Bianchi
3. Taixu's Vision of a World Buddhist Academy in New Era China: Discourses, Designs, Realities Yoshiko Ashiwa and David L. Wank
4. Vinaya and Volunteers: Updating Tradition and Initiating Change at Pushou Temple Amandine Péronnet
5. In the Name of “Wushu Chan”: Reinventing Chan Buddhist Meditative Traditions in Shaolin Temple Lufeng Xu
6. Innovations in Lay Buddhist Education in the Sinophone Tibetan Buddhist Milieu: The Rise of the Larung Textual Community Catherine Hardie
7. Saving the Aborted Fetus Spirit, Saving the World: Agencies, Varieties, and Implications of a Ritual Invention Ji Zhe
8. Buddhist Temple as a Social Abstraction: An Analysis of Nunnery Relocation in Shanghai Weishan Huang
9. Blurring the Religious and Secular Spaces: The Development of the Famen Temple Buddha Cultural Scenic Area Uchralt Otehode and Paul J. Farrelly
10. Combining Meanings in the Popular Realm: Buddhist and Governmental Engagements in a Syncretic “Scenic Area” Guillaume Dutournier
11. Chinese Buddhism in the Global Market: Analysis of the Xiamen International Buddhist Items & Crafts Fair Yoshiko Ashiwa and David L. Wank

Editorial Reviews

This is an exceptional study of Buddhism's evolution in China as the twenty-first century unfolds. Filled with rich case studies from accomplished experts in the field, it shows how the religion continues to adapt in creative and unexpected ways to both the evolution of state policies and continuing social change.” —Gareth Fisher, Syracuse University, USA

“The in-depth and multi-year research conducted by this multi-disciplinary team of scholars presents the challenges faced by the largest population of Buddhists in the world as the Communist Party of China seeks to instrumentalize their belief system as a form of traditional culture. It articulates a thought-provoking and original understanding of the changing relationship between state and religion under Xi Jinping.” —André Laliberté, University of Ottawa, Canada

“Yoshiko Ashiwa, David Wank, and Ji Zhe are among the most thoughtful observers and analysts of Buddhism and the politics of religion in contemporary China. The essays in this volume demonstrate what happens when the Chinese state emphasizes Buddhism less as a religion and more as a cultural form. Metamorphosis of Buddhism in China's New Era helps us think more precisely about how Buddhist institutions and practice have responded to government policy since 2002 and is an invaluable new framing.” —Thomas Borchert, University of Vermont, USA

From the Publisher