Buddhism in China?

[Ayu]

How about Buddhism in China - besides Tibet.

Do the chinese people practice buddhism? Which tradition? Is it allowed and accepted?

Looking forward for answers or links,

Ayu

[Indrajala]

Buddhism in mainland China suffered greatly under the hands of the Communist Party of China. It is now supervised by the state and while there are monks, the government discourages party members from participating in any religion at all. China is a very secular society and the government there sees religion in a negative light. Buddhism in mainland China is predominately Chinese where sects don't really exist. Chan and Pure Land are both practiced together.

Taiwan on the other hand is quite religious and people get involved with various organizations quite happily and readily. You see religion icons in government offices, too. There is complete freedom and it shows. There is not just Chinese Buddhism in Taiwan, but also Tibetan Buddhist and Theravada as well as some Japanese schools.

[Sherlock]

Much of Kham is now considered part of Qinghai and Sichuan, Tibetan Buddhism is quite strong there and in the chos gar established by famed tertons like Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok and Khenpo Achuk, I think there is no government influence. There are also apparently quite a few Chinese people going to Larung Gar. You might want to read some of Antonio Terrone's papers -- just search for his name and you should get to his faculty site at the Northwestern University site with some of the full papers.

Here is a Chinese forum with information about going to Larung Gar.

[Ayu]

Thank you both very much.
Are there Lamas teaching tibetean Buddhism in mainland China?
Or are the teachers of different traditions also called "Lama" ?

[Huifeng]

Thank you both very much.
Are there Lamas teaching tibetean Buddhism in mainland China?
Or are the teachers of different traditions also called "Lama" ?

Whether or not one includes Tibet as part of China, yes there are lamas teaching Tibetan Buddhism in China.
Other traditions don't use this term, but - and this is a guess from me - the Ladhakis, Mongolians and Nepalese may have an equivalent term.

~~ Huifeng

[icylake]

all of buddhist organizations in main land China must Join "Chinese Buddhist assocation" which is a member of politics negotiation association controlled by Party. all of religious estates, sites belong to government. in Chinese Buddhist assocition has three main traditions. one is Han Chinese buddhism, the second is Tibetan buddhism, the third is theravada buddhism practiced by Dai people(the cousin of Lao and Thai) i've heard Tibetan buddhism and Theravada buddhism still are very strong there in ethnic base. even though higly oppressed, Tibetan buddhism still has over 100thousand monks which is the half of han Chinese buddhism. Theravada has 10thousand monks even though the population of Dai is only 1 million. and i've read an aticle saying, being short term monk is very common in Dai community, many boys quit primary school to be monk, so government released warning...

don't know much about Tibetan, theravada, but the number of Han Chinese monks is controlled. there is the quarter for ordination a year. but i think buddhism in Chinese society still has strong influence. even if many of them are not active buddhists. and it seemed that Tibetan Buddhism is gaining popularity in Han Chinese middle class yuppies and the educated nowadays. when i went to China, i found that Tibetan influence is in everywhere, when it comes to buddhism. even many dharma goods sold in famous Zen temples have very thick tibetan flabours - the beed, music, miniatures of the mandala-

and it seemed that, Chinese buddhism is regaining its popularity. the one is : as the national pridd increase, many Chinese Came to be intereted buddhism as their cultural pride, and it fully deserves that.
the second is: commercialization and tour, leasure industry imade Chinese people contact buddhism more than before.
the third is meditation boom. many zen temples restored traditional retreat, closed retreat, practitons, and opened zen schools for laities.
and publishing of dhamma books incresed enormously, i was in awe when i went to buddhist section in a book store


as a whole i think the future of Chinese buddhism is positive.

[Jinzang]

Bill Porter wrote a book a year or two ago called "Zen Baggage." He visited monasteries and other historical sites across mainland China to report on how monastic Buddhism is faring there. And the answer is, pretty well. There are monasteries for monks and nuns with qualified teachers where genuine practice is going on that are not just museums for the tourists.

[Huifeng]

Bill Porter wrote a book a year or two ago called "Zen Baggage." He visited monasteries and other historical sites across mainland China to report on how monastic Buddhism is faring there. And the answer is, pretty well. There are monasteries for monks and nuns with qualified teachers where genuine practice is going on that are not just museums for the tourists.

Good point. First time visitors, or visitors without any local contacts, will just be led to touristy type monasteries, but there are a huge number that are really out on the fringes, where the Path is practiced with little or no intrusion from other agencies. But, one has to be in the know...

~~ Huifeng

[JKhedrup]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj7Q-3RFbro

This gives the cause for some hope. Apparently the practitioners in these mountains were so isolated that they were unaffected by many of the social and political upheavals of recent Chinese history.

I found it very touching because it shows in a very tangible fashion that where there is a will to practice there is a way, no matter what conditions one is up against.

[plwk]

Quick question to the OP: Is this thread about a 'Dharma event'? Perhaps, the East Asian Buddhism Forum would be more appropriate for this discussion?

[Ayu]

Quick question to the OP: Is this thread about a 'Dharma event'? Perhaps, the East Asian Buddhism Forum would be more appropriate for this discussion?

Sorry, i didn't understand the system of order right here.

[floating_abu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj7Q-3RFbro

This gives the cause for some hope. Apparently the practitioners in these mountains were so isolated that they were unaffected by many of the social and political upheavals of recent Chinese history.

I found it very touching because it shows in a very tangible fashion that where there is a will to practice there is a way, no matter what conditions one is up against.

Thanks.