AAS Annual Conference Program 2016 Place: Sheraton Seattle & Washington State Conventional Center
摘要
Tzu Chi, a Taiwanese Buddhist group founded by Buddhist nun Cheng Yen has long held a positive image in Taiwan for its charitable works and trustworthy image, until early 2015. On 22nd February 2015, social activist Buddhist nun Chao Hwei posted a short article on her Facebook criticizing the mayor of Taipei for not permitting Tzu Chi to build a recycle center in a reservoir area of the outskirts of Taipei. This leads to a stormy debate in Taiwan’s media and social media. Many opponents of Chao Hwei accuse Tzu Chi for embezzling donation and destroying natural habitat. Supporter of Tzu Chi and Chao Hwei label this debate as “xiao ci” (terminating Tzu Chi) and suggest it as cyberbullying.
This paper examines this xiao ci debate with the focus on the image of Buddhist nuns in social media. Buddhist nun Chao Hwei is a well-known social activist in Taiwan. Her activities range from animal rights, anti-nuclear power plant, anti-gambling, LGBTI rights, etc. Her more recent and much praised act is her presiding a Buddhist wedding for two lesbians in August 2012. But foremost, Chao Hwei is a Buddhist with Buddhist interest in mind. In her own word, she first began her social activism in a struggle to protect Buddhist interest decades ago. Much of her efforts are put into the protecting and promoting the image of Buddhist nuns, which is often mocked in Chinese Confucian culture. In the wake of the xiao ci debate, many attacks are directed on Buddhist nuns. This paper will look at the xiao ci discussion in social media and the image of Buddhist nuns in the awake of this debate.
