The Growth of a Taiwanese Buddhist Association in China: Soft Power and Institutional Learning

Laliberté, André (著)

作者

Laliberté, André (著)

出處題名

China Information: A Journal on Contemporary China Studies

卷期

v.27 n.1

出版日期

2013.03

頁次

81 - 105

出版者

Sage Publications Ltd.

出版者網址

http://www.uk.sagepub.com

出版地

London, UK [倫敦, 英國]

資料類型

期刊論文=Journal Article

使用語言

英文=English

關鍵詞

Buddhist philanthropy; cross-Strait relations; local governance; social policy; soft power; state regulation of religion

摘要

This article looks at Ciji (Tzu Chi), a Taiwanese Buddhist charity which has been active in China since 1991. Ciji’s presence in China is all the more remarkable in view of outbreaks of crises in relations across the Taiwan Strait as well as the religious nature of the organization. The article first addresses the issue of Taiwan’s soft power in its relations with China and suggests the possibility that Ciji’s activities in Taiwan have shown China the benefits of a liberal policy towards religion in that charitable activities carried out by religious organizations complement the government’s social policies. The second section chronicles Ciji’s presence in China since 1991 and shows that local governments have their own reasons for welcoming Ciji’s volunteers. The third section compares and contrasts state approaches in China and Taiwan with respect to the provision of social services by religious organizations and notes that even if local governments in China are learning about the benefits of a more open policy in their dealings with Ciji, the central government has not adopted the liberal approach of the Taiwanese government in the regulation of religion.

Abstract 81
Taiwan’s ‘soft power’ 82
Ciji in China and the evolution of cross-Strait relations 85
The Chinese state’s approach to religious social services 91
Conclusion 94
Notes 95
References 101

ISSN

0920203X (P); 1741590X (E)

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1177/0920203X1246620

點閱次數

105

建檔日期

2023.08.08

更新日期

2023.08.08