John Powers is Professor of Asian Studies in the College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University. He specializes in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan history and is the author of 17 books and more than 80 articles. His books include A Bull of A Man: Images of Masculinity, Sex, and the Body in Indian Buddhism (2009) and Historical Dictionary of Tibet (with David Templeman; 2012).
關鍵詞
Tibet; Buddhism China; propaganda; patriotic education; China
摘要
The Buddha Party is an analysis of Chinese propaganda discourses that attempt to define Tibetan Buddhist belief and sway opinion within the country and abroad. Much of this is at odds with historical facts and is deliberately misleading, but it is widely believed by Han Chinese. It profoundly affects how China’s leaders interact with their counterparts in other countries because most of them appear to deeply believe the official line regarding Tibet, which resonates with Han notions of themselves as China’s most advanced nationality and as a benevolent race that liberates and culturally uplifts minority peoples. The government’s “patriotic education” campaign is a core focus of the book: it forces monks and nuns to participate in propaganda sessions and repeat official dogma, and it is part of a larger campaign to transform China’s religions into “patriotic” systems that endorse Communist Party policies. The book analyzes the core tenets of the official version of Tibetan Buddhism and how these are being received by their intended audience, as well as strategies of resistance. It employs propaganda theory to contextualize the discursive strategies of China’s information apparatus and demonstrates how messages that resonate with Han Chinese fail to persuade Tibetans and other minorities.
目次
Front Matter Copyright Page Dedication Acknowledgments Technical Note Acronyms and Abbreviations Introduction 1 Acts of Ingratitude 2 The Limitations of Propaganda 3 Patriotic Soul Boys and Other Chinese Myths 4 Tibetology with Chinese Characteristics 5 Chinese and Tibetan Perspectives on History Conclusion End Matter Appendix A: Tibetan Glossary Appendix B: Glossary of Chinese Terms Appendix C: Glossary of Buddhist Terms and Names Notes Bibliography Index
