Abstract
Since the early twentieth century, the idea of Rensheng Fojiao or “humanistic Buddhism,” which advocated that Buddhists should engage more in the affairs of the living rather than the dead, has influenced Chinese Buddhists who were actively involved in social engagement and relief work. Contemporary Chinese Buddhists have been made aware that they should strenuously involve themselves in social engagement and relief work to ensure the survival of Buddhism in the face of formidable challenges, and promote their visions of Buddhism within and beyond the national boundaries of China. In this chapter, I explore the relationship between Buddhism, social engagement, and relief work by ways of discussing the roles of lay and monastic Buddhists in both mainland China and Hong Kong.
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© 2013 Hiroko Kawanami and Geoffrey Samuel
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Ren, S.F. (2013). Buddhism and Relief Work in Mainland China and Hong Kong. In: Kawanami, H., Samuel, G. (eds) Buddhism, International Relief Work, and Civil Society. Contemporary Anthropology of Religion. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137380234_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137380234_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-47916-0
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