Contemporary han chinese involvement in tibetan buddhism: A case study from nanjing

Abstract

One of the most striking trends in urban Chinese Buddhism is the adoption of elements of Tibetan Buddhism by ethnically Han Chinese Buddhists. The author offers a preliminary exploration of this phenomenon. Focusing on regular lay Buddhists, she describes the characteristics of Han involvement with Tibetan Buddhism and explores the reasons for this trend. The author combines a structural perspective that focuses on how Tibetan Buddhism is supplied in eastern cities with a cultural perspective that examines how the appeal of Tibetan Buddhism is constructed for a Han Chinese audience. © Social Compass 2011.