Buddhist Charities and China's Social Policy

Epistemic Communities of Buddhist Scholarship in Modern China: Narratives and Paradigms

“…Among the few non-Chinese scholars who have looked at Buddhist philanthropy, Laliberté had paid attention to Taiwanese Buddhist philanthropy in China (Laliberté 2003 and2008), a process parallel to the institutionalization of Chinese Buddhist charities (Laliberté 2009). In this context, he argues that while Buddhist philanthropy represents a form of non-confrontational form of civility, it does not constitute an alternative one (Laliberté 2012). It does, however, serve very well the nationalist agenda of unification between China and Taiwan, as long as the Taiwanese Buddhist associations in China do not upset the local institutional arrangements (Laliberté 2013).…”

Introduction

“…Kiely and Jessup (2016) have brought together scholars expanding on the diversity of aspects Buddhism has embraced since the Republican era. A political angle to the role of Buddhism includes its assessment as an alternative form of civility (Laliberté 2012); its role as an emergent social force that his politically neutral (Ji 2012(Ji -2013; or as a source of morality that may articulate local grievances, but no political critiques (Fisher 2014).…”