Buddhist Association of China
The Buddhist Association of China (BCA; simplified Chinese: 中国佛教协会; traditional Chinese: 中國佛教協會; pinyin: Zhōngguó Fójiào Xiéhuì) is a major organization of Chinese Buddhism, which serves as the official supervisory organ of Buddhism in the People's Republic of China. Its headquarters are located in Guangji Temple in Beijing.
The BCA shares jurisdiction over Buddhists in China with the State Administration for Religious Affairs, which regulates all recognized religions.[1] Specifically, the BCA is charged with serving as a "bridge" linking Buddhists to the Chinese government by communicating government regulations to Buddhists and mobilizing them to comply with national laws.[2] It also encourages participation of Chinese Buddhists in international Buddhist fora and supports local Buddhist associations in paying clerics' salaries, in registering temples with the government, and in productively using temple labor. The association publishes a journal, Chinese Buddhism.[1]
It was founded in 1953,[3] and was disbanded in the late 1960s during the Cultural Revolution, then reactivated following the end of that period.[3]
In 2006, The BCA and the Hong Kong Buddhist Association hosted the second World Buddhist Forum for dialogue between Buddhist monks and scholars from 50 countries and regions. The forum lasted for four days in the city of Wuxi in Jiangsu province.[4] The organizer of events was the president of the BCA, Venerable Master Yi Cheng. The vice president is Gyaincain Norbu, an 11th Panchen Lama.[5]
Presidents
The past presidents of the Buddhist Association of China include:
- Venerable Master Yuanying (1953)
- Geshe Sherap Gyatso (1953–1966)
- Zhao Puchu (1980–2000)
- Venerable Master Yicheng (2005–2010)
- Venerable Master Chuanyin (2010–2015)[6]
- Venerable Master Xuecheng (2015–2018)[7]
- Venerable Yanjue (acting; 2018–present)
Honorary presidents of the Buddhist association of China include:
- Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai (2002 – present)[8]
- Benhuan (2010–2012)[9]
References
- ^ a b Ashiwa, Yoshiko; Wank, David L. (2009). Making Religion, Making the State: The Politics of Religion in Modern China. Stanford University Press. p. 130.
- ^ Congressional-Executive Committee on China, Tibet Special Report 2008-2009 Archived January 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, October 22, 2009
- ^ a b Jones, Derek (2001). Censorship: A World Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 366. ISBN 9781136798641.
- ^ "2nd World Buddhist Forum opens in E Chinese city". Wuxi: Xinhua. 2009-03-28. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
- ^ "China's Panchen Lama voted VP of state Buddhism body: report". Agence France-Presse. 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
- ^ http://www.chinanews.com/gn/news/2010/02-03/2107539.shtml
- ^ Master Xuecheng elected president of China's Buddhist association
- ^ "Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai". China Vitae. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ^ "Chinese Buddhist master passes away in Shenzhen". Xinhua. 2012-04-02. Archived from the original on 2012-04-05. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
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See also
- Chinese Taoist Association
- Islamic Association of China
- Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam
- Central Spiritual Board of Buddhists of the USSR
- Korea Buddhists Federation