Tibetan Buddhists in the Context of Ethnic Diversity in Modern China

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Tibetan Buddhists in the Context of Ethnic
Diversity in Modern China
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Focus TodayReligious Ethnic Groups in China

• Tibetan Buddhists (6)
• Mainly in southwest (Tibet) north central
  (Inner Mongolia)
• Muslims (10)
• Mainly in west (Xinjiang, or Chinese Turkestan)
  but also throughout
• Theravada Buddhists (2) southeast
• Eastern Orthodox Christians (2) north
• Shamanic/Animistic (3) north south

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Physical Geography of AsiaGreat Wall
http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/grea
t-wall/map.html
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24 of 56 Nationalities

• Tibetan Buddhists (7) Tibetans, Mongols,
  Monguor, Naxi, Yugur (Yellow Uighurs), Monba,
  Lhopa, and some Chinese (not recognized)
• Muslims (10) Uighur (Turkic), Hui (Chinese),
  Salar, Dongxiang (Mongol), Kazakhs, Kyrgyz,
  Tajiks, Uzbeks, Bonan, Tartars
• Theravada Buddhists (2) Bai, Dai (Thai)
• Eastern Orthodox Christians 2 groups
• Shamanic/Animistic 3 ethnic groups

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Ethnic Groups in Chinas Borderlands
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Demographics

• Little scientific census work on frontiers under
  the Qing dynasty or even Republican China
  (1911-1949)
• 1970s Minorities numbered 40 million, only 6 of
  Chinas population
• 2000s Minorities number 105 million, almost 8
  of Chinas population
• Occupy over 60 of Chinese territory

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Religion Feared in China

• Because Communism serves as a ruling ideology
  (even if a hollow one) Chinese Communist Party
  terrified of religion, especially centrally
  organized
• Census data still does not collect (at least
  publicly) info on religious affiliationonly
  guess based on ethnicity
• Five recognized religions Buddhism, Islam,
  Taoism, Protestantism, Catholicism (but not Pope
  or Dalai Lama authority)

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Tibetan Buddhists

• 1st Main Group Tibetans
• Related groups Monpa, Lhopa (located in southern
  part of Tibet)
• Share religious orientation to classical Tibetan
  script
• (speak many different dialects, not easy to
  understand one another)

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• 25
• of
• China

10

• http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/tibe
  t/lhasa/map.html

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Jokhang, Lhasa Cathedral

• http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/tibe
  t/lhasa/jokhang-temple-pilgrims/sphere-quicktime.h
  tml

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Turning prayer wheels
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Tibetan Rural Life (85 of Tibetans)

• 14th Dalai Lamas birthplace

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Nomadic culture

• Monk carries row of butter lamps to hall

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Tibetan Village life Jiuzhai Gorges

• http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/jiuz
  haigou/map.html

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Rural farmsteads
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Rural Monks Nuns
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Monpa and Lhopa (Tibetans)

• Live in the south part of Tibetan Autonomous
  Region, near Mt. Everest (in Tibetan
  Chomalunga), bordering Nepal and Bhutan
• http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/tibe
  t/the-roof-of-the-world/map.html

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Not All Tibetans Rural or Religious
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Language groups on frontiers

• Tibetan Buddhists all use classical Tibetan as
  their main scriptural language (like Latin in
  Catholic tradition), even in Mongol areas
• Muslims all recognize centrality of Arabic, but
  few read Uyghurs use Turkic language

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Linguistic Divisions of China
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2nd Major Tibetan Buddhist Group

• Mongols, and related Monguors
• 1st conversion to Tibetan Buddhism under Khubilai
  Khan (13th century)
• 2nd conversion to Tibetan Buddhism under 3rd
  Dalai Lama (16th century)

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Hohhot (Inner Mongolia)

• 16th century capital of Mongol Khan who was
  converted to Tibetan Buddhism by 3rd Dalai Lama
• 4th Dalai Lama reborn here, in Mongol royal
  family, before returning to Tibet
• Mongols build copy of Jokhang Temple

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Dazhao (Great Jowo) Temple
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New Year Crowds

• Monks at prayers

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• Burning incense on average day

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Monguor Tibetan Buddhists
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Naxi (Na-shee) Tibetan Buddhists

• Live around Lijiang town
• In Southwest China,
• Yunnan
• Photos by
• Tania OConor 2008
• http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/liji
  ang/map.html

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• Photo by Tania OConor 2008

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Manchu Tibetan Buddhists

• Mostly a historical phenomenon, as some of the
  Qing dynastic family were actively involved with
  Tibetan Buddhist lamas, rituals, and practices
• See the temples they built at
• http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/chen
  gde/map.html
• http//www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/ming
  -qing/beijing/behai/gongyuan-up/sphere-quicktime.h
  tml

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History of Incorporation

• Qing Dynasty expansion (1636-1911)
• Mongol clans joined Qing dynasty earliest in
  17th century, latest in 18th century (through
  alliance, marriage or conquest)
• Tibetan kingdoms and lamas joined Qing from 1720s
  to 1790s (but never directly ruled by Qing China)

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Muslims in China

• Many Muslims served in the Mongol Empire (13th
  century) just as Marco Polo did (foreigners
  trusted as much or more than Chinese)
• Many communities established then and gained
  Chinese converts over the years Hui Muslims
  (same as Chinese except for religious beliefs)

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Chinas Muslim Population

• Where does China rank in the worlds largest
  Muslim countries?
• In the top five
• In the top ten
• In the top twenty
• Near the bottom of the list
• Answer
• http//www.adherents.com/largecom/com_islam.html

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Hui Muslims (10 million)

• Near Dali (Southwest Yunnan)
• near Lijiang

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Songpan, Sichuan
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Uyghurs

• Turkic Muslims who live along old Silk Road
  corridors north and south of the Taklamakan
  Desert in Chinese Turkestan (Xinjiang)
• Ancient history, dating back to 7th century
  Central Asian kingdom
• Turkic leaders (in Xinjiang) under Mongols until
  incorporated by Qing Empire in 1750s, region made
  province in 1884

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Theravada Buddhism, Dali (Yunnan)
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Related to Southeast Asian Buddhism (like in
Thailand)
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Tibetan Buddhism in and around Beijing
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Mongol Yuan (1271-1368) Beijing
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White Stupa Temple (Miaoying si)

• Built in 13th c. by Nepali brought to China by
  Pakpa Lama, teacher and official of Qubilai Khan

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Qianlong Emperor (18th c) added

• Hall of 10,000 Images

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Beijing Ceremonies 1930s
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Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Bodhagaya, India
Wuta (Five Stupa) Temple, Beijing

• Bpilgrim http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageMahabo
  dhitemple.jpg

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Yongle Emperor (1403-1424)
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Manchu Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

• 1651
• White
• Stupa
• Pavilion
• Yongan (Eternal Peace) Temple

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Tibetan Buddhism Protects Beijing

• Yamantaka (Destroyer of Yamathe lord of Death)

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Qing Forbidden City (Gugong)

• Hall of Raining Flowers Cining Palace
• (Qianlongs altar-room) Baoxianglou

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Yonghegong (Lama Temple)
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• 8 Auspicious Symbols

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Chengde (Jehol) Potala 1771

• Qing Copy
• Lhasa
• original

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Golden Pavilion (1930s copy in US)
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Jehol Xumifushou 1780 (Tashilunpo)
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Puning Temple 1755 (Samye)
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Beijing Summer Palace

• Beijing Stupas (Four Continents)

Chengde Stupa