The Chinese Buddhism Monastic Network in Central Malaya

Project Title:
The Chinese Buddhism Monastic Network in Central Malaya

Research Team:

1. Dr Ching Thing Ho 
2. Mr Gooi Ming Kuan
3. Dr Ma Ying

Background
Malaysia is a multiracial, multicultural and religious country, and Buddhism is the second largest religion in Malaysia. Buddhism in Malaysia has evolved from "multiple sources" to "pluralism". As a result of historical factors, Ceylonese Buddhism, Thai Buddhism, Burmese Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism were introduced to Malaya one after another, forming a plurality of sources. Chinese Buddhism is an important part of Malaysian Buddhism, and is the most widespread and influential Malaysian Buddhist school. The majority of Malaysian Buddhists are Chinese, with the majority of these Chinese being believers of Chinese Buddhism.

    Chinese Buddhism in Malaya is an important part of the local Chinese religious culture. On the one hand, it is the result of the spread of Chinese Buddhism from China to the outside world, and on the other hand, it is the product of the localisation of Chinese Buddhism in Southeast Asia. The spread and development of Chinese Buddhism from China to Malaya is an important case study with high academic value and practical significance.

    On the one hand, the Fujian monks from Penang’s Kek Lok Monastery scattered throughout the Central Malaya and established many other temples, such as Kuan Yin Temple (观音阁, 1904) in Kuala Kubu, Chin Foot Temple (千佛寺, 1924) in Kuala Lumpur, Beng Kiak Lian Shieh (明觉莲社, 1936) in Melaka, Yuen Thong Sze Temple (圆通寺, 1930-40’s) in Kuala Lumpur, Beng Kark Cheng Siah Temple ( 明 觉 精 舍 ) in Ipoh, Association Of Pureland Amitabha Buddhist (弥陀道场) in Ipoh, Hu Bin Vihara (湖滨精舍) in Petaling Jaya and etc during the colonial era and after Malaysia's independence respectively. Therefore, this network of monasteries in Central Malaya is one of the important elements of Chinese Buddhism in Malaysia. It also epitomises the development of Chinese Buddhism from China to Malaya and the development of Chinese Buddhism in Central Malaya.

    On the other hand, the Fo Guang Shan Dong Zen Temple ( 佛 光 山 东 禅 寺 ) in the middle of the Malaysia, was founded in 1996 by Master Hsing Yun (星云法师), which is the biggest temple among the many branches of Fo Guang Shan in Malaysia. FGS in Chinese literally means “the Mountain of Buddha’s Light”, is an international Chinese Mahayana Buddhist organization and monastic order based in Taiwan that practices Humanistic Buddhism. This monastery has a large collection of historical materials that have not yet received scholarly attention. These historical materials are of great value in understanding how Humanistic Buddhism, which originated in Taiwan, spread and established monasteries in Malaysia.

    How these monastic networks are constructed from monastery to monastery? What are the implications of their monastic networks for the development of Chinese Buddhism in Malaya? This research project will explore these questions based on the results of previous research, combined with fieldwork, literature review, scholarly inspiration and personal reflection.