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BOOK IN BRIEF | EASTERN HORIZON
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BOOK IN BRIEF
Joshua, Esler, Tibetan Buddhism among Han Chinese:
Mediation and Superscription of the Tibetan Tradition in
Contemporary Chinese Society. Maryland, USA: Lexington
Books, 2020. pp 271. Hardcover. www.rowman.com
Joshua is a PhD graduate in Asian Studies from the University
of Western Australia. His research was concerned with the
reception and practice of Tibetan Buddhism among Han
Chinese in Greater China. He also studied Mandarin Chinese
during his PhD candidature, and actively participated
in academic conferences concerning Sociology, Religious
Studies, Buddhism Studies, Asian Studies, and Tibetan Studies
in Australia, New Zealand, Macau, Mongolia, and Korea,
respectively.
In China, ostensibly a nation of atheists, many young adults
now have a strong connection to Tibetan Buddhism. This
may seem odd because one would imagine if there is interest
in Buddhism among the younger generation, it would be
Han Chinese Buddhism such as Ch’an or Pure Land, and not
Tibetan Buddhism. However, both Han Chinese Buddhism and
Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism are alike in many ways. Tibetan
and Chinese Buddhism are two different practices that were
formed on the same teachings, tracing it back to the historical
founder, Sakyamuni Buddha. Chinese Buddhism has attracted
many Chinese followers because it connects with Chinese
culture and history. But Tibetan Buddhism offers the followers
a wider range of practices and rituals that are believed to help
them reach enlightenment faster. As such, the movement is
flourishing and has become fashionable among young people in
recent years. Many young Han Chinese also would wear Buddha
prayer beads on their wrists as fashion accessories, though not
necessarily as a mark of religious devotion.
There are a number of reasons why Han Chinese find
Tibetan Buddhism more attractive than other religions.
Firstly, they think it is mysterious. At the same time, it also
offers psychological comfort to these young people who find
themselves lost amid China’s rapid social and economic changes.
Thirdly, those tuned in to Western media would have been
fascinated by the large number of Hollywood stars who are also
followers of Tibetan Buddhism. And finally, the many positive