HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for and Himalayan Studies

Volume 39 Number 1 Article 25

July 2019

Review of The Spread of in : Charisma, Money, Enlightenment by Dan Smyer Yu.̈

Robert E. Beazley Cornell University

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Recommended Citation Beazley, Robert E.. 2019. Review of The Spread of Tibetan Buddhism in China: Charisma, Money, Enlightenment by Dan Smyer Yu..̈ HIMALAYA 39(1). Available at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol39/iss1/25

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(reincarnate Tibetan Buddhist Chinese have become increasingly masters). Yü opens the book with an interested in Tibetan Buddhism, he extensive account of and their devotes the remainder of the book charismatic characteristics. He makes (Chapters 4-8) to investigating the the argument that their charisma intricacies described of charisma, is linked to the landscape in which money, and enlightenment with respect their communities are embedded, as to Han practitioners. This fascinating opposed to being a purely personal account takes us inside the inner characteristic. This is an important workings of this new Buddhism with and welcomed distinction, as all too the authority of one who has received often writings about tulkus ignore teachings and personal interviews this aspect, preferring to focus with many of the charismatic on the charismatic personality to tulkus that are stimulating these the exclusion of other influential recent conversions. Tellingly, as The Spread of Tibetan Buddhism elements. Yü elucidates how a ’s a well-trained anthropologist he in China: Charisma, Money, charisma is part of a wider territorial maintains a sense of objectivity Enlightenment. charisma. while at the same time giving the reader an insider’s perspective. Not Yü begins by following the rise of Dan Smyer Yü. London: content with a cursory explanation and his Routledge, 2012. 222 pages. ISBN of this phenomenon, he delves into founding in 1980 of one of the largest 9780415575324. the in-depth political economic, Buddhist learning centers in the multi-cultural, and geo-political world, the Larung Five Sciences Reviewed by Robert E. Beazley contemporary and historical Buddhist Academy (a.k.a. ) evolution of the current spreading Dan Symer Yü’s book The Spread of in Sertar County of the Ganzi Tibetan of Tibetan Buddhism in China, Tibetan Buddhism in China: Charisma, Autonomous Prefecture (western couching the contemporary in terms Money, Enlightenment is a welcome ). It is inhabited by over of globalization and market economy. addition to the literature on Tibetan 12,000 monks, nuns, lay practitioners, In particular, his account of Chinese Buddhist studies as it is one of the including 2,000 monks, monks entering during the few books to deal with the increasing nuns, and lay practitioners. Its fame Republican period (1912-1949) is trend of Han Chinese conversion to has grown to the point that it is now enlightening and crucial context for Tibetan Buddhism in China. Other often on the list of domestic and following the modern trajectory of scholars have dealt with this subject international tourist destinations Tibetan Buddhism in China. but none have chosen it as the sole in Sichuan. In 2016, it was closed to focus of a book length publication tourists due to the state’s attempt to Yü explains how the until Yü’s book. shrink its size and the exponential tradition of Tibetan Buddhism has growth of its accommodations and been able to expand its teachings Yü’s extensive ethnographic research facilities. in China by focusing on the in and Sichuan provides transmission of Tibetan Buddhist vivid lived experiences with both After grounding the book in the teachings rather than on the Chinese Tibetan Buddhists and charismatic tulku aspect (Chapters Tibet independence movement; in indigenous Tibetan Buddhists as 1-3), which helps to explain one essence, it has been flying under well as with their teachers or tulkus of the reasons why non-Tibetan the radar of the state’s hyper focus

HIMALAYA Volume 39, Number 1 | 241 Not content with a cursory explanation of this phenomenon, [Yü] delves into the in-depth political economic, multi-cultural, and geo-political contemporary and historical evolution of the current spreading of Tibetan Buddhism in China, couching the contemporary in terms of globalization and market economy. Beazley on The Spread of Tibetan Buddhism in China: Charisma, Money, Enlightenment.

on controlling monasteries, monks, teachings and empowerments. This their small businesses creates a and nuns who they identify as part has fueled many reconstructions/ shelter for gatherings of their peer of the Dalai clique separatists. Yü renovations of old monasteries and practitioners” (p. 122). And this in credits Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok the construction of new ones. As reality is changing the way Tibetan and Larung Gar for the revival of he notes, “In contemporary China, Buddhism is practiced. “Meanwhile, Tibetan Buddhism in eastern Tibetan the price of religious freedom many Tibetan monasteries, especially areas of present-day Qinghai and increasingly refers to the purchasing those of the Nyingmapa are Sichuan Provinces. Several thousand power of the individual who changing their monastic routines to Han Chinese and a few Western yearns for such freedom from state accommodate their urban Chinese practitioners reside at Larung Gar, control” (p. 123). Not surprisingly, students’ needs,” he concludes (ibid.). which has become the center for the this has led to contention within One addition to the book that would dissemination of Tibetan Buddhist the lay practitioner community have been useful is some mention teachings in urban Chinese centers as practitioners vie for favor and of Yarchen Gar in Baiyu County, through an information grid based entrance into the rarified personal Garze Tibet Autonomous Prefecture in the Internet and cyberspace. He spaces of tulkus in their attempts (approximately 300 km southwest writes,“Virtual Tibetan Buddhism to find meaning in life amid of Larung Gar), a Tibetan Buddhist has become popular in the mid China’s rapid modernization and monastery and enclave founded 1990s. Those who are responsible for urban migration, leaving many by Achuk Rinpoche in 1985. It was this unique cyberspace of Tibetan indigenous Tibetan Buddhist feeling here that many of the residents of Buddhism in China are mostly a marginalized. As a result, Tibetan Larung Gar came after the first state handful Chinese pilgrims who studied Buddhism has become a highly downsizing attempt at Larung Gar at Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok’s Larung commoditized product. Tellingly, in 2001 and during the most recent academy in Sertar” (p. 80). Within he writes, “Tibetan Buddhism is attempts starting in 2016. When this current context he emphasizes being accessed as both an object this reader visited Yarchen Gar in the importance of the Internet of consumption and a medium of 2016, the local and only hotel was in spreading charismatic tulkus’ Buddhist spirituality in contemporary full of Han Tibetan Buddhists and teachings within China and in the China” (p. 125). daily busloads of organized Han formation of self-organizing Chinese The temptation to draw parallels Tibetan Buddhist tours were arriving. Tibetan Buddhists groups who often with western Buddhism’s evolution While not essential, including some hold clandestine dharma meetings, since the late 1970s in this regard mention of Yarchen Gar and updating embark on tulku tours to receive is striking but must be tempered as the ongoing downsizing of both teachings and empowerments, and Yü’s account has distinctly Chinese Larung and Yarchen Gar would add facilitate the wider discourse on all characteristics entrenched in the more context and nuance. things Tibetan Buddhist. Here, the administrative socialist system use of virtual technology cannot be Yü uses Western, Chinese, and as well as in Han Chinese culture. overstated as a fundamental driving Tibetan sources to make his Yü explains, “Unlike their North force behind this spreading of arguments, thereby producing America counterparts who openly Tibetan Buddhism in China. a well-researched and nuanced congregate at their Dharma centers approach to his subject. Having Interestingly, the newly accumulated without government interference, witnessed this trend myself during wealth in China has also been Chinese tantric practitioners are recent tours of (eastern Tibet), instrumental in lay Chinese finding not permitted to establish Dharma where I encountered busloads of access to tulkus and receiving centers. Instead the space of enthusiastic and star-struck Chinese

242 | HIMALAYA Spring 2019 Tibetan Buddhist religious tourists, pilgrims, and practitioners as well as Taiwanese practitioners with their tulkus, this reader finds Yü’s analysis both salient and timely. The Spread of Tibetan Buddhism in China is a welcome addition to the fields of Buddhist studies, Chinese culture, and globalization that both Tibetan Buddhists scholars and anyone interested in Tibetan Buddhism will find readable and authoritative. Robert E. Beazley is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University, USA. His M.S. research focused on the impacts of expanding rural road networks in the Nepal Himalayas. His current research involves an investigation of gendered mobility and borderland infrastructure in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. E-mail: .

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