Counterforces of Buddhist Revitalization

Abstract

Chapter 6 investigates the forces that countered what reformist groups promoted. Incidents reported in the newspapers, encounters from field sites, and personal experiences provide sources of data on counterforces to Buddhist revitalization. The counterforces resist conforming to the standardization and formalization of Buddhist practices. This chapter reflects on the internal dynamic of traditional Chinese religions, which have their own vibrancy and legitimacy in responding to doctrinal pressure.