< Issue No. 16 (2021)Article
A Study of Chinese Lay Buddhist Societies in Thailand: History and Current State
Liu, Yaoping, Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep (Thailand)
Abstract
In Theravada-dominated Thailand, there have existed a number of lay Buddhist societies self-organized by Chinese migrants since the early decades of the twentieth century. Besides faithfully upholding Mahāyāna doctrine and practice, these societies also built up multiple trans-regional religious networks with various Buddhist communities across Southeast Asia, particularly from the 1950s through the 1970s. This paper investigates the history and current state of Chinese lay Buddhist societies in Thailand. It will specifically refer to two such societies in Bangkok: the Chinese Buddhist Research Society of Thai-land and the Siam Dragon-flower Buddhist Society.