Studies of religious world of Chinese descendents in Thailand: Their seasonal rituals and ceremonies

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510345
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: ITO Tomomi 神戸大学, 国際文化学研究科, 准教授 (40337746)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-02-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: タイ / 華人 / 宗教

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Among the several issues explored through this project, it was the issue of Chinese-Thai women who ordained as Mahayana Buddhist bhikkhunis that highlighted a significant aspect of Chinese-Thai religious world. In China, Taiwan, and most other Mahayana Buddhist countries, bhikkhuni ordination is inherited up until today. However, in the Chinese Order that affliated to the national Thai Sangha, no Mahayana Buddhist bhikkhuni member is allowed. Therefore, Chinese-Thai women who seek Mahayana Buddhist bhikkhuni ordination have to ordain through a foreign sangha and conduct their religious activities in Thailand, independently from the national Thai Sangha. Their situation is strikingly similar to that of Thai women who have no place in the national Thai Sangha, which does not sanction Theravada bhikkhuni, because of the disruption of bhikkhuni lineage in Theravada Buddhism. Lack of secure place in a publicly accepted sangha, bhikkhunis' living has to be insecure.

Free Research Field

タイ地域研究