The Cultural Practices of Modern Chinese Buddhism

Buddhism in China during the late Qing and Republican period remained a powerful cultural and religious force. Francesca Tarocco is a rising star in this field and offers an innovative high-quality piece of work that presents a new perspective on the influence of Buddhism on Chinese culture. Drawing on scarcely analyzed historical and archive sources, including photographs and musical scores, Tarocco adeptly argues that Chinese Buddhism played a more vital role in shaping Chinese culture than previously assumed.

This enlightening study fills a significant gap in the field of Chinese Buddhist history. Focusing on the cultural side of Buddhism, it adds breadth and balance to studies in Buddhism as a whole, appealing to professionals and academics with an interest in Buddhism and Chinese Buddhist history.

Francesca Tarocco is a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow and a Lecturer in Buddhist Studies at the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures at the University of Manchester. She is the author of several studies on Chinese Buddhism and co-author of Karaoke: The Global Phenomenon (Reaktion 2007).