Equality of Access? Chinese Women Practicing Chan and Transnational Meditation in Contemporary China

This paper examines how the Buddhist revival, the Chan revival, and recent popularity of transnational meditation practices have facilitated Chinese women practicing Buddhist meditation in contemporary China. With the influence of the opening of China and growing transnational networks, there has been an increasing number of Han Chinese monastics and lay people practicing transnational meditation, such as samādhi, vipassanā and mindfulness, in the past two decades. Despite the restriction of accessing Chan halls at monasteries, some Chinese nuns and laywomen have traveled to learn meditation in different parts of China, and international meditation centers in Southeast Asia to study with yogis from all over the world. Surprisingly some returned female travelers have taken significant roles in organizing meditation retreats, and establishing meditation centers and meditation halls. Through examining some ethnographic cases of Chinese nuns and laywomen, this paper argues that the transnational meditation movement has an impact not only on gender equality, especially concerning Chinese women practicing meditation, but also on the development of contemporary Chinese Buddhism. The significant role of Chinese female meditators in promoting Buddhist meditation can reflect a trend of re-positioning the Chan School in contemporary China.

‘She is like a Yakshini’

This paper looks at the importance of aggressive humour in the discursive construction of a ‘Yakshini’ character in a popular Chinese sitcom, Ipartment. The exaggerated, aggressive nature of such a stereotypical character undermines traditional cultural norms of Chinese femininity. Such characterisation of a heroine through aggressive humour in a popular sitcom reflects the fact that empowering women has become (or is becoming) more acceptable in contemporary China.

China-India contemporary relations: Geopolitical challenges to the small states in South Asia

Background: The two Asian giants, India and China, have shown unprecedented growth and development in recent decades. As neighbours, the bilateral relationship between the two countries has experienced turbulences, even wars, but their trade and economic relations date centuries back. These characteristics of cooperation and conflict between India and China as they aspire to become major powers globally have tuned up the competitiveness, which has further engaged them with collaborations in some areas, conflicts and contestations in others. This unique relation with antagonistic cooperation has implications for South Asian states, including India and other small states. Methods: Thus, realising the research gap of future repercussions on the region and hypothesising that the contemporary China-India relations not only have consequences on each other but also brings challenges to the small states in South Asia, the paper primarily focuses on current China-India relations and the geopolitical challenges to the South Asian small states. Hence, it is crucial to comprehend ‘What is the nature and pattern of contemporary China-India relations?’ and ‘What are the geopolitical challenges to the small states because of this unforeseen relation?’ The study revisits the historical relationship between India and China to examine the trend of collaborations and contestations between the two. The paper also discusses the increasing forays of China into South Asia and the deepening US-India relationship to counter those looming Chinese influences. Results: Notably, the research identifies the geopolitical challenges for other South Asian small states because of those fluctuations in the relationship and recommends strategies for the small states in South Asia to avert the increasing geopolitical challenges, generalising the challenges for the small states evolving due to the major power politics in different parts of the world.