Modernizing Chinese religion in Malaysia : buddhifying rituals and reforming customs in Sungai Chua new village

Abstract

In 1948, the Malaya British colonial government declared the Emergency as a counter to the Malayan Communist Party. This Emergency continued until 1960. Subsequently, the Mass Settlement was launched. Many Chinese squatters, rubber tappers, etc., who lived in the nearby forests, were removed to the newly-established villages, which were later called “new village“.In Malaysia, over 400 new villages were built up during this historical period. Sungai Chua New Village, which was founded in 1951, was one of the biggest new villages in the state of Selangor. This paper focuses on a lay Buddhist monastery—the Pertubuhan Budhis Manju Suddhi (Pertubuhan Budhis Manju Suddhi Buddhist Organization or PBMS)—as a case study to demonstrate how Buddhified rituals help construct a Malaysian society and preserve Chinese culture. Between the late 1970s and 1980s, a few lay Buddhist followers engaged in promoting Buddhist teachings based on their understandings of Buddhist knowledge. They transformed a local Chinese folk religion temple into a lay Buddhist monastery. Thus creating the PBMS, the first Buddhist temple founded at the Sungai Chua New Village. In doing so, they used Buddhist knowledge to promote the reform of the village’s religious customs. This thesis focuses specifically on two kinds of salvation ceremonies: a Buddhified Funeral Ceremony (Jieyuan Fahui 結緣法會) and the Ullambana Dharma Assembly (Yulan Fahui 盂蘭法會). Both of these assemblies used Buddhist teachings to rationalize the ceremony and emphasize Chinese ethical values and filial piety. In addition to religious gatherings, the PBMS also serves as a recreational center in the local areas. The weekend activities are open to children, teenagers, and older adults. Most importantly, the young generation can learn some Buddhist teachings. Thus, this thesis shows how a local temple has become a Buddhist monastery, becoming one of the religious centers of native Chinese communities. The Buddhist teachings and rituals are used to create a sense of Chinese cultural belonging and strengthen the cultural homogeneity of the Malaysian Chinese. (316 words)

Key Words: Malaysian Chinese New Village; Salvation Ceremony; Custom Transformation: Buddhism: Buddhist Laity; Chinese Society