Paper short abstract:

My paper relates the political context of Hong Kong to how 'modern Buddhism' is lived in the city. I explore what an ethnographic exploration of Hong Kong Buddhism in the years leading up to the Umbrella Movement can contribute to an anthropological understanding of the religion.

Paper long abstract:

During research in Hong Kong between 2012 and 2014, I investigated how specific urban circumstances and religious orientations mutually influence each other, shaping people's day-to-day urban lives. My presentation will illustrate part of my findings. I will present Hong Kong Buddhism as a construct of modernity, particularly in its emphasis on tradition. 'Modern Buddhism' shapes how Buddhists in the city reflect on their religion and their being in the world. The latter is reflected in how Hong Kong Buddhists responded to the 2014 Umbrella Movement. Although in essence the Umbrella Movement was a political movement seeking universal suffrage, it indirectly highlighted the importance of religion in the everyday lives of Hong Kong middle class residents. While some Buddhists went to the protest sites, others stayed at home to meditate, and many decided to disengage from the protests altogether. While different in terms of civic engagement, there is significant similarity in these narratives regarding the perception of how to act as 'good' Buddhists. By analysing the civic actions of my informants, I am able to shed light on the unique ways Hong Kong Buddhism becomes a meaningful rubric for guiding my informants and helping them understand their place in Hong Kong and in the world.