Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

<jats:p xml:lang="en"> Abstract: This essay introduces a special issue of Twentieth-Century China that explores the evolution of religiously motivated vegetarianism in Chinese societies from the late imperial period until today, with a focus on the twentieth century. Drawing on ancient practices of fasting and Mahāyāna Buddhist dietary rules, this vegetarianism quickly evolved into a widely accepted form of moral self-cultivation in many religious contexts, one that was intrinsically related to morality, self-actualization, notions of karma and retribution, and ritual purity. Since the late nineteenth century, the impacts of increasing transnational entanglements, new ideas, and changing food practices have subtly transformed this tradition: these transformations include an engagement with global animal protection movements in the wake of the First World War and contemporary attempts to integrate concerns about global warming, food safety, and environmentalism into the discourse. By looking at three specific cases, the special issue traces the persistence and evolution of vegetarian concepts and practices in Chinese societies from the late imperial period until today.</jats:p>

DOI： 10.1353/tcc.2024.a938045

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

<jats:p xml:lang="en"> Abstract: This article traces the evolution of vegetarianism among practitioners of the Chinese-Taiwanese religious movement Yiguandao (Way of Pervading Unity) from the late nineteenth century until the contemporary global COVID-19 pandemic. Even though abstention from meat and related food products is not a requirement for membership, devoted Yiguandao practitioners nevertheless value it as a hallmark of religious commitment and dedication. I argue that we can observe a clear shift in discourses on vegetarianism that is intimately related to the evolution of Yiguandao from a local religious group at the beginning of the twentieth century to a globalized movement in the early twenty-first century. Although throughout most of the twentieth century Yiguandao's discourses on vegetarianism favored a self-centered approach aimed at the physical and religious well-being of the individual, in recent decades they have been infused with scientific concepts and have become increasingly linked to social and environmental concerns on a global basis.</jats:p>

DOI： 10.1353/tcc.2024.a938048

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

<jats:p xml:lang="en"> Abstract: This paper explores how the Taiwanese-Chinese religious movement Yiguandao (“Way of Pervading Unity”) creates a community of non-Chinese followers by utilizing Daoism-related beliefs and practices. Drawing on ethnographic data from fieldwork conducted in California in early 2018, published Yiguandao materials, and internet resources, the paper argues that Yiguandao activists specifically invest their messages in Daoist symbols, beliefs, and practices to reach out to non-Chinese sympathizers of “Asian philosophies” and eventually to establish a global and cross-cultural community of Dao followers. By discussing a case study from Los Angeles, the paper seeks to understand the patterns of Yiguandao activists’ engagement with Daoism and how their efforts blend into establishing a global Daoist field. Finally, it thereby invites us to rethink the often haphazardly drawn boundaries—both by practitioners and scholars—between Daoism and other religious phenomena, including New Age, spirituality, and Chinese popular sects.</jats:p>

DOI： 10.1353/jcr.2024.a928802

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DOI： 10.1163/9789004677906_013

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DOI： 10.1163/9789004533004_021

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