Institutional Innovation and International Comparative Study on the Cultivation of Religious Professionals under the Sinicization-Oriented Development of Han Buddhism

Abstract

In the context of the growing pluralization of global Buddhism and the profound transformations brought about by the digital era, the Sinicization of Buddhism represents not merely the continuation of cultural heritage, but also an internal process of self-renewal within Buddhist traditions. Grounded in the dual theoretical frameworks of the Sinicization of religion and the socialization theory of education, this study employs qualitative comparative research and document analysis to explore institutional innovations in the cultivation of monastic and religious professionals within Chinese Han Buddhist education. In addition, a comparative analysis is conducted with Buddhist educational systems in Japan, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
Drawing on semi-structured interviews with twelve faculty members and administrators from five Han Buddhist academies in China, the study reveals that contemporary Han Buddhist education in China is gradually forming a “three-dimensional integrated training model”, characterized by political identification as its core orientation, cultural integration as its developmental pathway, and institutionalized educational structures as its foundational guarantee.
The findings further suggest that Buddhist academies should strengthen cultural self-confidence, scholarly research capacity, and social service functions within their institutional frameworks, so as to promote a more comprehensive, open, and internationally engaged model of Buddhist education in the new era.