Revisiting the Social Functions of Buddhist Monasteries in Contemporary Guangdong: A Specific Reference to Chaozhou Kaiyuan Si

Buddhist monasteries in China have historically fulfilled four mainfunctions: spirituality, education, charity, and culture. These functions have variedsignificantly over time and have been influenced by changing sociopolitical contexts.While existing scholarship has explored the societal roles of these monasteries, lessattention has been given to the fluid and dynamic interplay between these functions.Moreover, the extent to which certain monasteries emphasized specific roles due totheir strategic location remains understudied. This study examines the contemporaryfunctions of Buddhist monasteries in Guangdong Province, focusing on Kaiyuan Si(Monastery of the Kaiyuan Era) in Chaozhou. Fieldwork was conducted from March toMay 2023, including participation in religious observances and ceremonies. Surveys of100 laypersons attending monastery programs assessed religiosity, while in-depthinterviews with five senior residential monks, two of whom oversee the monastery'scharity foundation, provided further insights. Archival materials and unpublishedmemoirs were also reviewed. Findings indicate that Kaiyuan Si operates as more thana religious center. Its educational programs, emphasizing Buddhist philosophy andtraditional Chinese arts, overshadow its spiritual role. A notable feature is a ThaiBuddhist temple adjacent to Kaiyuan Si, modeled after Bangkok's WatBenchamabophit Dusit Wanaram. Donated by Thai-Chinese tycoon Mr. PrichaPhisittkasem (Xie Huiru, 1913–1997) to honor his ancestors, this temple symbolizesChinese-Thai cultural exchange. However, its presence also serves as a tool for China'spublic diplomacy with Thailand. This study argues that long-standing Buddhistmonasteries in China, such as Kaiyuan Si, increasingly adopt secular roles. Theiractivities and architectural designs align with traditional Chinese culture, reflecting ashift from religious to cultural and diplomatic functions. These findings highlight howBuddhist monasteries in contemporary China are recontextualized within broadercultural and geopolitical frameworks.

中国佛教寺院在历史上承担四大核心职能：精神引领、教育传承、公益慈善与文化传播。这些职能随时代变迁发生显著变化，并深受社会政治环境演变的影响。尽管现有学术研究已探讨了此类寺院的社会角色，但针对其各项职能间流动且动态的相互作用的关注仍显不足。此外，部分寺院因地缘战略优势而侧重特定职能的程度，目前仍未得到充分研究。本研究旨在探讨广东省佛教寺院的当代职能，研究重点为潮州开元寺（Kaiyuan Si，即开元时代寺院）。研究于2023年3月至5月开展田野调查，期间参与了宗教仪轨与相关仪式。本研究对参与寺院活动的100名在家居士开展宗教虔诚度问卷调查，同时对5名常住资深僧侣进行深度访谈——其中2名僧侣负责管理寺院的慈善基金会，以此获取进一步的研究视角。此外，本研究还查阅了档案资料与未刊回忆录。研究结果显示，开元寺的功能早已超越宗教活动中心的范畴：其以佛教哲学与中国传统艺术为核心的教育项目，其影响力已超过其精神引领职能。该寺院的一大显著特征是毗邻一座泰国佛教寺院，其建筑复刻自曼谷的本底寺（Wat Benchamabophit Dusit Wanaram）。这座寺院由泰籍华人富商普里查·披西他卡森（Pricha Phisittkasem，谢慧如，1913–1997）捐资修建，以纪念其先祖，亦是中泰文化交流的具象象征。但与此同时，该寺院也成为中国对泰公共外交的一项重要工具。本研究认为，中国的百年古刹（如开元寺）正日益承担起世俗化职能。其各类活动与建筑设计均贴合中国传统文化内核，反映出寺院职能从宗教性向文化性与外交性的转型。本研究结果亦揭示了当代中国佛教寺院如何在更广泛的文化与地缘政治框架下被重新赋予时代内涵。