CHAPTER II. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.4. Research Methodology
國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
state. In return, government policies in the development of Vietnam, even though under Communism Party but equally liberal as legal system in Taiwan.
2.4. Research Methodology
There are two methods to examine the research question above. Historical account in the current religious issue is considered. This is due to the aim on how Buddhism in Vietnam evolved over war-peace and development period. Nevertheless, having only historical data is apparently not adequate. As Tatsuru (2013) 13 commented on the history book of Vietnam as “ Recording and storing documents is not a tradition of Vietnam culture. It leads to many difficulties for foreign scholars to conduct a research about Vietnam, without living in the society’. Indeed, implied about accommodate with the culture and interacting with people is the best way to write about this country. Subsequently, interviews will be conducted within the Buddhism clergies and the policy makers. The religious leader from other new religion in Vietnam, such as Yi-guan Dao is also included. The different view from foreigner, who is practicing new- different beliefs in Vietnam may bring an objective comment on religious administration system from the government.
The next paragraph will explain how the historical research and interviews will be conducted. In order to look at the different religious policy during the colonization, immoral American War and after the economy liberalization, we divide our exploration into three pillars of time. As a close neighbor of Mainland China, Vietnamese in the early day, used to live under the powerful authority. Having
13Tatsuru.A. 2013. The role of Buddhism in Social Work Vietnam and Japan. Social Work Institute Asian Center for Welfare in Society.
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
acknowledged that an unbalance war was soon started, the King offered donations, bribes to avoid battles. During about thousand years, the country had a national political slogan as “ formal dependence but true independence”. In content, the King had his own power to establish Buddhism net in social-cultural life. Hence, we use this historical ruler as our first pillar to determine a strong Buddhism base in cultural-religious society. When French came to colonize Vietnam, other Western religion, especially Christianity had been seen as a forced religion. However, again, with a
‘none denied’ strategy, the civilians leaders safe the country from a religious war.
This period is not only important but also a signature on the reconciliation culture within the country. They endure diverse religions without conflict. The Western intelligentsia was forced in the society, but people, still insisted on hiding their own belief, culture. In the America War, Vietnam was divided by two part, the North and the South. Merely, this ‘short’ twenty years as the most suffered in the War history of Vietnam. We evaluate it as the most difficult path to have accurate, non-bias historical documents. If the ‘history belongs to the winner’, in this war, both side was lost significantly.
The discussion will highlight on the result of America War and how Buddhist became soldiers, patriots, and pioneers. Before having a ‘seat’ in the Communism party, the monks, priests sustained over 10 years of misunderstanding. The new government has been effected from Russia and China ideology on removing ‘theology’ from the society. Fortunately, thank to the long history and Vietnamese individual characteristic, there was none of dramatic ‘punishment’ had been applied. The continue period, after 1986, Vietnam government again, keep their ‘traditional respect’ attitude on religion. It was the main key on differentiating religious policies
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
in Vietnam, in comparisons with other alliances. Our data and documents come from the Institute of Philosophy in Vietnam, with a combination of new project has been done in The University of Social Science and Humanities of Vietnam. As having mentioned, with the aim of anti-bias in history, we will also research on the academic literature from Vietnam War in different foreign sources.
The chapter attempts to describe the relation between Communist Party and Buddhist groups that influenced by historical contexts. The mechanism between the two powers was flourish before the Party took over the provisional government. Back to the recruiting period for the military to conduct an independent revolution in 1932, the main arm force source came from the working class. They were accounted for around 80% population in the meantime. Colonial empire brought many disadvantages for the ordinary residences. The more suffer they have, the more tendency they find religion to escape from the material life. As a consequence, the purpose for civilians to follow the Party was similar as they visited the worship houses. In addition, under the two colonials, Buddhism lost their popularity on the reinforcement of Confucianism and Romans Catholics, followed by the empire China and France.
When Buddhism institutions were struggling to survive, the ambition of Communism revolution attracted the group.
During around 45 years of political instability, religion went through several synergetic stages in the relation with the government. Since 1990, the single-party state acknowledged the important role of religion to imply governmental policy in the public. In particular, Buddhism attained an irreplaceable position on political propagation, public affairs and cultural guardian in the re-innovation period. Notably,
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
when a dialogue had been built with the theological leaders, the state was given free hands to concentrate on economic development. In the foreign affair, religious issue became central mediator for Vietnam to join international organization. In particular, the human right claim on religious freedom in the domestic controversy was resolved to promote the normalization between Vietnam and the United State (in 1995).
Vu,Bailey& Chen (2016)14 affirmed that Vietnam have grown increasingly wary of China’s rising economic and military power, the country ought to hedge against Chinese influence by building relations with other regional power, it is the United State.
Religious institutions, especially Buddhism in return, obtained state fund to maintain the temples facilities. Religious projects such as building educational institutions, further pagodas and temples construction were processed. The Buddhism Association became the authority of number of religious property and religious sightseeing. The monastic life was improved significantly. Also, Vietnamese Buddhism heavily depended on Buddhism documents, books, and sutras from the foreign resources.
Hence, the better relation religious leaders gained with the state, the more opportunities for monks and nuns to study abroad. Buddhism circumstances in Vietnam need to acquire further educational level to join the global Buddhism. The transnational religious affair not only offer chances for domestic clergies improve their knowledge to translate important Buddhism sutras, but also gathering number of foreign, devotees in other countries to nourish the ability of Buddhist group on social and charitable work. Recently, a communicative channel has been gradually figured for the debate of religious groups and the state on the Draft of Religious Law.
14
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
Appendix 1 The Vision of Synergy in different Historical Periods
‧
國立 政 治 大 學