Abstract
This article examines the evolution of Cai Yuanpei's (1868–1940) views on religion in general and Buddhism in particular, focusing on his little-known essay, “Protecting the Nation through Buddhist Teachings” (1900). The twofold aim is to explain how a generally secularist leader such as Cai could have once advocated Buddhism as a key in constructing a modern nation but then changed his views. Toward this end I analyze Cai's writings and probe the sources of his ideas. This investigation reveals that Cai derived pro-Buddhist ideas from modernist Japanese Buddhism and from native Chinese thinkers fearful of Christianity and disenchanted with Confucianism. I argue that Cai’s gradual change was due to Western secular philosophies and to his experiences with religious groups. I suggest that Cai wrestled with a fundamental issue for modern states, which remains divisive worldwide to this day: whether to grant a given religion or ideology a privileged place in the national constitution. An annotated translation of Cai's essay is appended.
Keywords
Cai Yuanpei, religion, Buddhism, jiao (teachings /religion), guo (nation/state), Inoue Enryō
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