The Current Development of Religious Studies in the Chinese Intellectual World.

Religious activities have been thriving in China and Taiwan since 1980s when the respective governments of these two states loosened their political control The study of religion, in response to this rising phenomenon, has become an attractive field in the Chinese intellectual world. Many institutes or departments of religion have been established, and each has distinguished itself in a certain area of study. This paper spells out the historical, political, and ideological background from which the current development of religious studies has derived. Analyzing and classifying over one thousand M A and Ph D theses produced during 2000-2006, it further highlights the trends and prominent features of this nascent scholarship. The paper acknowledges the achievement of religious studies in present-day China and Taiwan. It at the same time points out that if this scholarship is to advance to a more sophisticated stage, his in need of a change of vision and practice that includes viewing religions as lived and living realities, more exposure to theories of religion, solid basic training, and mote interaction with the international field of religious studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]