The World Buddhist Forum () was held in

Hangzhou Hangzhou, , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly romanized as Hangchow is a sub-provincial city in East China and the capital of Zhejiang province. With a population of 13 million, the municipality comprises ten districts, two counti ...

City and

Zhoushan Zhoushan is an urbanized archipelago with the administrative status of a prefecture-level city in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. It consists of an archipelago of islands at the southern mouth of Hangzhou Bay off the mainland c ...

City,

Zhejiang Province ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, from April 13 to April 16, 2006. It was the first major international religious conference in China since the founding of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

in 1949. Over 1,000 monks and experts from 37 countries and regions attended the forum, giving speeches or participating in discussions under the theme of "A harmonious world begins in the mind." Among the participants was

Gyaincain Norbu Chökyi Gyalpo, also referred to by his secular name Gyaincain Norbu or Gyaltsen Norbu (born 13 February 1990), is considered the 11th Panchen Lama by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He is also the vice president of the Buddhist Associatio ...

, the then 16-year-old Chinese-approved 11th

Panchen Lama The Panchen Lama () is a tulku of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Panchen Lama is one of the most important figures in the Gelug tradition, with its spiritual authority second only to the Dalai Lama. Along with the council of high la ...

, who was the figurehead of the forum, and made very rare public appearances. However, according to a news story by

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...

, fellow Buddhists appeared to shun him during opening ceremonies. This forum did not include the current and exiled 14th Dalai Lama, who is viewed by China as a

separatist Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, regional, governmental, or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seekin ...

. According to Qi Xiaofei, vice-director of the Chinese state administration for religious affairs, "The Dalai Lama is not only a religious figure, but is also a long-time stubborn

secessionist Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a Polity, political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal i ...

who has tried to split his Chinese motherland and break the unity among different ethnic groups."

Proposal

Eight disciples from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan proposed the World Buddhist Forum in China in 2004, a suggestion that won support from Buddhist circles in countries like Japan and the Republic of Korea. From October 2004 to November 2005, with the common propagation of the Buddhist communities of Hong Kong, Macao and across the Taiwan Strait, the proposal of hosting the World Buddhist Forum in Mainland China won universal support and an active response from Buddhist communities in over 40 countries. The Chinese government gave assurances it would support the Buddhist community to host the grand historic event.

Overseers of the First World Buddhist Forum

*Venerable Master Yi Cheng, President,

Buddhist Association of China The Buddhist Association of China (BCA, zh, 中国佛教协会) is the official government supervisory organ of Buddhism in the People's Republic of China. The association has been overseen by the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Centra ...

. *Losang Jigmê Tubdain Qoigyi Nyima, 6th Jamyang Zhepa and abbot,

Labrang Monastery Labrang Monastery (; Chinese: Lābǔléng Sì, 拉卜楞寺) is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism founded by Je Lama Tsongkhapa. Its formal name is ''Genden Shédrup Dargyé Trashi Gyésu khyilwé Ling'' ...

; Vice President,

. *Venerable Master Ben Huan, Director,

. *Venerable Master

Hsing Yun Hsing Yun (; 19 August 1927 – 5 February 2023) was a Chinese Buddhist monk, teacher, and philanthropist based in Taiwan. He was the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist monastic order as well as the layperson-based Buddha's Light Interna ...

, Founder,

Fo Guang Shan Fo Guang Shan (FGS) () is an international Chinese Buddhism, Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhist organization and monastic order based in Taiwan that practices Humanistic Buddhism whose roots are traced to the Linji school of Chan Buddhism. The headqu ...

Monastery, Taiwan. * Huba Longzhuangmeng, Abbot of

Xishuangbanna Xishuangbanna, sometimes shortened to Banna, is one of the eight autonomous prefectures of Yunnan Province. The autonomous prefecture for Dai people is in the extreme south of Yunnan province, China, bordering both Myanmar and Laos. Xishuangbanna ...

Monastery. *Venerable Master

Wei Chueh Wei Chueh (, 1928 – 8 April 2016) was a Chinese ''Bhikshu'' (Buddhist monk) from Taiwan. He is the founder of the Chung Tai Shan monastery and Buddhist order. Wei Chueh is often credited for reviving the traditional teachings of Chan Buddhis ...

, Founder,

Chung Tai Shan Chung Tai Shan () is a Taiwan-based international Chan Buddhist monastic order founded by Wei Chueh in 1987. The monastery headquarters, Chung Tai Chan Monastery (or Chung Tai Chan Buddhist Temple, 中台禪寺), completed in September 2001, is ...

Monastery, Taiwan. *Venerable Master

Sheng Hui Sheng may refer to: Chinese culture * Sheng (instrument) (笙), a Chinese wind instrument * Sheng (surname) (盛), a Chinese surname * Sheng (Chinese opera), a major role in Chinese opera * Sheng (volume) (升), ancient Chinese unit of volume, a ...

, Vice President and Dean of the Chinese Buddhist Academy. *Venerable Master Kok Kwong, President of the

Hong Kong Buddhist Association Hong Kong Buddhist Association ( zh, t=香港佛教聯合會, j=hoeng1 gong2 fat6 gaau3 lyun4 hap6 wui2) is a Buddhist umbrella organisation in Hong Kong which was founded in 1945. The association has nearly ten thousands individual members inc ...

Purpose and guiding principle

The forum aimed to set up an open dialogue in equality and pluralism, for those who love the world, care for living beings, respect and protect Buddhism, with a loving heart to conduct exchanges and collaboration. The forum was open to all, Buddhists and non-Buddhists, regardless of tradition or religious background, hoping to accomplish an open dialogue on Buddhist topics.

References

{{reflist 2006 conferences 2006 in China International Buddhist organizations

Proposal

Overseers of the First World Buddhist Forum

Purpose and guiding principle

See also

References