Significance of Theravada Buddhism in everyday lives of Peranakan Chinese of Kelantan

Abstract

In Malaysia, religion is one of important ethnic identity markers for some ethnic groups such as Malay, Sikh and Thai. The same, however, might not apply to ethnic Chinese. Instead, they adhere to a variety of religions such as Confucianism, Taoism, ancestor worship, local folk belief and Christianity. More often than not, they practice more than one above mentioned religions simultaneously under an umbrella label, viz. 'Chinese religion'. Similar phenomenon may also be found in a highly assimilating Chinese subethnic group such as Peranakan Chinese of Kelantan (here onwards PCK). Interestingly, this community is unique compared to other communities of Peranakan Chinese as well as mainstream Chinese in terms of their identification with Theravada Buddhism as part of their Chinese religion. In this aspect, PCK shares a similarity with ethnic Thai, which is another minority ethnic group in the state. Whilst interethnic relationship between Thai and PCK has been well-studied, relationship between Theravada Buddhism as a religious institution and PCK is still little known. This paper attempts to take a closer look on significance of Theravada Buddhism with focus on Sangha and Wat institutions in everyday lives of PCK.