Idioms of Dignity and Respect: Addressing Elderly Strangers in Buddhist Monastic Publics in Reformed China

Abstract

The paper examines the idioms of dignity and respect in addressing elderly individuals within Buddhist monastic publics in reformed China. It analyzes the use of three common address terms—jushi, shixiong, and lao pusa—and other phrasings as observed during fieldwork in Buddhist temples in Eastern and Southern China in the 2010s. By introducing the concept of “Buddhist monastic publics,” the study illuminates the dynamic interplay between a resident monastic life and the casual encounters of temple-goers. Address patterns are contextualized within the historical tension between monastic and lay statuses in a state-centric, Han-majority society, revealing fluctuating boundaries of inclusivity and exclusivity in Han Buddhist temple interactions. Overall, this study offers anthropological insights into the evolving dynamics of respect and recognition within contemporary Chinese Buddhist sociality. It highlights the diversity of discursive forms that inform and shape this social fabric, contributing to an interactionist interpretation of Buddhist temple engagement.