Buddhism

• QIONGHAI, China, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sub-forum on Religious Harmony and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations at the Boao Forum for Asia 2024 ("BFA 2024") is set to feature its first ever roundtable discussion on March 29th.
• The event sought to promote mutual learning between world religions and civilizations of the East and West through the "Boao Dialogue".
• HARADA MITSUNORI commented, "I feel optimistic about future cultural exchanges between Buddhist communities in China and Japan, fostering bridges of understanding and camaraderie between our two nations."
• The Buddhist Association of China has proudly hosted eight Boao Religious Sub-Forums, eight South China Sea Buddhist Roundtables, and the "Overseas Spreading and Influence of Chinese Chan Culture - Dahongshan Forum".

• TOKYO, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Niwano Peace Foundation will award the 41st Niwano Peace Prize to Prof. Mohammed Abu-Nimer of American University in Washington D.C., who is the founder of the D.C.-based Salam Institute for Peace and Justice, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to peace combining conflict resolution and interfaith dialogue.
• In addition to an award certificate, the Palestinian-American scholar will receive a medal and a cash prize of 20 million yen.
• The Niwano Peace Foundation established the Niwano Peace Prize to honor and encourage individuals and organizations that have contributed significantly to inter-religious cooperation, thereby furthering the cause of world peace, and to make their achievements known as widely as possible.
• The Niwano Peace Foundation was chartered in 1978 to contribute to the realization of world peace and the enhancement of a culture of peace.

• The research highlights a critical gap in the field, where non-Western data and theories often remain marginalized.
• This exclusion persists despite a global economic shift, with nations such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa playing an increasingly pivotal role.
• Such studies underscore the value of integrating diverse geographical contexts into management theory, moving beyond the Western-centric perspectives that risk producing contextually detached and inaccurate predictions.
• This gap underscores the critical need for a wider, inclusive research agenda that acknowledges and examines the diverse realities of global management practices.

• Also known as the Spring Festival (春節), or simply Chinese New Year, it marks the beginning of the year according to the traditional lunar calendar.
• I’m a scholar of Chinese religious history and culture who was born in a Year of the Dragon.
• What fascinates me the most is how the celebrations are a reminder of the longevity and vibrancy of traditional Chinese culture.

Food, gifts and celebrations

• Preparations start a week in advance and include cleaning and decorating the home, as well as shopping, especially for gifts and provisions, and food preparation.
• A central event is the family dinner on the eve of the new year.
• Other customs associated with Lunar New Year celebrations include the giving of red envelopes containing money, usually by elders to younger members of the family.
• However, more recently the Chinese government has been cracking down on this traditional practice on the grounds of its being dangerous and polluting.

Year of the Dragon

• To this day, a dragon image is often used to symbolize China itself.
• Because of the dragon’s auspicious associations, dragon years tend to bring upticks in fertility rates.
• Thus, there are 12 animals, each associated with a year in the cycle: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Origins of the lunar calendar

• While modern China adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1912, traditional festivals such as the Lunar New Year still follow the old lunar calendar.
• The origins of the lunar calendar may go back to the dawn of Chinese civilization, traditionally associated with the legendary Xia dynasty, said to have ruled from 2070 to 1600 B.C.

Religiosity and Lunar New Year galas

• While the Lunar New Year is generally centered on the theme of family bonding, religious observances are also an integral part of the festivities.
• These include domestic rituals associated with popular Chinese deities, such as the Kitchen God and the God of Wealth.
• A modern element in ushering in the Lunar New Year is watching the New Year’s Gala, a popular variety show that features singing, dancing, comedy and drama.

Largest human migration

• In recent decades, China has experienced drastic demographic changes, especially the migration of large rural populations into big urban centers.
• As a result, the Lunar New Year brings about the largest human migration in the world, as students and migrant workers do their best to get back to their families.

Celebrations outside China

• Usually, these celebrations have some unique features or assume local character.
• For instance, in Vietnam, where the festival is known as Tết, there is the preparation of various local dishes, along with parades and public performances.
• In the U.S. and Australia, where there are substantial ethnically Chinese populations, Chinese New Year festivals and parades are held each year.

Mario Poceski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.