Curating Buddhism, Fostering Diplomacy: The “Secrets of the Fallen Pagoda” Exhibition in Singapore

Abstract

In 2014, Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), in collaboration with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center, organized the “Secrets of the Fallen Pagoda” exhibition in Singapore. The exhibition featured artefacts excavated from the Famen Temple, as well as objects excavated from other sites in Shaanxi province. This article draws on the case of ACM’s “Secrets of the Fallen Pagoda” exhibition to explore the use of Buddhist artefacts in the diplomacy between China and Singapore. It argues that the exhibition demonstrates the intersection between cultural and Buddhist diplomacy, highlighting how Buddhist cultural heritage was used as a platform to foster diplomatic ties between two secular countries with predominantly Buddhist and ethnic Chinese populations. While Buddhist material culture and history might have been used to highlight the shared cultural ties between China and Singapore, differing perceptions over the exhibition’s presentation provides ground for contemplating the varied meanings behind the use of religious objects in cultural diplomacy.