Jile Buddhist Temple in Harbin, Its History and Contemporary Religious Practices

Abstract

This article focuses on the activities and religious practices of the Jile Temple (Temple of Bliss) in Harbin; one of the largest and most respected in northeast China. Harbin, founded in 1898 by Russian railway engineers in connection with the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway, brings together different ethnic and religious cultures. This study provides a brief historical overview of the activities of the temple, which played a major role in the development of Buddhism in the context of multicultural ideological and political trends in the first decades of the 20th century. The most important temple practices and celebrations are analyzed alongside the review of cultural heritage sources. Special attention is paid to the analysis of traditional rituals that take place as part of the celebration of Buddha's birthday in the fourth month of the lunar calendar. Based on the analysis of written sources and the use of ethnographic materials, including conversations with monks and laymen of the Jile Temple, the main stages and features of the ritual of washing the Buddha statue are highlighted, where manipulation of incense plays an important role. Closely linked to the history and evolution of Buddhism, religious events and rituals continue to have a profound influence on the traditions and culture of modern society.