The Spatiality of Buddhism in Shenzhen: Exploration Through Guattari’s Three Ecologies

Abstract

This article explores the spatiality of Buddhism in the metropolis Shenzhen through its revitalization process in the past decades alongside the rapid expansion of the city. The author explores Buddhist practice communities within an urban village (chengzhongcun 城中村) and the central Buddhist temple build in the same neighbourhood. The article aims to illuminate some of the particularities and tensions of urbanization, environment, and the revival of Buddhism in the PRC. Building on Felix Guatarri's thesis of the three ecologies, the author presents a descriptive account of the main active communities in the examined neighbourhood. Furthermore, the article argues that, in order to understand the workings of Buddhist configurations in contemporary urban China, we must look at the registers of the environment, social structure, and human subjectivity. The article suggests that these three ecologies are interconnected and make up the ecology of Shenzhen Buddhism.