The Concept of “Buddhist Diplomacy” in the Academic Discourse of East Asian Countries

This article examines the application of the concept of “Buddhist diplomacy” within the academic discourse of the social sciences and humanities in China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan. The study analyzes scholarly publications – including journal articles, monographs, and dissertations – that employ this term, sourced from major academic databases in these countries. Additional materials such as media publications and websites of research and educational institutions were also consulted. The findings indicate that the concept of “Buddhist diplomacy” has not gained wide-spread traction in the scholarly discourse of China, Korea, and Japan. Despite the active participation of Buddhist organizations and figures from these countries in international contacts and the appeal to the common Buddhist heritage and system of values in communication with representatives of other Asian countries, the role of the Buddhist factor in international relations rarely becomes the subject of special study. Buddhist diplomacy is considered as one of the elements of the system of cultural relations. In the study of “Buddhist diplomacy” in China, two main directions can be distinguished: historical research (the study of international contacts during the early Middle Ages and in the 20th century) and research in the field of contemporary international relations. In the Republic of Korea and Japan, the concept of “Buddhist diplomacy” is applied almost exclusively in research focusing on the history of contacts between the East Asian countries during the early Middle Ages, when Buddhist contacts and exchanges laid the foundation for diplomatic relations in Asia.