【中文版见下部】
Which temples and Buddhist practice centers in Taiwan have close ties with Chinese government bodies and civil society?
As of September 2026, judging by publicly verifiable high-level contacts, repeated visits, permanent projects, and organizational relationships, the following are among the clearest cases. “Close ties” refers only to the intensity of contact; it does not automatically mean that an institution is controlled by the Chinese authorities, acts unlawfully, or supports political unification.
| Taiwanese temple or organization | Verifiable ties with China | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Fo Guang Shan | Master Hsing Yun met Xi Jinping. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office publicly praised his role in cross-Strait relations and expressed the hope that Fo Guang Shan would continue promoting such exchanges. Fo Guang Shan also operates its ancestral Dajue Temple in Yixing, Jiangsu, and continues to receive delegations from the Buddhist Association of China. | Very strong official and religious ties. Taiwan Affairs Office |
| Chung Tai Chan Monastery | It has long received representatives from the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the Taiwan Affairs Office, the Buddhist Association of China, and local Chinese authorities. It has also jointly organized cross-Strait Buddhist cultural forums. | Historically strong and comparatively institutionalized official ties. Chung Tai exchange record, Cross-Strait Buddhist Cultural Forum |
| Tzu Chi / Jing Si Abode | Tzu Chi has a nationwide foundation in Suzhou that was approved by China’s State Council and registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It carries out long-term disaster relief, medical, environmental, and volunteer activities in China. | One of the deepest operational and grassroots networks, although its publicly documented activities are primarily charitable and should not automatically be interpreted as political alignment. Tzu Chi Charity Foundation |
| United Association of Humanistic Buddhism, Chunghua | Although it is not itself a temple, it serves as a major institutional interface. It has organized large Buddhist delegations to China and maintained contacts with the Taiwan Affairs Office, religious-affairs authorities, and the Buddhist Association of China. In 2026, a Chinese Buddhist delegation hosted by the association also interacted with Fo Guang Shan, Dharma Drum Mountain, Ling Jiou Mountain, and Tzu Chi. | One of the most important cross-temple platforms. 2026 exchange report |
| Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society | It has repeatedly received delegations from China’s religious-affairs authorities and the Buddhist Association of China. Its Museum of World Religions has also participated in cross-Strait religious and cultural exchanges. | Medium-to-high intensity, mainly involving religious and cultural exchanges. Ling Jiou Mountain record |
| Dharma Drum Mountain | It continues to participate in visits and exchanges involving the Buddhist Association of China, Buddhist scholarship, and cross-Strait Buddhist organizations. | Moderate ties, primarily religious and academic. Publicly documented political involvement is weaker than in the cases of Fo Guang Shan or Chung Tai. |
| Dajia Jenn Lann Temple / Taiwan Mazu Fellowship | The temple began making pilgrimages to the Mazu ancestral temple on Meizhou Island in 1987. The Taiwan Mazu Fellowship now connects a large number of member temples. Its chairman Cheng Ming-kun has publicly described Taiwan Affairs Office director Song Tao as an old friend, while former Jenn Lann Temple chairman Yen Ching-piao has continued attending major Mazu events on Meizhou. | The clearest combination of official and organizational ties within Taiwanese folk religion.Reuters investigation, Jenn Lann Temple history |
| Gongfan Temple in Mailiao, Yunlin | Temple representatives have said that they regularly make pilgrimages to China and that officials associated with China’s united-front system sometimes attend these religious events. The temple denies receiving benefits or subsidies. | Regular grassroots contact is clear, accompanied by event-level official contact. BBC/Business Weekly report |
| Other Mazu temples with active contacts | China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has documented visits or sister-temple relationships involving Banqiao Cihui Temple, Nantun Wanhe Temple, Xingang Fengtian Temple, Xigang Qing’an Temple, Luermen Tianhou Temple, and Qijin Tianhou Temple. | Documented exchanges exist, but their intensity differs from temple to temple. A pilgrimage or sister-temple relationship alone does not establish political ties. Taiwan Affairs Office event record |
| Dalongdong Bao’an Temple | It has maintained long-term ceremonial and cultural exchanges with Baijiao and Qingjiao Ciji temples in Fujian, regarded as ancestral temples of the Baosheng Dadi tradition. | Strong grassroots, historical, and cultural ties; direct official ties are less evident. Bao’an Temple |
Regarding the overall scale, one study based on publicly available material from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office identified at least 116 China-supported religious exchange events in 2024, involving approximately 40 Taiwanese temples. Mazu worship constituted the largest category. Because the identities of many participating temples were not fully disclosed, no reliable and complete public list currently exists. IORG study, Reuters report
It is also important to note that the charter of the Buddhist Association of China places it under the professional supervision of the state religious-affairs authorities. Contacts with this association, the Taiwan Affairs Office, or religious-affairs agencies therefore have an evident official or state-linked dimension. However, such contacts alone do not prove financial control, political subordination, or the existence of an official chain of command. Charter of the Buddhist Association of China
As for Bao Yan Chan Monastery and the Yuan Dao Cultural and Educational Foundation, public records show that they have received large visiting groups from Buddhist institutions in Shanghai, Jiangxi, Fujian, and other parts of China. This demonstrates clear monastic and civil Buddhist contacts. At present, however, publicly available evidence is insufficient to establish a similarly close, permanent organizational relationship with the Taiwan Affairs Office or China’s united-front system. Relevant visit record
截至2026年9月，按公开可验证的高层接触、重复互访、常设项目和组织关系判断，较明确的节点如下。“联系密切”只表示往来强度，不等同于接受中国官方指挥、违法或赞同统一。
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