Abstract:

The Bulang, indigenous to Yunnan province and one of the ethnic groups with a comparatively small population in China,lives in scattered communities across the Sino-Burmese border, and religiously practice Theravada Buddhism and other Chinese folk beliefs. The Bulang communities across the border have long maintained close contact and friendly exchanges. On the basis of an analysis of the ethnological data concerning such cross-border exchanges as religious festivities and practices, transnational marriages and trade, which are mainly collected among the Bulang communities in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, the author finds that these cross-border interactions have no doubt played a positive role in promoting ethnic unity and cultural inheritance of the Bulang as well as in enhancing the international influence of China. Yet, the rapidly increasing mobility across the border, the religious
culture exchanges in particular, has also posed challenges to the social harmony in Chinese border areas and the national security of China as a whole. Therefore, the article suggests that strengthening the religious affairs administration, constructing the grass-roots public cultural service system, and enhancing the national identity of the ethnic groups in the border areas, which will be of great significance in maintaining border stability and national security of China.

Key words: religious beliefs, religious culture exchanges, national security, the Bulang ethnic group