The reconstruction of Buddhist monasteries in the Chinese Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia: Between Sanctuary and Museum?

This paper was presented at the International Seminar “Revival of Buddhism in Mongolia after 1990 (Warsaw, 24-28th November 1999).It gives an overview of the revival of Buddhist monasteries in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Province of China, and of the preservation state of the Buddhist architectural heritage, from fieldwork conducted between 1993 and 1998. It also sketches the evolution in the restoration and rebuilding of monasteries during this period