Evening star., 1938-12-18
By LLOYD LEHRBAS.

Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
HANGCHOW, China, Dec. ia
Buddhist reformation designed to
achieve Japanese domination OF
China's millions of Buddhists is en-
visioned in hundred year plan
formulated by the Japanese Army
Spreading out from Hangchow
one of the great religious centers
of China, the special service section
of the Japanese Army (Which spe-
cializes in newspaper publishing
radio boadcasting, education
spreading of japanese culture and
inculcation of other pro-Japanese
dogmas in conquered territories)
plans cleansing, reorganization
and revitalizing of Chinese Bud
dhism which will eventually make 1t
the counterpart of Buddhism in
Japan.
Gyokai Kawata of famous Nara
Temple in Japan, who was imported
by the special service section and
made abott over the Chinese monks
in Hangchow's largest and most
famous temple, explained in detail
why, how and where the imperial
army (Which works in closest CO.
operation with Buddhism in Japan
plans to bring about a Buddhist
reformation in China. This would
give the Japanese-sponsored and
protected "puppet" government a
dominating influence and control
in the religion of over 400, ,OO0, 900
people.
Sees Christianity Smothered.
While Abbot Kawata emphasized
only the reformation" of Buddhism
with it's beneficial results to the
Chinese people who follow Buddha s
teachings it is self-evident that a
strong, virile Japanese dominated
Buddhism will counteract the efforts
Of the hundreds of Americans, Brit
ish, French, German, Italian, Scan
dinavian and other missionaries who
have labored for many years at
tempting to convert the Chinese to
Christianity.
What effect that Buddhist refor-
nation will have on Christian mis-
sionary work-already beset by
mounting difficulties intensified by
the Sino-Japanese undeclared war
remains for the future to decide.
THE Imperial japanese Army
occupied Hangchow last December
a." explained Abbott Kawata-a
tall, virile, sparkling-eyed dominat-
ing personality, looking more like
a military man than a monk, even
in his plain black robe and red
slippers-"and soon after l was
sent to assume charge of the Bud
dhiSt monks in this area.
1000 Monks Return.
Before the hostilities there were
thousands of Chinese monks, nearly
all uneducated of illiterate, among
the 300 temples in and around Hang
chow. Most of them fled when the
japanese forces marched in, but
some have now returned to their
temples and we have about 1000.
"A large percentage of those 1000
are uneducated and many are mere
ly 'loaferS' who donned monks
robes as the easiest way to insure
themselves living among a people
whose religion had become weak
ened by superstition. Most of the
monks still here know so little of
Buddhism that they don't know to
which sect they belong"
The abbott is a leading spirit
in the Nichi-ren, the puritan" sect
of Japanese Buddhism, almost IA
natical in preaching a pure, clear
cut and militant creed which is
part and parcel OF the japanese
empire.
Younger Monks Taught.
To begin needed reforms, Abbott
Kawata has weeded out those monks
he found to be illiterate and insti-
tuted classes for the education of
the most promising of the younger
monks. Those unable to read-who
have in the past merely recited pray
ers they had learned by heart-are