Between national identity and transnational connections: the case of a Chinese temple in Brunei Darussalam

This article examines how Teng Yun Temple, the oldest sanctioned Chinese temple in Brunei Darussalam, navigates assimilation pressures in a Muslim-majority country while upholding religious orthodoxy and cultural identity through transnational ties with its ancestral land. Serving as a symbol of ethnic Chinese identity, the temple is a bastion of Chinese religious and cultural heritage in a conservative country where political power and cultural space available for non-Malay/Muslims are circumscribed. This article delves into Teng Yun Temple's strategies to adapt religious practices and maintain transnational connections in response to restrictive state regulations. It highlights the agency of Brunei's Chinese minority in preserving their culture and religious practices, showcasing the role of the temple in the country's religious diversity. The case study sheds light on local and transnational dynamics within a Southeast Asian Chinese religious organization, revealing how a religious minority navigates identity and state policies.