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Death metal and diplomacy: Buddhism in Taiwan

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Published: May 3rd, 2023,
Last updated: May 28th, 2025

The Taiwanese band Dharma combines heavy metal and Buddhist sutras.
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In the wellness-loving West and elsewhere, Buddhism is often associated with harmony and silence. But a group of musicians from Taiwan is shattering this image. Dharma from Taipei combines death metal, perhaps the most brutal form of rock music, with mantras and temple aesthetics. At their gigs, a real Buddhist nun takes center stage. The seven members of Dharma emphasize that this is not a gimmick to attract attention. Almost all of them are devout Buddhists.

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