Buddhism and East Asian Cultures: An Intensive Program of Lectures Series, Conference/Forum, and Fieldwork
July 12-20, 2017, Mount Wutai 五臺山, China
The Wutai International Institute of Buddhism and East Asian Cultures (WII), Institute for Ethics and Religions Studies (IERS) at Tsinghua University, Research Center for Buddhist Texts and Arts (RCBTA) at Peking University, Center for East Asian Religions at the University of Zhejiang (ZU-CEAR), and the Buddhist Studies Forum at the University of British Columbia (UBC-BSF) in Vancouver, Canada cordially invite applications for a 12-day program of lecture series, conference/forum, and fieldwork on Buddhism and East Asian Cultures (July 12-21, 2016) at Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove (Dasheng Zhulin si 大聖竹林寺), Mount Wutai 五臺山, and Datong, Shanxi, China.
I.Venue：Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove (Dasheng Zhulin si 大聖竹林寺), Mount Wutai 五臺山, Shanxi, China
II.Schedule——July 12-21, 2017
- July 12, 2017: Registration, Opening Ceremony;
- July 13-14, 2017: international conference;
- July 15, 2017: Tour on Mount Wutai;
- July 16-18, 2017: Seminar series;
- July 19, 2017: Young Scholars’ Forum;
- July 20, 2017: Tour of famed religious sites in Shanxi;
- July 21, 2017: Leaving.
III. Four-part Lecture Series: The program organizers have invited three international scholars to conduct, all bilingually (English and Chinese), a three-part lecture series related to Buddhism and East Asian Culture, with each part composed of three consecutive 120-minute lectures with a general theme (over three days). These three bilingual speakers and their lecture themes are:
- Stephen Bokenkamp 柏夷(Arizona State University): Fundamental Approaches to Daoist and Buddhist Literature 佛道交涉文獻之根本性解讀;
- Jinhua Chen 陳金華 (University of British Columbia): Study of Chan Buddhism: New Perspectives and Methods 禪研究: 新視野與新方法;
- Leonard van der Kuijp 范德康 (Harvard University): Tibetan Perception of the Avataṃsaka Cult and Sacred Geography 西藏對華嚴信仰與神聖地理的想象
IV. This three-part lecture series will be accompanied by five lectures delivered by five China-based scholars on Buddhism and East Asian cultures.
V. Four Additional Projects: In addition to this four-part intensive lecture series, this program also sponsors the following four projects:
- An international conference on the Avatamsaka cult, titled “Mount Clear and Cool and the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra: Multidisciplinary, Inter-cultural, and Interreligious Studies of the Mañjuśrī Cult, Mount Wutai, and the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra,” to be held at the Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove at Mount Wutai, August 8-10, 2017 (conference information announced at https://frogbear.org/the-third-international-conference-on-the-wutai-cult/).
- An International Young Scholars Forum on Buddhism and East Asian Cultures (July 16 at the Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove). Excellent articles may be recommended to academic journals for publication. They include the Fojiao wenxian yanjiu佛教文獻研究 (Studies on Buddhist Texts), Foxue yanjiu 佛學研究 (Buddhist Studies), Fojiao shi yanjiu 佛教史研究 (Historical Studies of Buddhism), Studies in Chinese Religions, edited by Prof. Fang Guangchang, Prof. Shengkai, Prof. Sun Yinggang, and Prof. Jinhua Chen, respectively.
- Taste of the Dharma: a series of 1-2 hour sessions providing monastic experiences, including seated meditation, tea-ceremony and other temple rituals.
- Occasional visits to renowned local historical sites (especially Buddhist and other religious temples and shines) on the Wutai range, and in other sites in Shanxi as well. Students with relevant research interests may also apply to participate in an additional two-day (August 17-18) tour in other sites in Shanxi.
VI. Applications: Participants are required to take part in all of the activities supported by this program, including the four-part lecture series, the regular conference and the Young Scholar Forum (paper presentations are optional, but attendance is required), field trips on the Wutai range (that in other parts of Shanxi is optional), monastic experience session, etc. Graduate students specializing in any Buddhist tradition(s) or East Asian religions, and postdoctoral fellows working on relevant fields, are encouraged to apply. Please direct applications and inquiries to buddhistseminarandfieldwork@gmail.com. Please submit applications before May 1, 2016. Each application should include (1) an application form (to be provided upon request via the above email), (2) an updated curriculum vitae, (3) one writing sample, and (4) a reference letter (to be emailed by the referee directly to the above email address).
VII. Program Expenses: Successful candidates will be exempted from all tuition fees. Program organizers will also provide free boarding (lodging and meals) in China during the program period, although participants are expected to cover
- the costs for the transportation between their home cities and Mount Wutai; and
- an administration fee of 1,000RMB≈US$150.
