2019 Winter International Program of Lecture Series, Conference, Forum, and Fieldwork on Buddhism & East Asian Cultures

December 14–21, 2019, Kunming 昆明, China

Schedule Lecture Series Lecturers Participants
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Research Center for Buddhist Texts and Arts (RCBTA) at Peking University, Buddhist Studies Center at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU-BSC), and the From the Ground Up project based at the University of British Columbia (www.frogbear.org) cordially invite applications for a 8-day (December 14–21, 2019) program of lecture series, conference/forum, and fieldwork on Buddhism and East Asian Cultures in Kunming 昆明, Yunnan, China.

I. Venue: Kunming 昆明, China

II. Schedule: December 14–21, 2019

  • December 14, 2019: Registration, Opening Ceremony;
  • December 15-18, 2019: Lecture Series & Taste of the Dharma Series;
  • December 19, 2019: Young Scholars’ Forum & Closing Ceremony;
  • December 20, 2019: Tour of famed religious sites;
  • December 21, 2019: Departure.

III. Lecture Series:

The program organizers have invited six international scholars to conduct a series of lectures related to Buddhism and East Asian religions. These six speakers and their lecture themes are:

  • CHEN Jinhua 陳金華 (The University of British Columbia 加拿大英屬哥倫比亞大學): Transmission of Buddhism in Asia: Several New Perspectives 佛教在亞洲的傳播：幾個新視野;
  • Bernard Faure 佛雷 (Columbia University 美國哥倫比亞大學): Buddhism and Neuroscience 佛教與腦神經科學;
  • GONG Jun 龔雋 (Sun Yat-sen University 中山大學): Between Scripture and History: Formation and Analysis of the Scholarly History of Modern Chinese Buddhism 經史之間：近代中國佛教學術史之形成與判析;
  • GUO Wu 郭武 (Yunnan University 雲南大學): Life and Living: Two Dimensions for Understanding Daoist Teachings 「生命」與「生活」: 理解道教學說的兩個維度;
  • HE Huanhuan 何歡歡 (University of Zhejiang 浙江大學): A Study on Bhāviveka: Literature and Thought 清辯研究: 文獻與思想；
  • WANG Xuemei 王雪梅 (Northwestern University 西北大學): Secular Entanglement of Qing Dynasty Buddhist Temples: With a Focus on the Southern Archives 清代僧寺的塵世糾紛——以《南部檔案》為中心。

IV. Three Additional Projects:

In addition to this four-part intensive lecture series, this program also sponsors the following three projects:

  • An International Young Scholars Forum on Buddhism and East Asian Cultures(December 19, 2019). Excellent articles may be recommended to academic journals for publication. They include the Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies (edited by Profs. Zhanru and Jinhua Chen 陳金華), Foxue yanjiu 佛學研究 (Buddhist Studies; edited by Prof. Shengkai 聖凱), Fojiao shi yanjiu 佛教史研究 (Historical Studies of Buddhism; edited by Prof. Sun Yinggang 孫英剛), and Studies in Chinese Religions (edited by Prof. Jinhua Chen).
  • 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 shrines) in the Kunming area (December 21).

V. Applications

Participants are required to take part in all of the activities supported by this program, including the four-part lecture series, the Young Scholar Forum (paper presentations are optional, but attendance is required), field trips, and monastic experience session, etc. Senior undergraduate students and graduate students (MA and doctoral) 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 October 31, 2019. 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).

VI. 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 Kunming; and an administration fee of 1,400RMB≈US$200.

VII. Further Opportunities: Excellent participants will be invited to participate in intensive programs organized by the Tianzhu Global Networks for Buddhism and East Asian Culture and Glorisun Global Networks for Buddhist Studies (https://frogbear.org/training/intensive-program/).