Happy Lunar New Year from the USC US-China Institute!
Chinese Buddhist Manuscripts from Dunhuang: Healing Liturgies
The Ho Center for Buddhist Studies at Stanford presents Stephen F. Teiser. This seminar involves a close reading of several Buddhist liturgies for healing (患文) from Dunhuang.
The Chinese manuscripts discovered at Dunhuang include thousands of non-canonical Buddhist liturgies, including texts for dealing with death and sickness. This seminar involves a close reading of several liturgies for healing (患文). These rituals constituted one technique that could be utilized for treating sickness in the medieval Chinese world. Like other Buddhist liturgies from Dunhuang, they were composed in Chinese rather than being translated from Indic originals. Their literary style consists largely of parallel prose (駢儷文), and in diction and grammar they are also indebted to indigenous language. Nevertheless, their literary form and content also contain elements deriving from the broader Indian Buddhist world.
Speaker's Bio
Stephen F. Teiser is the D. T. Suzuki Professor in Buddhist Studies and Professor of Religion in the Department of Religion at Princeton University. He specializes in the study of Buddhism and Chinese religions. His current research focuses on Chinese Buddhist practice and medieval liturgical manuscripts.
Featured Articles
We note the passing of many prominent individuals who played some role in U.S.-China affairs, whether in politics, economics or in helping people in one place understand the other.
Events
Ying Zhu looks at new developments for Chinese and global streaming services.
David Zweig examines China's talent recruitment efforts, particularly towards those scientists and engineers who left China for further study. U.S. universities, labs and companies have long brought in talent from China. Are such people still welcome?