Page 67 - 加拿大佛教会湛山精舍杂志季刊第46期

Methodology and Fields: New Progress of Buddhist

Studies in China

首屆中加美三國佛教論壇學術總結 Prof. Silong Li, Peking University

Abstract: Asia, get much attention in China in recent years. In
In the double names of “Chinese traditional culture” the past it is mainly engaged by scholars of language
and “religious studies”, Buddhist studies in China studies, and now more and more Buddhist scholars
中國人民大學佛教與宗教學理論研究所 張風雷教授 mainland restarted totally since the early of 1980s. join in the field. As a result, some important research-
From compiling Buddhist Tripitaka and writing his- es are now carried out.
tory of Buddhism to studying on particular Buddhist
scriptures, figures and sects, there are a large number 3. Researching on Buddhist exegetics: translation and
of important research results in the field of Buddhist commentary of Buddhist scriptures, the tradition of
studies in China during last near 40 years. To the end preaching Buddhist scriptures in history, such fields
of last century, religious studies as a branch of philos- become great importance to Chinese Buddhist schol-
ophy, became an independent discipline. Since then ars in recent years. Previous studies of Chinese Bud-
it is possible to confer doctorate in the major of Bud- dhism mainly focused on the studies of Buddhist his-
dhist Studies, and professional training in this field tory and doctrines of Buddhist schools, but now they
in Chinese universities has a rapid growth, such as pay more attention to the interpretation of Buddhist
Peking University and Renmin University of China, scriptures by ancient monks, and particularly to the
gradually expand the curriculum system in the subject textual structure of those Buddhist classics written by
of Buddhist studies or Buddhology. Chinese monks.
Recently Buddhist studies in China show new trends Key words: Buddhist studies, contemporary China,
and new branches appear: Buddhist philology, Buddhist exegetics

1. Rethinking the research standpoint or methodol- Brief CV:
ogy: scholars was used to think about the relationship Dr. Li Silong, professor of Philosophy & Religious
between academic principle and religious belief, for Studies Department at Peking University, director of
example, how could scholars without Buddhist faith the Center for Studies of Buddhist Education at Pe-
research experience of Buddhist meditation etc. But king University, mainly studies on history of Chinese
now, scholars think about whether Buddhism could Buddhism, and history of Chinese religions, and Bud-
be studies only in the context of China, actually more dhist philosophy. During 1987-1991, learning in Phi-
and more scholars begin to study in the perspective of losophy Department of Fudan University for Bachelor
world history, for example, the relationship between degree of philosophy, and during 1993-1999, in Phi-
Chinese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism, and the losophy Department of Peking University for Master
interactions among East Asian Buddhist traditions, and Doctor degree of philosophy. During 2001-2002,
and the links of Chinese Buddhism with Buddhism as a visiting scholar at Harvard-Yenching Institute,
of Central Asia, Tibetan Buddhism, and Theravada and Center for the study of world religions at Har-
Buddhism. vard University. By now, several monographs have
been published, Studies on Master Zhi-yi of Tian-
2. Developing Buddhist philology: Dun-huang manu- tai School, Chinese Buddhist History and Tian-tai
scripts has been a valuable data in Buddhist studies School, A History of Buddhist Studies in Europe and
of 20th Century, and now Chinese scholars begin to America, Buddhism in America, Chinese Buddhism
be also interested with ancient manuscripts stored in and Folk Society, and also as a translator of Buddhist
Japan. Meanwhile, Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit Conquest of China into Chinese, and as chief editor of
and Tibetan or in some ancient language of Central Journal of Humanistic Religion.

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