Resources for the Study of Buddhism at Princeton University
Princeton East Asian Library and the Gest Collection of rare books
The East Asian Library has a collection of about 102,000 volumes of string-bound books in Chinese that attract visitors from many parts of the world because of the collection's research value and rarity. Most of these books were printed in the Ming (1368-1644) and the early part of the Qing (1644-1911) period, while a number are earlier editions. The collection deals with all aspects of Chinese culture, but is particularly strong in medicine, Buddhism, history, and literature. Among the unique items is a 5,000-volume compilation from several editions of the Buddhist canon known as the Qisha Da zang jing, of which a portion dates from the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties. In addition to the Chinese Gest Oriental Collection, The Rare Book Collection also contains some Japanese and Korean books, including the Robinson Go Collection, a set of Japanese books donated by the American Go Association; a few Manchu, Tibetan, and Mongolian language works; some important memorabilia of Sir Aurel Stein; Captain Leroy Lansing Janes's materials; and numerous curios. The Western Helmutt Wilhelm collection is located on the Third Floor of the East Asian Library; the other items are located in the Mudd Library.
Center for the Study of Religion
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The Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University is a major academic initiative that aims to encourage scholarly research, teaching, and public discussion about religion through the diverse perspectives of the humanities and social sciences. The Center is committed to scholarly research and teaching that examines religion historically and normatively in its diverse manifestations. The Center aims to facilitate understanding of religion through an integrated program of support for Princeton faculty to pursue research and teaching on thematic projects, awards for Princeton graduate students to complete dissertation research, an interdisciplinary seminar, undergraduate courses, public lectures, and opportunities for visiting scholars to affiliate with the Center. |
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The Center for the Study of Religion builds on and consolidates Princeton University’s unique resources in the humanities and social sciences. Faculty and students in a wide range of departments at Princeton have earned distinction for their scholarly contributions to the study of religion. In addition to Princeton’s Department of Religion, which provides a nucleus of scholars with expertise in the world’s major religions, more than fifty faculty members in a dozen other departments and programs contribute regularly to the understanding of religion through their various scholarly perspectives. These faculty in Anthropology, Art and Archeology, Politics, Sociology, History, Classics, Philosophy, Music, Comparative Literature, English, Near Eastern Studies, East Asian Studies, Architecture, and Romance Languages, and in such programs as Creative Writing, Women's Studies, Latin American Studies, African American Studies, Medieval Studies, American Studies, and Jewish Studies, among others. The university's commitment to diversity, as well as its distinction as a private nonsectarian institution, makes Princeton particularly well-suited for this endeavor. |
The Buddhist Studies Workshop,
co-directed by Jacqueline I. Stone and Stephen F.
Teiser, was founded in 1998 as an interdisciplinary forum for new
scholarly work on Buddhism. It is designed to bring together people from
different departments (Anthropology, Art and Archaeology, Comparative
Literature, East Asian Studies, History, Religion, Sociology) to talk
about common topics. The Buddhist Studies Workshop is
sponsored by the Center for the Study of Religion, the
East Asian Studies Program, the Tang Center for East
Asian Art, the Department of Religion, and the Office of the Provost.
Meetings, which focus on the discussion of a predistributed paper, are
usually held monthly during the academic year. Participants from any part
of the academic community are invited to attend. If
you wish to be placed on the mailing list, send e-mail
to bbermel@princeton.edu.
Upcoming Buddhist Studies Workshop Event:
Tuesday, March 29, 2005Ron Davidson, Fairfield University
Title: "Soteriological Subterfuge: Secret Signs, Coded Language and the Buddhist Tantric Feast"
Place: 1879 Hall, Rm. 137 Time: 4:30 to 6 pm The event is followed by light dinner in the 1879 Hall lounge at 6:30. Please RSVP with Barbara Bermel (bbermel@Princeton.EDU) by March 24 if you wish to attend the dinner.
Monday, April 18, 2005
Elizabeth ten Grotenhuis (Boston University)
Title: "Gold Ink and Blach Hair: Mantra and Mandala in Pre-Modern Japan"
Place:
1879 Hall, Rm. 137
Time: 4:30 to 6 pm
Department of East Asian Studies
Princeton University Art Museum
P. Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Center for East Asian Art
The P. Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Center for East Asian Art was established in 2001 to advance the understanding of East Asian art and culture. A sponsor and facilitator of scholarly exchange, the Tang Center brings together scholars, students, and the general public through interdisciplinary and innovative programs, including lectures and symposia, film series, publications, graduate education, museum development and exhibitions. Building upon Princeton University's long history of activity, scholarship, and leadership in the field of East Asian art, the Tang Center supports and encourages continuing inquiry into those issues which help to shape East Asian art.
This noncirculating library is one of the oldest and one of the finest art libraries in America. The holdings cover the history of art and architecture, from prehistoric rock art to contemporary art and photography. Archaeology collections cover classical, medieval, Byzantine, Islamic, pre-Columbian, and East Asian archaeology. Materials are selected in many languages -- for example, English, German, French, Italian, Modern Greek, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese. Materials are also collected in all formats -- books, journals, microforms, dealers' catalogs, electronic resources, CDs and videos. The library houses its own rare book collection. At present the collection includes more than 750 current journals; 230,000 monographs and bound periodicals.
