Chün-fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
The term “revival” has been used to describe the resurgent vitality of Buddhism in Taiwan. Particularly impressive is the quality and size of the nun's order: Taiwanese nuns today are highly educated ...
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The term “revival” has been used to describe the resurgent vitality of Buddhism in Taiwan. Particularly impressive is the quality and size of the nun's order: Taiwanese nuns today are highly educated and greatly outnumber monks. Both characteristics are unprecedented in the history of Chinese Buddhism and are evident in the Incense Light community (Xiangguang). This book is the first in-depth case study of the community, which was founded in 1974 and remains a small but influential order of highly educated nuns who dedicate themselves to teaching Buddhism to lay adults. It begins with a historical survey of Buddhist nuns in China, followed by discussions on the early history of the Incense Light community; the life of Wuyin, one of its most prominent leaders; and the crucial role played by Buddhist studies societies on college campuses, where many nuns were first introduced to Incense Light. Later chapters look at the curriculum and innovative teaching methods at the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary and the nuns' efforts to teach Buddhism to adults. The book ends with portraits of individual nuns, providing details on their backgrounds, motivations for becoming nuns, and the problems or setbacks they have encountered both within and without the Incense Light community.Less
The term “revival” has been used to describe the resurgent vitality of Buddhism in Taiwan. Particularly impressive is the quality and size of the nun's order: Taiwanese nuns today are highly educated and greatly outnumber monks. Both characteristics are unprecedented in the history of Chinese Buddhism and are evident in the Incense Light community (Xiangguang). This book is the first in-depth case study of the community, which was founded in 1974 and remains a small but influential order of highly educated nuns who dedicate themselves to teaching Buddhism to lay adults. It begins with a historical survey of Buddhist nuns in China, followed by discussions on the early history of the Incense Light community; the life of Wuyin, one of its most prominent leaders; and the crucial role played by Buddhist studies societies on college campuses, where many nuns were first introduced to Incense Light. Later chapters look at the curriculum and innovative teaching methods at the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary and the nuns' efforts to teach Buddhism to adults. The book ends with portraits of individual nuns, providing details on their backgrounds, motivations for becoming nuns, and the problems or setbacks they have encountered both within and without the Incense Light community.
Susan Ashbrook Harvey
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520241473
- eISBN:
- 9780520931015
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520241473.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Religions
This book explores the role of bodily, sensory experience in early Christianity (first–seventh centuries c.e.) by focusing on the importance of smell in ancient Mediterranean culture. Following its ...
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This book explores the role of bodily, sensory experience in early Christianity (first–seventh centuries c.e.) by focusing on the importance of smell in ancient Mediterranean culture. Following its legalization in the fourth-century Roman Empire, Christianity cultivated a dramatically flourishing devotional piety, in which the bodily senses were utilized as crucial instruments of human–divine interaction. Rich olfactory practices developed as part of this shift, with lavish uses of incense, holy oils, and other sacred scents. At the same time, Christians showed profound interest in what smells could mean. How could the experience of smell be construed in revelatory terms? What specifically could it convey? How and what could be known through smell? The book argues that ancient Christians used olfactory experience for purposes of a distinctive religious epistemology: formulating knowledge of the divine in order to yield, in turn, a particular human identity. Using a wide array of Pagan, Jewish, and Christian sources, the author examines the ancient understanding of smell through: religious rituals, liturgical practices, mystagogical commentaries, literary imagery, and homiletic conventions; scientific, medical, and cosmological models; and ascetic disciplines, theological discourse, and eschatological expectations. In the process, she argues for a richer appreciation of ancient notions of embodiment and of the roles the body might serve in religion.Less
This book explores the role of bodily, sensory experience in early Christianity (first–seventh centuries c.e.) by focusing on the importance of smell in ancient Mediterranean culture. Following its legalization in the fourth-century Roman Empire, Christianity cultivated a dramatically flourishing devotional piety, in which the bodily senses were utilized as crucial instruments of human–divine interaction. Rich olfactory practices developed as part of this shift, with lavish uses of incense, holy oils, and other sacred scents. At the same time, Christians showed profound interest in what smells could mean. How could the experience of smell be construed in revelatory terms? What specifically could it convey? How and what could be known through smell? The book argues that ancient Christians used olfactory experience for purposes of a distinctive religious epistemology: formulating knowledge of the divine in order to yield, in turn, a particular human identity. Using a wide array of Pagan, Jewish, and Christian sources, the author examines the ancient understanding of smell through: religious rituals, liturgical practices, mystagogical commentaries, literary imagery, and homiletic conventions; scientific, medical, and cosmological models; and ascetic disciplines, theological discourse, and eschatological expectations. In the process, she argues for a richer appreciation of ancient notions of embodiment and of the roles the body might serve in religion.
Xiaoping Lin
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789622090866
- eISBN:
- 9789882206724
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Hong Kong University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5790/hongkong/9789622090866.003.0013
- Subject:
- Film, Television and Radio, Film
This chapter analyzes Ning Hao's film Incense, a heavy yet humorous film about the adventures of an impoverished Buddhist monk who tries to preserve his temple and etch out a living for himself in a ...
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This chapter analyzes Ning Hao's film Incense, a heavy yet humorous film about the adventures of an impoverished Buddhist monk who tries to preserve his temple and etch out a living for himself in a modernizing secular world that has no use for religion. It examines Incense as a film text which deconstructs “earthly Buddhism,” especially its current efforts to adapt to China's economic reforms and capitalist globalization.Less
This chapter analyzes Ning Hao's film Incense, a heavy yet humorous film about the adventures of an impoverished Buddhist monk who tries to preserve his temple and etch out a living for himself in a modernizing secular world that has no use for religion. It examines Incense as a film text which deconstructs “earthly Buddhism,” especially its current efforts to adapt to China's economic reforms and capitalist globalization.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter discusses the history of the Incense Light community and its headquarters, the Incense Light Temple (Xiangguang Si). Located in the village of Neipu in Zhuji County, Chiayi District, in ...
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This chapter discusses the history of the Incense Light community and its headquarters, the Incense Light Temple (Xiangguang Si). Located in the village of Neipu in Zhuji County, Chiayi District, in central Taiwan, Incense Light Temple literally emerged from a location where the local cult of Guanyin had existed for more than a hundred years. The architectural proximity of its headquarters and the local temple represents the conjuncture of two different religious traditions and orientations. The coexistence of the local cult and the Incense Light Temple has presented the Buddhist nuns with both a welcome opportunity and a perpetual challenge. This chapter describes the physical setting of Incense Light Temple and the key figures involved in its founding, including Xinzhi, Wuyin, and Mingjia.Less
This chapter discusses the history of the Incense Light community and its headquarters, the Incense Light Temple (Xiangguang Si). Located in the village of Neipu in Zhuji County, Chiayi District, in central Taiwan, Incense Light Temple literally emerged from a location where the local cult of Guanyin had existed for more than a hundred years. The architectural proximity of its headquarters and the local temple represents the conjuncture of two different religious traditions and orientations. The coexistence of the local cult and the Incense Light Temple has presented the Buddhist nuns with both a welcome opportunity and a perpetual challenge. This chapter describes the physical setting of Incense Light Temple and the key figures involved in its founding, including Xinzhi, Wuyin, and Mingjia.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter focuses on the establishment of the Incense Light community under Wuyin. Incense Light Temple was originally a local temple with no Buddhist history. In colonial Taiwan, nuns were ...
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This chapter focuses on the establishment of the Incense Light community under Wuyin. Incense Light Temple was originally a local temple with no Buddhist history. In colonial Taiwan, nuns were derisively called zhaigu (vegetarian hall auntie) or caigu (vegetarian auntie) by the common people. Today, Buddhist nuns in Taiwan consider these names unacceptable and insist on being called biqiuni. The origin of the former appellations has to do with the situation in Taiwan prior to 1949 when the Nationalist government arrived with a large exodus of monks from the mainland. Aside from Buddhism, Daoism, and popular religion, sectarian religions were also practiced in Taiwan during the period of Japanese occupation. This chapter first looks at Wuyin's formative experiences before discussing how she was introduced to Buddhism, her years at Yuantong Academy, her brief time in Hawai'i, and how she was installed as the abbess of Incense Light Temple.Less
This chapter focuses on the establishment of the Incense Light community under Wuyin. Incense Light Temple was originally a local temple with no Buddhist history. In colonial Taiwan, nuns were derisively called zhaigu (vegetarian hall auntie) or caigu (vegetarian auntie) by the common people. Today, Buddhist nuns in Taiwan consider these names unacceptable and insist on being called biqiuni. The origin of the former appellations has to do with the situation in Taiwan prior to 1949 when the Nationalist government arrived with a large exodus of monks from the mainland. Aside from Buddhism, Daoism, and popular religion, sectarian religions were also practiced in Taiwan during the period of Japanese occupation. This chapter first looks at Wuyin's formative experiences before discussing how she was introduced to Buddhism, her years at Yuantong Academy, her brief time in Hawai'i, and how she was installed as the abbess of Incense Light Temple.
F. S. Naiden
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199916405
- eISBN:
- 9780199980277
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199916405.003.0002
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Religions
This chapter examines the venues and offerings common in acts of sacrifice. The choice of venue and of time often depend on some previous contact with a god, and serve to communicate with the god, as ...
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This chapter examines the venues and offerings common in acts of sacrifice. The choice of venue and of time often depend on some previous contact with a god, and serve to communicate with the god, as does the choice and handling of the offering. Vegetal as well as animal sacrifices are common, and both kinds are subject to divine requirements that are esthetic as well as moral and social.Less
This chapter examines the venues and offerings common in acts of sacrifice. The choice of venue and of time often depend on some previous contact with a god, and serve to communicate with the god, as does the choice and handling of the offering. Vegetal as well as animal sacrifices are common, and both kinds are subject to divine requirements that are esthetic as well as moral and social.
Larry Shiner
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- June 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780190089818
- eISBN:
- 9780190089849
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190089818.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Aesthetics
This book offers an overview of the aesthetic and ethical issues raised by the contemporary olfactory arts, which range from gallery and museum sculptures and installations, through the enhancement ...
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This book offers an overview of the aesthetic and ethical issues raised by the contemporary olfactory arts, which range from gallery and museum sculptures and installations, through the enhancement of theater, film, and music with scents, to the ambient scenting of stores and avant-garde chefs’ use of scents in cuisine. Special attention is given to the aesthetics of perfume and incense and the question of their art status, as well as to the role of scent in the appreciation of nature and gardens. Ethical issues are discussed regarding ambient scenting, perfume wearing, and the use of smells in fast-food marketing. Because of the traditional neglect and denigration of the sense of smell and its aesthetic potential by philosophers from Kant and Hegel to the present, and by Darwin’s and Freud’s view of the human sense of smell as a nearly useless evolutionary vestige, the first parts of the book counter that tradition with both philosophical arguments and evidence from current evolutionary theory, neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, history, linguistics, and literature. Although the focus is on Western olfactory arts, the book draws on non-Western examples throughout. The book is aimed at both philosophers and general readers interested in the arts, and develops positions that should stimulate further discussion.Less
This book offers an overview of the aesthetic and ethical issues raised by the contemporary olfactory arts, which range from gallery and museum sculptures and installations, through the enhancement of theater, film, and music with scents, to the ambient scenting of stores and avant-garde chefs’ use of scents in cuisine. Special attention is given to the aesthetics of perfume and incense and the question of their art status, as well as to the role of scent in the appreciation of nature and gardens. Ethical issues are discussed regarding ambient scenting, perfume wearing, and the use of smells in fast-food marketing. Because of the traditional neglect and denigration of the sense of smell and its aesthetic potential by philosophers from Kant and Hegel to the present, and by Darwin’s and Freud’s view of the human sense of smell as a nearly useless evolutionary vestige, the first parts of the book counter that tradition with both philosophical arguments and evidence from current evolutionary theory, neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, history, linguistics, and literature. Although the focus is on Western olfactory arts, the book draws on non-Western examples throughout. The book is aimed at both philosophers and general readers interested in the arts, and develops positions that should stimulate further discussion.
James McHugh
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199916306
- eISBN:
- 9780199980260
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199916306.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This book explores the topic of smell in pre-modern Indian religion and culture. The book provides a comprehensive study of all aspects of smell, covering a period from the turn of the Common Era to ...
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This book explores the topic of smell in pre-modern Indian religion and culture. The book provides a comprehensive study of all aspects of smell, covering a period from the turn of the Common Era to the early second millennium CE, and referring to a wide range of sources from poetry to medical texts. In pre-modern South Asia, smells mattered. The sophisticated arts of perfumery that developed in temples, monasteries and courts relied on exotic aromatics, connecting olfactory aesthetics to long-distance ocean trade. A sophisticated religious discourse on the goals of life emphasized that the pleasures of the senses were a valid end in themselves. Fragrances and stinks were also an ideal model for describing other values, be they aesthetic or ethical, and in a system where karmic results often had a sensory impact—where evil often literally stank—the ethical and aesthetic are often difficult to distinguish. Sandalwood and Carrion explores smell in pre-modern India from many perspectives, covering such topics as philosophical accounts of smell perception, odors in literature, the history of perfumery in India, the significance of sandalwood in Buddhism, as well as the question of why people offered perfumes to the gods.Less
This book explores the topic of smell in pre-modern Indian religion and culture. The book provides a comprehensive study of all aspects of smell, covering a period from the turn of the Common Era to the early second millennium CE, and referring to a wide range of sources from poetry to medical texts. In pre-modern South Asia, smells mattered. The sophisticated arts of perfumery that developed in temples, monasteries and courts relied on exotic aromatics, connecting olfactory aesthetics to long-distance ocean trade. A sophisticated religious discourse on the goals of life emphasized that the pleasures of the senses were a valid end in themselves. Fragrances and stinks were also an ideal model for describing other values, be they aesthetic or ethical, and in a system where karmic results often had a sensory impact—where evil often literally stank—the ethical and aesthetic are often difficult to distinguish. Sandalwood and Carrion explores smell in pre-modern India from many perspectives, covering such topics as philosophical accounts of smell perception, odors in literature, the history of perfumery in India, the significance of sandalwood in Buddhism, as well as the question of why people offered perfumes to the gods.
James McHugh
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199916306
- eISBN:
- 9780199980260
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199916306.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
What were perfumes and incense actually like and what did people do with them? This chapter explores the theory and practice of perfumes. Medieval South Asians did not talk of “top notes” and “base ...
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What were perfumes and incense actually like and what did people do with them? This chapter explores the theory and practice of perfumes. Medieval South Asians did not talk of “top notes” and “base notes”, but of “allies” and “enemies” in the structure of a perfume. Perfumes ranged from simple pastes of sandalwood and saffron to complex oils containing dozens of ingredients subject to numerous processes. The chapter also analyzes a literary episode involving a perfume-addicted, love-sick prince as a case study to confirm and to complicate what we have learned so far about the uses and meanings of smells and perfumes in medieval South Asia.Less
What were perfumes and incense actually like and what did people do with them? This chapter explores the theory and practice of perfumes. Medieval South Asians did not talk of “top notes” and “base notes”, but of “allies” and “enemies” in the structure of a perfume. Perfumes ranged from simple pastes of sandalwood and saffron to complex oils containing dozens of ingredients subject to numerous processes. The chapter also analyzes a literary episode involving a perfume-addicted, love-sick prince as a case study to confirm and to complicate what we have learned so far about the uses and meanings of smells and perfumes in medieval South Asia.
Hager El Hadidi
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9789774166976
- eISBN:
- 9781617978135
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774166976.003.0005
- Subject:
- Sociology, Sociology of Religion
This chapter presents a sampler of zar sacrificial rites and rituals using a realist narration style, of the kind that is employed in fiction, based on transcriptions of actual recordings of real ...
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This chapter presents a sampler of zar sacrificial rites and rituals using a realist narration style, of the kind that is employed in fiction, based on transcriptions of actual recordings of real life. The opening sura of the Qur'an, the Fatiha, is the fundamental Muslim prayer. In zar rituals, the Fatiha is used as the central part of a special ritual formula performed at the beginning of any zar performance, called the Openings (al-fawatih). This chapter first describes the ritual use of incense in the Openings rite and its context before discussing the rite for sacrificial blood. It also considers the sacrificial procession dedicated to the Grand Lady, one of the most important zar spirits and leader of a spirit pantheon. Finally, it examines the mayanga (a Hausa word which means “cemetery”), a place where a zar devotee may harbor her possessing spirits and thus acquire direct access to them.Less
This chapter presents a sampler of zar sacrificial rites and rituals using a realist narration style, of the kind that is employed in fiction, based on transcriptions of actual recordings of real life. The opening sura of the Qur'an, the Fatiha, is the fundamental Muslim prayer. In zar rituals, the Fatiha is used as the central part of a special ritual formula performed at the beginning of any zar performance, called the Openings (al-fawatih). This chapter first describes the ritual use of incense in the Openings rite and its context before discussing the rite for sacrificial blood. It also considers the sacrificial procession dedicated to the Grand Lady, one of the most important zar spirits and leader of a spirit pantheon. Finally, it examines the mayanga (a Hausa word which means “cemetery”), a place where a zar devotee may harbor her possessing spirits and thus acquire direct access to them.
James McHugh
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199916306
- eISBN:
- 9780199980260
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199916306.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Building on the wide-ranging study of smell, perfumes, and aromatics in the previous chapters, this chapter examines the question of why people offered these materials to the gods. A passage from the ...
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Building on the wide-ranging study of smell, perfumes, and aromatics in the previous chapters, this chapter examines the question of why people offered these materials to the gods. A passage from the Mahābhārata provides a very clear answer to the question “Why do we give flowers and incense to the gods?” After a close reading of this text, the chapter presents two later sources. Here it appears that the aromatic practices and olfactory sensibilities of the gods changed over time, from simple incense made of Indian myrrh to far more complex perfumes made of exotic aromatics. Although adornment is shared between the “sacred” and “profane” worlds, nevertheless there are important differences between the olfactory tastes and sensory capacities of the gods and of humans, such that one can justifiably talk of a religious olfactory aesthetics.Less
Building on the wide-ranging study of smell, perfumes, and aromatics in the previous chapters, this chapter examines the question of why people offered these materials to the gods. A passage from the Mahābhārata provides a very clear answer to the question “Why do we give flowers and incense to the gods?” After a close reading of this text, the chapter presents two later sources. Here it appears that the aromatic practices and olfactory sensibilities of the gods changed over time, from simple incense made of Indian myrrh to far more complex perfumes made of exotic aromatics. Although adornment is shared between the “sacred” and “profane” worlds, nevertheless there are important differences between the olfactory tastes and sensory capacities of the gods and of humans, such that one can justifiably talk of a religious olfactory aesthetics.
Louis Jacobs
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781874774051
- eISBN:
- 9781800340688
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9781874774051.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
This chapter examines the use of tobacco by hasidic Jews. There do not seem to be any references to tobacco in the classical hasidic works of doctrine, the hasidic Torah. Their absence from these ...
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This chapter examines the use of tobacco by hasidic Jews. There do not seem to be any references to tobacco in the classical hasidic works of doctrine, the hasidic Torah. Their absence from these sources may be because aids to contemplation (such as tobacco) were considered irrelevant to the ideal itself, although contemplation was clearly important in hasidic thought. Although tobacco was brought to Europe from the New World, where it had been used as part of the American Indian religious ceremonies, the hasidim did not use it in this sense. Rather, the early hasidim smoked tobacco as an aid to concentration. It was only much later that the incense motif and the idea of raising holy sparks were introduced. Some tsadikim were heavy smokers, while others either gave up smoking or had never smoked at all.Less
This chapter examines the use of tobacco by hasidic Jews. There do not seem to be any references to tobacco in the classical hasidic works of doctrine, the hasidic Torah. Their absence from these sources may be because aids to contemplation (such as tobacco) were considered irrelevant to the ideal itself, although contemplation was clearly important in hasidic thought. Although tobacco was brought to Europe from the New World, where it had been used as part of the American Indian religious ceremonies, the hasidim did not use it in this sense. Rather, the early hasidim smoked tobacco as an aid to concentration. It was only much later that the incense motif and the idea of raising holy sparks were introduced. Some tsadikim were heavy smokers, while others either gave up smoking or had never smoked at all.
Xiaoping Lin
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824833367
- eISBN:
- 9780824870607
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824833367.003.0009
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Asian Studies
This chapter analyzes Ning Hao’s debut film Incense (2003)—which relates a curious tale about a young Buddhist monk who forsakes his religious faith for economic survival—in terms of Buddhism as a ...
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This chapter analyzes Ning Hao’s debut film Incense (2003)—which relates a curious tale about a young Buddhist monk who forsakes his religious faith for economic survival—in terms of Buddhism as a living religion in contemporary China. As the new millennium begins, Chinese Buddhist leaders and scholars have advocated so-called Earthly Buddhism with regard to modernity and globalization. They consider it impossible for traditional Buddhism to “withdraw from the world” or evade the realities of globalization. As an alternative, they claim, Earthly Buddhism must enter the world and partake in the modernization of religious institutions and social life. For them, a domain in alliance with Earthly Buddhism is Metropolitan Buddhism, which is a ready response to rapid urbanization in the country.Less
This chapter analyzes Ning Hao’s debut film Incense (2003)—which relates a curious tale about a young Buddhist monk who forsakes his religious faith for economic survival—in terms of Buddhism as a living religion in contemporary China. As the new millennium begins, Chinese Buddhist leaders and scholars have advocated so-called Earthly Buddhism with regard to modernity and globalization. They consider it impossible for traditional Buddhism to “withdraw from the world” or evade the realities of globalization. As an alternative, they claim, Earthly Buddhism must enter the world and partake in the modernization of religious institutions and social life. For them, a domain in alliance with Earthly Buddhism is Metropolitan Buddhism, which is a ready response to rapid urbanization in the country.
Juan Carlos Moreno García
- Published in print:
- 2021
- Published Online:
- December 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780197532768
- eISBN:
- 9780197532799
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780197532768.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, World Medieval History
Imperial expansion was rather exceptional in pharaonic Egypt, mostly limited to the second half of the second millennium BCE. The reasons behind the conquest of the southern Levant and northern Sudan ...
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Imperial expansion was rather exceptional in pharaonic Egypt, mostly limited to the second half of the second millennium BCE. The reasons behind the conquest of the southern Levant and northern Sudan are related to several factors: the emergence of nearby states whose interests might collide with those of Egypt; the development of a dense network of international exchanges encompassing the Eastern Mediterranean and the Near East, in which Egypt was ideally located to control much of the supply of African gold, ivory, and precious items; and control over the circuits through which these goods circulated, both at their origin and at their arrival points. However, imperial expansion was hardly an Egyptian unilateral affair, as it should cope with the interests of the elites of the conquered areas as well as with those of emerging actors in Egyptian society (army, traders) in order to ensure a durable domination.Less
Imperial expansion was rather exceptional in pharaonic Egypt, mostly limited to the second half of the second millennium BCE. The reasons behind the conquest of the southern Levant and northern Sudan are related to several factors: the emergence of nearby states whose interests might collide with those of Egypt; the development of a dense network of international exchanges encompassing the Eastern Mediterranean and the Near East, in which Egypt was ideally located to control much of the supply of African gold, ivory, and precious items; and control over the circuits through which these goods circulated, both at their origin and at their arrival points. However, imperial expansion was hardly an Egyptian unilateral affair, as it should cope with the interests of the elites of the conquered areas as well as with those of emerging actors in Egyptian society (army, traders) in order to ensure a durable domination.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book examines the spiritual lives of Buddhist nuns at the Incense Light community in contemporary Taiwan. Taiwanese nuns today are highly educated and greatly outnumber monks, characteristics ...
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This book examines the spiritual lives of Buddhist nuns at the Incense Light community in contemporary Taiwan. Taiwanese nuns today are highly educated and greatly outnumber monks, characteristics unprecedented in the history of Chinese Buddhism. This book explores how and why a young woman becomes attracted to Buddhism and decides to become a nun; what kind of training she receives at a seminary once she joins the sangha; what kind of work she does upon graduation; and what sorts of problems and setbacks she experiences. By answering these questions, we can get a sense of the bigger picture of Buddhism in Taiwanese society. This introduction discusses the history of Buddhist nuns in China; the text The Lives of Nuns (Biqiuni zhuan), written by the monk Baochang, and its profiles of nuns; updates to The Lives of Nuns; and accounts of nuns in literature.Less
This book examines the spiritual lives of Buddhist nuns at the Incense Light community in contemporary Taiwan. Taiwanese nuns today are highly educated and greatly outnumber monks, characteristics unprecedented in the history of Chinese Buddhism. This book explores how and why a young woman becomes attracted to Buddhism and decides to become a nun; what kind of training she receives at a seminary once she joins the sangha; what kind of work she does upon graduation; and what sorts of problems and setbacks she experiences. By answering these questions, we can get a sense of the bigger picture of Buddhism in Taiwanese society. This introduction discusses the history of Buddhist nuns in China; the text The Lives of Nuns (Biqiuni zhuan), written by the monk Baochang, and its profiles of nuns; updates to The Lives of Nuns; and accounts of nuns in literature.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines the role played by Buddhist studies societies found in universities in the growth of the Incense Light community. Buddhist studies societies introduced Buddhist teachings and ...
More
This chapter examines the role played by Buddhist studies societies found in universities in the growth of the Incense Light community. Buddhist studies societies introduced Buddhist teachings and practices to college students who had no other way to learn about Buddhism in the period prior to 1987 when the national security law was lifted. They were instrumental in convincing large numbers of college students to enter the monastic order from the 1970s to the 1980s. Two lay Buddhists, Li Bingnan and Zhou Xuande, were largely responsible for promoting the study of Buddhism among college students and helped to create many Buddhist studies societies on college campuses. This chapter considers the activities and teachings of Li Bingnan and Zhou Xuande as well as the contribution of Chanyun, a monk noted for his strict observance of the Vinaya and Pure Land devotions, to the movement of college students' study of Buddhism. The retreats organized by Chanyun introduced students to consciously living as a Buddhist lay believer.Less
This chapter examines the role played by Buddhist studies societies found in universities in the growth of the Incense Light community. Buddhist studies societies introduced Buddhist teachings and practices to college students who had no other way to learn about Buddhism in the period prior to 1987 when the national security law was lifted. They were instrumental in convincing large numbers of college students to enter the monastic order from the 1970s to the 1980s. Two lay Buddhists, Li Bingnan and Zhou Xuande, were largely responsible for promoting the study of Buddhism among college students and helped to create many Buddhist studies societies on college campuses. This chapter considers the activities and teachings of Li Bingnan and Zhou Xuande as well as the contribution of Chanyun, a monk noted for his strict observance of the Vinaya and Pure Land devotions, to the movement of college students' study of Buddhism. The retreats organized by Chanyun introduced students to consciously living as a Buddhist lay believer.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter focuses on the entrance exam and curriculum of the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary. In less than two months after Wuyin was installed as the abbess of Incense Light Temple on January 5, ...
More
This chapter focuses on the entrance exam and curriculum of the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary. In less than two months after Wuyin was installed as the abbess of Incense Light Temple on January 5, 1980, the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary admitted its first class. All nuns must attend five years of seminary, whether they have prior knowledge of Buddhism or not. Although the Buddhist nuns engage in various activities, their chief mission is education. This chapter first considers the challenges facing the monastic order in the Republican period before discussing the early history of modern Buddhist seminaries in Taiwan. It also assesses the challenges to success at the seminary by focusing on the experieces of two contemporary monks, Shengyan and Zhenhua. Finally, it compares the curriculum of Incense Light with that of other seminaries and offers a more detailed description of its courses under four categories: understanding, practice, daily living, and Dharma propagation.Less
This chapter focuses on the entrance exam and curriculum of the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary. In less than two months after Wuyin was installed as the abbess of Incense Light Temple on January 5, 1980, the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary admitted its first class. All nuns must attend five years of seminary, whether they have prior knowledge of Buddhism or not. Although the Buddhist nuns engage in various activities, their chief mission is education. This chapter first considers the challenges facing the monastic order in the Republican period before discussing the early history of modern Buddhist seminaries in Taiwan. It also assesses the challenges to success at the seminary by focusing on the experieces of two contemporary monks, Shengyan and Zhenhua. Finally, it compares the curriculum of Incense Light with that of other seminaries and offers a more detailed description of its courses under four categories: understanding, practice, daily living, and Dharma propagation.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines the content of the textbooks compiled by the nuns at the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary for the three levels of adult classes and the teaching methods they use. It was Wuyin ...
More
This chapter examines the content of the textbooks compiled by the nuns at the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary for the three levels of adult classes and the teaching methods they use. It was Wuyin who realized that the only way to help the faithful to understand Buddhism and practice Buddhist teachings in daily life was to create an adult education program that would introduce Buddhism systematically. Using her experience attending the adult English classes in Honolulu seven years earlier, she decided to design a Buddhism curriculum for adults. This way of teaching Buddhism was quite innovative at that time, and the very setup of the classes was unusual in Taiwan. This chapter describes the design of the class materials and assignments at the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary and analyzes enrollment data from the classes to provide a profile of the student body. It also considers some hypotheses concerning the effectiveness of the classes by studying samples of homework assignments and exam essays written by the students.Less
This chapter examines the content of the textbooks compiled by the nuns at the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary for the three levels of adult classes and the teaching methods they use. It was Wuyin who realized that the only way to help the faithful to understand Buddhism and practice Buddhist teachings in daily life was to create an adult education program that would introduce Buddhism systematically. Using her experience attending the adult English classes in Honolulu seven years earlier, she decided to design a Buddhism curriculum for adults. This way of teaching Buddhism was quite innovative at that time, and the very setup of the classes was unusual in Taiwan. This chapter describes the design of the class materials and assignments at the Incense Light Buddhist Seminary and analyzes enrollment data from the classes to provide a profile of the student body. It also considers some hypotheses concerning the effectiveness of the classes by studying samples of homework assignments and exam essays written by the students.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter provides profiles of several Buddhist nuns of the Incense Light community, focusing on their family backgrounds, their motives for joining the sangha, their accomplishments and setbacks, ...
More
This chapter provides profiles of several Buddhist nuns of the Incense Light community, focusing on their family backgrounds, their motives for joining the sangha, their accomplishments and setbacks, hopes and frustrations. They include Xinzhi, Wuyin, and Mingjia as well as nuns who contributed to the formation and development of Incense Light as a distinctive female monastic community. One of the nuns did not have any specific religious upbringing and did not know the difference between popular religion and Buddhism. Looking back on the changes the community had undergone since 1985, she felt the introduction of the Institute of Cultural Affairs teaching method, termed “conscious conversation,” was probably the most important. This was because it was used in both the seminary and the Buddhist adult classes.Less
This chapter provides profiles of several Buddhist nuns of the Incense Light community, focusing on their family backgrounds, their motives for joining the sangha, their accomplishments and setbacks, hopes and frustrations. They include Xinzhi, Wuyin, and Mingjia as well as nuns who contributed to the formation and development of Incense Light as a distinctive female monastic community. One of the nuns did not have any specific religious upbringing and did not know the difference between popular religion and Buddhism. Looking back on the changes the community had undergone since 1985, she felt the introduction of the Institute of Cultural Affairs teaching method, termed “conscious conversation,” was probably the most important. This was because it was used in both the seminary and the Buddhist adult classes.
Chün-Fang Yü
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836580
- eISBN:
- 9780824871086
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836580.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This concluding chapter assesses the Incense Light community's present situation and offers projections about its future direction. Incense Light, like Taiwanese Buddhism in general, is undergoing ...
More
This concluding chapter assesses the Incense Light community's present situation and offers projections about its future direction. Incense Light, like Taiwanese Buddhism in general, is undergoing constant changes. The community's rapid growth in the 1980s and early 1990s has slowed considerably in recent decades, as many more activities and clubs now compete for the attention of today's college students. Buddhist studies societies, which played such an important role in introducing college students to Buddhism, are having a much harder time attracting members. Incense Light's Buddhist nuns have not particularly focused on either the history or the unique characteristics of Chinese Buddhism, but have become open to learning from other Buddhist traditions, as evidenced by their interest in non-Chinese forms of meditation.Less
This concluding chapter assesses the Incense Light community's present situation and offers projections about its future direction. Incense Light, like Taiwanese Buddhism in general, is undergoing constant changes. The community's rapid growth in the 1980s and early 1990s has slowed considerably in recent decades, as many more activities and clubs now compete for the attention of today's college students. Buddhist studies societies, which played such an important role in introducing college students to Buddhism, are having a much harder time attracting members. Incense Light's Buddhist nuns have not particularly focused on either the history or the unique characteristics of Chinese Buddhism, but have become open to learning from other Buddhist traditions, as evidenced by their interest in non-Chinese forms of meditation.