Buddhists in the Print Culture of Republican China
Driven by technological development, political and social change, and the potential for massive profits, publishing grew explosively during the first thirty-eight years of the Republic of China, resulting in the production of hundreds of thousands of titles. While most academic assessments of this era focus on the large commercial presses based in Shanghai, there was a diverse range of groups who also participated in this print culture, among them Chinese Buddhists who produced thousands of titles and tens of millions of copies of their own works. Dr Scott’s presentation will introduce his ongoing research into how Buddhists contributed to the print culture of this era, how they adopted modern approaches to book and periodical production and circulation, and how they preserved certain aspects of their own print practices in specific contexts. In doing so Dr Scott illuminates important aspects of modern Chinese print culture, and an important facet of the modern Chinese Buddhist revival.
Dr Gregory Adam Scott is Senior Lecturer in Chinese Culture and History at the University of Manchester. His research examines Buddhist culture in China in the late Qing and Republican eras, especially print culture and publishing.
Date:
25 April 2024, 17:00 (Thursday, 1st week, Trinity 2024)
Venue:
Dickson Poon Building, Canterbury Road OX2 6LU
Venue Details:
Kin-ku Cheng Lecture Theatre (lower ground floor)
Speaker:
Dr Gregory Scott (University of Manchester)
Organising department:
Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Organisers:
Dr Bo-jiun Jing (University of Oxford),
Dr Evelyn Chan (University of Oxford),
Dr Xiaojing Miao (University of Oxford),
Professor Margaret Hillenbrand (University of Oxford),
Professor Denise van der Kamp (University of Oxford),
Professor Henrietta Harrison (University of Oxford),
Dr Chigusa Yamaura (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
information@chinese.ox.ac.uk
Host:
Dr Xiaojing Miao (University of Oxford)
Part of:
China Studies Seminar series
Booking required?:
Not required
Cost:
Free
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Clare Orchard
