Indian Classical Arts and Literary Theories Workshop 2020: Cultural Traditions and Local Knowledge in South and South-East Asia

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Workshop 2: Cultural Traditions and Local Knowledge in South and South-East Asia

Date: October 17, 2020 1:00-5:30pm (Beijing time)

Venue: Online with Peking University

Due to the COVID-19, our research group organized two online workshops instead of normal lecture series: one for group members to share their textual work up-to-date, the other for an extended group of scholars to exchange ideas beyond the Indian traditions. Both sessions were mainly convened by Prof. Zhou Liqun, which turned out to be highly appreciated by every participant. Therefore, we plan to continue with more in the coming new year.

The second workshop was co-sponsored by the School of Asian Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University. Dean of the school Prof. Su Yingying and Dr. Wang Lina from the Center gave opening remarks. Four members of the research group, and five other invited scholars, generously presented their latest research. The first panel “Idea, Text, and Ritual in the Pluralist Context” consists of three papers on the spirit cults in Laos (Dr. Su Shitian), pañcakośa in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (Dr. Dang Suping), and a newly discovered text translated by An Shigao (Dr. Li Can). In the second panel, “Gods and Saints in South and South Asian Traditions”, another three topics were discussed: Hindu gods in Burmese religions (Dr. Zhong Xaioxin), religious life among Chinese merchants in Northern Thailand (Dr. Ma Xiaoxiao), and the heliacal rising of the star Agastya (Dr. Lü Peng). The last panel “Cultural Heritage and Identity: A Trans-regional Perspective” saw three more presentations, on the Borobudor motifs in Indonesian Medan temples (Dr. Zhou Kaiyuan), Sanskrit and Old-Javanese poetics (Dr. Qu Yang), and the grammar of Indian classical music (Dr. Zhao You). The meeting was closed by Prof. Zhou Liqun with some prospects on further research and academic events.

 

Speakers:

北京外国语大学 苏世天“养鬼、还魂与灵媒实践:民间信仰参与下老挝基层政治合法性的建立”

中国社科院 党素萍“《泰帝利耶奥义书》“五藏说”义解”

北京外国语大学 李 灿“关于安世高译经新发现的初步报告”

云南大学 钟小鑫“缅甸神灵崇拜中的印度元素”

中央民族大学 马潇骁“多元与互惠:泰北华商的神灵世界与宗教实践”

上海交通大学 吕 鹏“印度老人星Agastya的偕日升计算方法”

中山大学 周开媛“佛教遗产与国族建构——印尼棉兰华人庙宇中的婆罗浮屠景观初探”

哈佛大学 曲 洋“从克什米尔到爪哇:梵文-古爪哇文的诗学演变“”

北京大学 赵 悠“印度古典音乐的语法”

 

Click here to go to the first workshop.