Yaozhong Yan

During the past two decades I have been engaged in large research projects on Chinese Buddhist History in general, and Chinese Tantric Buddhism in particular. These projects have resulted in eight published books, four of which are particularly relevant to this proposal: (i) Chinese Tantric Buddhism (1999); (ii) History of Buddhism in South-East China (2000); (iii) Buddhist Monastic Law and Chinese Society (2007); (iv) Buddhism and Chinese history from the third to the thirteenth Century (2007).

The above-mentioned research-projects have convinced me of the tremendous impact that Tibetan Buddhism has had over Chinese religious, social, and cultural life. Contrary to long-standing scholarly assumptions, there can be no doubt of the intimate and long-lasting religious and cultural ties between the Tibetan, and Han-Chinese, cultures. The influence of Tibetan Buddhism on China has not been limited to geographic areas where the Tibetans reside. Rather, Tibetan Buddhism has had a lasting influence on the Ham population throughout China at large.

This research project aims too fill the scholarly lacuna in the Tibetan Buddhism contribution to the Chinese religion, culture and society. The project covers a lengthily time period from the Eighth through the Eighteenth Centuries. As a fellow at the Hebrew University Institute for Advanced Studies, I intend to write a book-length monograph that will cover all aspects of the circumstances that facilitated the Tibetan Buddhism penetration of China, as well as the diverse manifestations of its long-lasting impact upon it.

My proposed research of the Tibetan Buddhist impact on China is based upon extensive field-work and gathered documents in diverse Chine provinces, no less than upon a large body of written texts, including both Chinese historical writings and Chinese Buddhist scriptures.