Research Project

News of the Field / 233 women traditionally, the social and religious roles of women today, as well as traditional women’s internal alchemy and modern forms of qigong and other Daoist‑inspired health practices. The meeting, which coincides with the graduation ceremony of the third class of Daoist nuns, is sponsored by the Religious Research Center of Central South University and the Hunan Taoist Association. The regis‑ tration fee is very low, since the abbess of the Kundao Academy, Master Huang Zhi’an, provides free room and board to all foreign participants. For more details and to register, go to www.daoiststudies.org (Events— Conferences) or write to the organizers at daoconf@gmail.com. Research Project Daoism and Chinese Science Funded by Chinaʹs National Office of Philosophy and Social Science, the John Templeton Foundation, and the Yuen Yuen Institute of Hong Kong, “Daoism and Chinese Science” is a monumental research project under the direction of Dr. Jiang Sheng 姜生, Taishan Scholar of History and Di‑ rector of the Institute of Religion, Science and Social Studies at Shandong University. It aims to provide a comprehensive and wide‑ranging ac‑ count of the connections between Daoism and scientific discovery in Chinese history, responding to the challenges by the late Joseph Needham (1900‑1995) and documenting specific examples of Daoist con‑ tributions to “Chinese science.” At the same time, the project also com‑ plexifies Nathan Sivin’s contention that there are in fact no connections. Through meticulous research, Jiang Sheng and his colleagues dem‑ onstrate that there is substantial historical evidence of such a connection. Daoists have made major contributions to Chinese science, assuming that one is willing to allow for the use of such a modern concept. The project is published in three volumes, all edited by Jiang Sheng, entitled Zhongguo daojiao kexue jishu shi 中國道教科學技術史 (The History of Sci‑ ence and Technology in Taoism) and published by Kexue chubanshe in Beijing. The first came out in 2002 and covers the topic from the Han (202 234 / Journal of Daoist Studies 4 (2011) BCE‑220 CE) through the Six Dynasties (220‑581) in 862 pages plus four illustrations. Volume 2 just appeared (2010), moving on through the Five Dynasties (902‑979) in 1207 pages plus 16 illustrations. It covers nine major topics with corresponding sections: (1) Theo‑ retical and interpretive issues; (2) Daoism during the late Period of Dis‑ union to the Five Dynasties; (3) Scientific thought; (4) Alchemical meth‑ ods and chemistry; (5) Medicine; (6) Health and longevity (yangsheng); (7) Astronomy and geology; (8) Physics and technology; and (9) Biology. As such, this work makes a major contribution to the emerging subfield and research topic of Daoism and science. It opens a new vista for future re‑ search in Daoist Studies. The third volume is scheduled to appear in two years; it will cover Song (960‑1279) through Qing (1644‑1911). —Louis Komjathy Science on Qi Reviews Bohlmeijer, E., Prenger, R., Taal, E., & Cuipers, P. 2010. The effects of mindfulness‑based stress reduction therapy on mental health of adults with chronic medical disease: A meta‑analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 68:539‑44. — — A quantitative review, this examines the effec‑ tiveness of mindfulness‑based meditation in reducing symptoms of de‑ pression, anxiety, and psychological stress across populations with dif‑ ferent chronic somatic diseases (heart disease, fibromyalgia, cancer, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome) in 8 randomized, controlled‑outcome studies 1966‑2008. It had small‑to‑medium effect sizes demonstrating its effectiveness as a complementary therapy. Jahnke, R., Larkey, L., Rogers, C., Etnier, J., & Fang, L. 2010, July/August). A comprehensive review of health benefits of qigong and tai chi. Health Promotion 24(6), e1‑e25. — — A qualitative review of 77 randomized studies, this examines the psychological and physiological effects of taiji quan and qigong in studies 1993‑2007. Interventions were examined within 9 outcome categories. Results revealed favorable effects for: 1) bone density and bone loss; 2) cardiopulmonary health; 3) enhanced ...