Passing the Light: The Incense Light Community and Buddhist Nuns in Contemporary Taiwan

About the Author, Production Notes, Back Cover

About the Author Chün-fang Yü is Sheng Yen Professor of Chinese Buddhist Studies in the Departments of Religion and East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University . Born in China and educated in Taiwan and the United States, Professor Yü earned her doctorate from Columbia University. Prior to joining the faculty at Columbia, she taught Chinese Buddhism and religions at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and was chair of the Religion Department. She is the author of The Renewal of Buddhism: Chu-hung and the Late Ming Synthesis and Kuan-yin: The Chinese Transformation of Avalokiteśvara as well as many articles on Chinese Buddhism. Production Notes for Yu / Passing the Light Cover design by Julie Matsuo-Chun Series interior designed by Elsa Carl, Clarence Lee Design with text in Garamond Premier Pro and display in Palatino Linotype Composition by Wanda China Printing and binding by Sheridan Books, Inc. Printed on 60 lb. House White, 444 ppi. The term “revival” has been used to describe the resurgent vitality of Buddhism in Taiwan. Particularly impressive is the quality and size of the nuns’ order. Passing the Light is the first in-depth case study of the Incense Light community, a small but influential order of highly educated nuns who dedicate themselves to teaching Buddhism to lay adults. The work 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 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 seminary and the nuns’ efforts to teach Buddhism to adults. The work 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. This engaging study enriches the literature on the history of Buddhist nuns, seminaries, and education, and will find an appreciative audience among scholars and students of Chinese religion, especially Buddhism, as well as those interested in questions of religion and modernity and women and religion. CHÜN-FANG YÜ is Shen Yen Professor of Chinese Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion and the Department of East Asian Languages and Culture at Columbia University. Cover illustration: Wuyin handing outer robes to newly ordained nuns. Courtesy of the Incense Light archives. CHINESE RELIGION/BUDDHISM University of Hawai‘i Press Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822-1888 ...