Events
The Rise of Gandhara and Mahayana Buddhism
26 Feb 2025
15:00 ~ 17:00
Fung King Hey Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
Prof. Sun Ying Gang
Zhejiang University
Sun Yinggang, Ph.D. from Princeton University, is a professor and executive vice dean of the School of History at Zhejiang University. He is a recipient of the Ministry of Education’s Young Changjiang Scholars Award and serves as the chief expert for a major project under the National Social Science Fund. Additionally, he is the vice president of the Chinese Society for the Study of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. His research focuses on the history of Buddhism, medieval history, and the Silk Road. He has published several works, including “The Era of Divine Texts,” “A History of Gandharan Civilization,” and “The History of the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties.” He has authored over 100 academic papers published in journals such as “Historical Research,” “Chinese Historical Research,” and “World Religious Studies.” He has been invited multiple times to conduct research and teach at academic institutions in Europe, America, Japan, and Taiwan.
Gandhara played an important role in the history of Buddhist development. The rise of Mahayana Buddhism around the turn of the era marked a “globalization” movement in the spread of Buddhism across Asia. During this time, Buddhism underwent changes in doctrine and thought, including the flourishing of the bodhisattva belief, the rise of Pure Land faith, and the promotion of the spirit of generosity. These changes subsequently influenced the appearance of Buddhism once it entered the Central Plains. Many elements of Chinese Buddhist thought and artistic symbols can be traced back to Gandhara. Research on Gandharan Buddhism provides art historical and archaeological evidence for the study of the rise of Mahayana Buddhism, allowing visual corroboration of textual records and enriching the historical landscape of Buddhist development. This is of significant importance for understanding the history of Chinese Buddhism, the history of Buddhist art, and the history of the Silk Road.
