Theses Doctoral

Conversion by the Book: Buddhist Print Culture in Early Republican China

Scott, Gregory Adam

In this dissertation I argue that print culture acted as a catalyst for change among Buddhists in modern China. Through examining major publication institutions, publishing projects, and their managers and contributors from the late nineteenth century to the 1920s, I show that the expansion of the scope and variety of printed works, as well as new the social structures surrounding publishing, substantially impacted the activity of Chinese Buddhists. In doing so I hope to contribute to ongoing discussions of the 'revival' of Chinese Buddhism in the modern period, and demonstrate that publishing, propelled by new print technologies and new forms of social organization, was a key field of interaction and communication for religious actors during this era, one that helped make possible the introduction and adoption of new forms of religious thought and practice.

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More About This Work

Academic Units
Religion
Thesis Advisors
Yu, Chun-fang
Degree
Ph.D., Columbia University
Published Here
May 23, 2013