[CFP] Journeys: Spiritual and Physical Experiences in East Asian Buddhism (Cambridge Graduate Student Conference on East Asian Studies)

In Buddhism, the notion of journey holds a special meaning, as it is used allegorically to refer to the path towards nirvana, charting a passage from the world of suffering and illusion to an ideal blissful land. Buddhist teachings provide believers with the spiritual vehicle to embark on this journey that can either be pursued virtually inside one’s mind or in the physical world through one’s body. Since early times, many devoted believers embarked on their pilgrimage to remote regions searching for true dharma or the truth within. These physical journeys are recorded in hagiographies, records on pilgrimages by Buddhist monks, travel notes and fictional stories, and depicted visually in art and historical artefacts. At the same time, the journey could also be taken spiritually, through contemplative practices or other forms of imaginary travelling.

This conference invites graduate students based in the UK to submit proposals exploring the notion of journey. Topics include but are not limited to:

Meditative journey and visionary experiences in contemplation
Pilgrimage, miracles, and ascetic experiences,
Popular narratives, including supernatural stories and laymen accounts
Representations of journeys in art
The circulation of religious texts or Buddhist stories
Gender issues regarding Buddhist journeys
Journey of religious objects and scriptures

We also welcome submissions on topics relevant to Buddhism and/or other faiths in East Asia.

The conference will take place in person in Cambridge. There will be no hybrid arrangements. With the kind support from the Tzu Chi Foundation, we will be able to cover your travel costs and provide one-night accommodation here at Cambridge.

Please submit your abstract (250-300 words) by 31 March 2022 via email to Yizhuo Li (yl752@cam.ac.uk) and Junfu Wong (jw2034@cam.ac.uk). Please also include the following information in your proposal:
a) author(s)
b) affiliation
c) email address
d) title
e) keywords (up to three)

The final decision will be made by 30 April 2022.