The Universal Saṇgha Study Hall (Pǔtōng sēng xuétáng 普通僧學堂) was a pre-Republican Buddhist seminary 佛學院.
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This school was formed in response to the threat posed by the "Build Education with Temple Property" 廟產興學 Movement. A number of monasteries in Zhènjiang 鎮江 and Yángzhōu cooperated to establish this school in order to educate their monks. Over 60 students enrolled. In addition to courses on Buddhism, students also studied English and Japanese. The school closed because of intrigue between reformist and conservative factions within the region, which led to the arrest of the school's founder Wénxī 文希 one night prior his departure to Japan, where he had intended to study the monastic education systems in place there.
This school was succeeded by the Jiāngsū Saṇgha Normal Study Hall 江蘇僧師範學堂.
Section Editor: Erik Hammerstrom