Huayan daxue 華嚴大學

Huáyán University (Huáyán dàxué 華嚴大學)

• Two schools went by this name in the early 20th century, with the earlier one being the better known.

Contents 1 Shànghǎi Huáyán University (Shànghǎi huáyán dàxué 上海華嚴大學) 1.1 History 1.2 Notable Teachers 1.3 Notable Students 2 Hànkǒu Huáyán University (Hànkǒu huáyán dàxué 漢口華嚴大學) 2.1 History 3 Notes 4 References

Shànghǎi Huáyán University (Shànghǎi huáyán dàxué 上海華嚴大學)

An early Buddhist seminary 佛學院 run by Yuèxiá 月霞.

History

• 1912 - 1916?^[1]
• Locations(s): Hardoon Gardens 哈同花園, Shànghǎi 上海

This seminary was located at Hardoon Gardens 哈同花園 on Jìng'ān Street 靜安路 in Shànghǎi 上海, and was funded by Liza Roos (aka Mrs. Silas Hardoon 羅迦陵).

The first class of 60 students, in a curriculum possibly based on that of the Tiānníng Temple 天寧寺, did daily meditation and attended lectures. ^[2] Following his interests, Yuèxiá lectured extensively on Huáyán thought. After three years, the first class graduated to the next level of coursework, but in March of 1914 there was some kind of internal intrigue and Yuèxiá was forced to move the University to Hǎicháo Temple 海潮寺 in Hángzhōu 杭州. Yú Língbō 于凌波 says it was because Liza Roos had started practicing some "Outer path" 外道 and was forcing the monks to all come and pay homage to her and receive her blessing. ^[3]

Notable Teachers

• Yuèxiá 月霞
• Yīgcí 應慈

Notable Students

• Ǎitíng 靄亭
• Chángxǐng 常惺
• Chísōng 持松
• Cīzhōu 慈舟
• Hǎishān 海山
• Huìzōng 惠宗
• Jièchén 戒塵
• Liǎochén 了塵
• Tǐkōng 體空
• Zhìguāng 智光

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Hànkǒu Huáyán University (Hànkǒu huáyán dàxué 漢口華嚴大學)

History

• 1920 to 1923
• Location(s): Jiǔhuá 九華寺, Hànkǒu 漢口

This school was established by Liǎochén 了塵, Jièchén 戒塵, and Cízhōu 慈舟, three students of the Shànghǎi Huáyán University. Dōngchū says that it had a small student body, and thus a small impact.^[4]

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Section Editor: Erik Hammerstrom

Notes

1. ↑ These dates are estimations based on the information in Shì Dōngchū.
2. ↑ Welch.
3. ↑ Yú, 1.146c.
4. ↑ Shì Dōngchū, 1.206.

References

• Shì Dōngchū 釋東初. Zhōngguó Fójiào jìndài shǐ 中國佛教近代史 (A History of Early Contemporary Chinese Buddhism), in Dōngchū lǎorén quánjí 東初老人全集 (Complete Collection of Old Man Dongchu), vols. 1-2. Taipei: Dongchu, 1974 Pp. 204.
• Welch, Holmes. The Buddhist Revival in China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1968. 341f.5.
• Yú Língbō 于凌波, ed. Xiàndài Fójiào rénwù cídiǎn 現代佛教人物辭典 (A Dictionary of Modern Buddhist Persons), 2 vols. Taipei: Foguang, 2004.