Shijie foxue yuan 世界佛學苑

World Buddhist Studies Center: Shìjiè Fóxué yuàn 世界佛學苑

• April 14, 1929 - 1937
• Location(s): Wuchang Buddhist Seminary 武昌佛學院, Wǔchāng 武昌

This center was established at Tàixū's 太虛 behest by Táng Dàyuán 唐大圓 on April 14, 1929 as part of the revitalized Wuchang Buddhist Seminary 武昌佛學院. It was begun with the agreement and financial support (100-200 yuan/person) of the Seminary's former board of directors. A branch of the Center operated in Beijing from the summer of 1930 to early 1932, where it was housed at the Bólín Institute 柏林教理院.

In 1932, the army billets that had been located at the Seminary since 1926 were finally moved out of the old buildings and the rooms were returned to Seminary control. The Center's organs included the Buddhist Studies Research Bureau 佛學研究部 and a library (世界佛學苑圖書館). The library was opened on September 25, 1932 and it and the Research Bureau were run by Fǎfǎng 法舫 from 1932 to 1936. During this period, the Research Bureau was home to 27 graduates of various Buddhist Seminaries 佛學院 in China.

A lecture series was run there from 1933 to 1934, with 29 lectures total.

The entire Center closed, along with the Wuchang Buddhist Seminary, at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.

Notable Researchers:

• Dàxǐng 大醒
• Huìjué 會覺
• Yìnshùn 印順
• Zhīfēng 芝峰

References:

• 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. P. 1:811a-b.