Zhina neixue yuan 支那內學院

The Chinese Inner Studies Institute 支那內學院

Name

Zhīnà 支那 was at the time a relatively neutral term for China and was widely used throughout East Asia and the world, but it has since become seen as a pejorative term by many in China. In 1944, after its move to Sìchuān 四川, the institute changed its name to 中國內學院.^[1] Nèixué 內學 is a Buddhist term that refers to the study of Buddhist matters, as opposed to wàixué 外學, the study of non-Buddhist matters. The name of the institute has also been translated as the (Chinese) Metaphysical Institute.^[2]

History

The institute was established in 1919 or 1922^[3] by Ōuyáng Jiàn 歐陽漸 and Lǚ Chéng 呂澂 on the grounds of the Jinling Scriptural Press 金陵刻經處 in Nánjīng 南京. It was one of the most important centers of Buddhist learning in China, along with the Wuchang Buddhist Seminary 武昌佛學院 established by Tàixū 太虛 in the same year.

The building where the institute was based was said to have belonged to the younger brother of Méi Guāngxī 梅光羲, one of Ōuyáng's supporters. Funding came from Zhāng Tàiyán 章太炎 and Zōngyǎng 宗仰. The institute held classes, focusing mainly on Faxiang-Weishi philosophy 法相唯識, which were composed mainly of laypeople.

In 1924 the institute began publication of a periodical Inner Studies 內學. In 1937 the institute moved to Sichuan where it operated as a "branch institute" 內學院蜀院. After Ōuyáng's death in 1943, Lǚ Chéng continued its operation until it closed in 1952.

Notes

1. ↑ See [1]
2. ↑ For example, in Welch, Buddhist Revival, 117.
3. ↑ Welch gives 1919 as the date of its founding. See Buddhist Revival, 117.

References:

Holmes Welch. The Buddhist Revival in China, 117-120.