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Taoist research roots in China

Update:08-12-2018
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On November 2nd, the Institute of World Religions of th […]

On November 2nd, the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences held the 16th lecture on "Religious Anthropology Lecture". On the topic of "Research on Chinese Religion and Sinology in Europe", the Academy of Sciences of the Netherlands and the Special Professor of the French Institute of Advanced Practice were invited. As a quotation, Zhou Ren is an expert and scholar from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Sichuan University, Fudan University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University and the French Far East Institute.
The 84-year-old Shi Zhouren’s speech titled “Taoist Studies in France: Science without Borders”. He believes that it is of great significance to make a clear outline of the French Sinology research process, including the update of the concept level at the theoretical level, and the emphasis on the literature and field investigations at the method level. All of them have discussed the religious studies and related issues in China and even the world. Reference value.
Shi Zhouren believes that there are doctors without borders and scientific research without borders. The study of Taoism in China is an example. “Actually, foreign studies on Taoism are later than the focus on Confucianism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, and their understanding of Confucianism and Confucianism began with Western missionaries in the late Ming Dynasty. Western missionaries such as Matteo Ricci learned from them. The beginning of Chinese, and then the study of the four books and other classics, thus forming affirmation of Confucianism and Confucianism in terms of thought and education. As for Taoism and Buddhism in China, it is as late as the new sociology pioneered and led by French sociologist Durkheim. In the comparative study of religion, it began to get more attention."
According to Shi Zhouren, at the beginning of the last century, Sha Fei, a pioneer of Chinese Taoist research, and his first generation of students, Ma Bole and Ge Lanyan, conducted a series of Taoist studies at the French Institute of Advanced Practice. "Galan said that the importance of Taoism is particularly pointed out. Although ancient Chinese religion is not the same as Taoism, Taoism as a religious system actually extends and preserves the inherent culture of the Chinese." It is said that the importance of Ge is also reflected in the teaching and research methods. For example, he has trained Levi Strauss, Du Mezier, Ai Tian Pu and other students who have achieved great success in the future. And as Ai Tianpu said, "Glanyan’s lectures have taught me about the 'complete knowledge' of Taoism and can be linked to Spinoza’s 'third (knowledge) type'...), Shi Zhouren believes that this expression reveals the philosophical thought of Spinoza's "God is nature", which is actually reflected in the Taoist "natural" thought of ancient Chinese Taoism.
In his speech, Shi Zhouren detailed the theoretical views and contributions of the five generations of scholars from Shaying in the study of Chinese religion. He believes that the root of Taoism is in China, and the root of Taoist research is also in China. Although foreign researchers are very passionate about Chinese culture, but the power is limited, Chinese researchers need to shoulder the burden of Taoist research. Only through continuous research can Taoism and its culture continue in a “living” and traditional way, and they are also an important component of the precious cultural heritage of all mankind.
Shi Zhouren is an authoritative scholar in the international Sinology and Taoist teaching circles. He initiated and led more than 20 Western Taoist practitioners to carry out the European “Tao Dang Project” for more than 20 years. In 2004, he published the book “Tao Zang Tong Kao”, which was produced in the Sinology. Widely affected. He also initiated and hosted the International Sinology Projects such as “Shengcheng Beijing” and “Study and Translation of the Five Classics”. In recent years, Shi Zhouren combined the Taoist “Dongtianfudi” idea with the modern environmental protection concept and cooperated with the World Wide Fund for Nature to launch the “Love Mountain” project. In addition to the "Tao Zang Tong Kao", Shi Zhouren also published academic works such as "Taoism", "Chinese Religion", "Taoist History Outline" and "Kuan Fan Gang", and published more than 100 academic papers on Europe and the United States. Japanese Taoist and Sinological studies have had an important impact.