“The 6th Chung‑Hwa International Conference on Buddhism & Forum for Young Scholars” to be held at the end of October

Organized by the Dharma Drum Mountain Chung‑Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies and the Center for the Study of Chinese Chan of Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts, and co‑organized by the Dharma Drum Sangha, Dharma Drum Sangha University, Dharma Drum Corporation, Humanity Magazine, and the Center for Buddhist Studies of National Taiwán University — the 6th Chung‑Hwa International Conference on Buddhism & Forum for Young Scholars will take place from October 30 to November 1, 2025, at the GIS NTU Convention Center. Registration will close once the quota is full (or by October 15). For the agenda and registration details, please see: https://ch45.chibs.edu.tw.
 
When convening the Chung‑Hwa International Conference on Buddhism, Dharma Drum Mountain founder, Master Sheng Yen, once remarked: "Time brings progress, and Buddhism evolves with it. Yet the commitment to promoting the Dharma, studying Buddhist teachings, and spreading Buddhism has remained steadfast and universal." In keeping with the founder's spirit, Venerable Guo Jin (果鏡法師), Director of the Chung‑Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies, hopes that through the Chung‑Hwa International Conference on Buddhism and the Forum for Young Scholars in Chinese Buddhism, a platform can be provided for exploring traditional Buddhist topics with modern academic perspectives and research methods.
 
The 6th Chung‑Hwa International Conference on Buddhism will focus on "Asian Buddhist Culture and Modern Society," and concurrently host the 3rd Chinese Buddhism Forum for Young Scholars' Paper Presentation Forum. During the three‑day event, nearly 120 papers will be presented simultaneously across six session halls, with roughly 160 scholars expected to attend. The topics will cover literature, thought, history, culture, the world of Chan, canonical interpretation, modern praxis, and Chinese Buddhist education. The purpose of this event is to bring together diverse perspectives, foster open deep dialogue between Buddhism and society, and explore how Buddhist culture can transform and sustain itself in the modern world.
 
In addition, two eminent scholars, Robert Gimello and Paul Harrison, will be invited to deliver keynote lectures. On the third day, both guests will host a special panel discussion, along with Professor Lin Zheng‑guo (林鎮國), distinguished Visiting Professor at Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts.
 
According to the Chung‑Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies, the first Chung‑Hwa International Conference on Buddhism was held in January 1990 at the National Central Library, with over 40 papers from scholars in 18 countries. The second through fifth conferences were held in 1992, 1995, 1997, 2002, and 2006, respectively.
 
After a 19‑year hiatus, the 6th Chung‑Hwa International Conference on Buddhism makes a powerful return—timed meaningfully to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education’s inauguration and the 45th anniversary of the Chung‑Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies. You are sincerely invited to attend, dialogue, and exchange thoughts. Two session halls will feature video conferencing capabilities to allow online participation for those unable to attend in person. For the agenda and registration, please see: https://ch45.chibs.edu.tw
 

• Register for the in‑person conference

• Register for the virtual conference
  
  
  
   

Original text in Chinese: Chang Ya-wen (張雅雯)
Photos: Chung‑Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies (中華佛研所)
Translation: Patricia Yang 
Editing: Keith Brown