James Benn, McMaster University

Profile photo of James Benn, expert at McMaster University

Department of Religious Studies Professor Hamilton, Ontario bennjam@mcmaster.ca Office: (905) 525-9140 ext. 24210

Expert In

Bodily practice in Chinese religions Buddhism Commodity culture and religion Creating new religious practices and doctrines Medieval Chinese religions Taoism Transmitting new religious practices and doctrines

Bio/Research

I was trained primarily as a scholar of medieval Chinese religions (Buddhism and Taoism). My research is aimed at understanding the practices and world views of medieval men and women, both religious and lay, through the close reading of primary sources in literary Chinese—the lingua franca of E...

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Bio/Research

I was trained primarily as a scholar of medieval Chinese religions (Buddhism and Taoism). My research is aimed at understanding the practices and world views of medieval men and women, both religious and lay, through the close reading of primary sources in literary Chinese—the lingua franca of East Asian religions. I have concentrated on three major areas of research: bodily practice in Chinese Religions; the ways in which people create and transmit new religious practices and doctrines; and the religious dimensions of commodity culture. In particular I have worked on self-immolation, Chinese Buddhist apocrypha, and the religious and cultural history of tea.

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Links

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