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WORKSHOP> 2018 Tannisho Workshops in Berkeley and Kyoto: March 2-4 and June 22-24
by Mark Blum
The Centers for Japanese Studies and Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, together with Ōtani University and Ryūkoku University in Kyoto announce the 2018 workshop schedule for our ongoing seminar on the Tannishō, focusing on critically examining premodern and modern hermeneutics of this core text of the Shin sect of Buddhism, and arguably the most well-read religious text in postwar Japan. 2018 will be the second year in this five-year project that meets twice each year. The third workshop will take place in Berkeley from March 2 to 4 at the Jodoshinshu Center and the fourth workshop will be in Kyoto at Ryūkoku University from June 22 to 24. Organized around close readings of the most influential materials produced in early modern, modern, and postmodern Japan, the workshop aims at producing a critical, annotated translation detailing the salient ways in which this text has been both inspirational and controversial, as well as a series of essays analyzing a wide spectrum of voices in Japanese scholarship and preaching that have spoken on this work. Writings by Enchi (1662), Jukoku (1740), Jinrei (1808), and Ryōshō (1841), Andō Shūichi (1909), Chikazumi Jōkan (1930), and Soga Ryōjin (1947) continue to be the major concern at this point in the workshop. We have also started a subgroup on the history of the text’s translation.
The language of instruction will be primarily English with only minimal Japanese spoken as needed. The texts to be studied will be in primarily in Classical Japanese, with some outside materials in kanbun, Modern Japanese, and English. Participants will be expected to prepare the assigned readings, and on occasion make relevant presentations in English about content.
There is no participation fee, but in recognition of the distance some will have to travel to attend, a limited number of travel fellowships will be provided to qualified graduate students from any institution, based on preparedness, need, and commitment to the project. Any qualified applicant will be welcome to register. Participation in prior workshops is not required, and participation in only one of these workshops is not a problem.
Applications must be sent for each year of participation. To apply to register for either or both of the workshops for 2018, send C.V. and short letter explaining your qualifications, motivations, and objectives to Kumi Hadler at cjs@berkeley.edu by the end of January, 2018. Communication regarding the Kyoto meeting may be sent to Karasawa Taisuke at karasawa-taisuke@ad.ryukoku.ac.jp. Requests for a travel fellowship should be included in communication to both schools with specifics of where you will be traveling from and if you plan to attend one or both meetings that year. Questions about the content of the workshop may be sent to Mark Blum at mblum@berkeley.edu.
