معرفی
James Alexander Benn is a Professor of Buddhism and East Asian Religions in the Department of Religious Studies at McMaster University, where he also serves as Director of the McMaster University Centre for Buddhist Studies. His research focuses on medieval Chinese religions (Buddhism and Taoism), examining practices and worldviews through analysis of primary sources in literary Chinese. His work centers on three primary areas: bodily practices in Chinese religions, transmission of religious practices/doctrines, and religious dimensions of commodity culture.
Education:
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Oriental Studies (Chinese), University of Cambridge
- Master of Arts Eastern Religions, University of London
- Master of Arts Oriental Studies (Chinese), University of Cambridge
- PhD East Asian Languages and Cultures (Buddhist Studies), University of California Los Angeles
Research Focus: Professor Benn specializes in the religious and cultural history of medieval China, with particular emphasis on self-immolation practices, Chinese Buddhist apocrypha, and the religious significance of tea culture. His research employs close textual analysis to understand how religious practices were created, transmitted, and practiced in historical contexts, especially regarding bodily practices and material culture.
Publications Overview: Benn's scholarly output includes extensive work on Chinese Buddhist texts, ritual practices, and cultural history. His publications frequently examine themes of asceticism, apocryphal literature, and material culture in medieval East Asian religions. Recent works demonstrate continued focus on textual analysis of Buddhist scriptures and their socio-cultural contexts, with particular attention to the Diamond Sutra and Lengyan Jing.
