Religious Research Center was founded in
2004, is a key research institute directly administered by Shaanxi Normal
University, became an independent department in 2007, it is an important center
for philosophy and social science research in Shaanxi Province in 2008. It
received authorization in 2003 to award master’s in Religious Studies, and for
doctoral degree in 2006, it is the only department which has the authority to
grant religion doctoral degree in northwest of China. The Center currently has
8 full-time researchers, 13 school part-time teachers and 2 external teachers.
Among whom there are 2 Professors (Lv Jianfu, Ha Baoyu ), 3 Associate
Professors (Xiao Jianyuan，Wang
Haiyan, Zhang Fang) and 1 lecturer (Zhang Wenzhuo), 2 Post-doctorate Fellows
(Qi FeiZhi, Xu Xiao) and 1 executive secretary 1 (Yuan Ye), Professor Lv Jianfu
is an academic leaders and director of the center.
The center set several research rooms,
including Religious Theory, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism and Folk
religion studies, newly emerged religion and religious issues, also has
reference room and Maitreya library. It conducts
research in the field of religious theory (Including Religious Psychology, Religious
Sociology), Buddhism (including Tibetan Buddhism), Islamic studies, Christian
studies, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, and so on. The Center set
curriculum of Religious Theory, Religious Psychology, Religious Sociology,
Theory of Chinese Communist Party and Chinese Policy. Basic courses including:
Chinese, Indian, Western Arabian philosophy. Professional language courses of
Sanskrit, Tibetan, Arabic, Latin and etc. History, literature and History
thoughts of all the other directions, also other related elective courses.
Since 2007, Professors of Religious Research
Center awarded 25 scientific research projects, among them there are 6 National
Social Science fund projects, including 1 major projects，2 key projects, 4 Humanities and Social Science
Projects of the Ministry Education, as well as 5 projects of other ministries.
19 books have been published, of which 9 academic monographs. Published 135
papers in academic journals, including 14 authoritative publications papers, 25
core journals published papers. Edit ‘Tantra research’ and ‘HuanYan Research’
two religious Proceedings of Shaanxi Normal University, which was hosted by
International Symposium of Chinese Tantra and China Huayan International
Symposium. The center hosted ‘Tiantan Lecture’ and ‘Maitreya Lecture ’ regularly.
The Center has made great strides in
Buddhism, Islam, Chinese traditional religion and belief, and Christian
research. It has formed expertise in Tantra Buddhism, Zen school of Buddhism,
Islam in northwest, and also in the method of teaching, the new religion
schools which were all under the endeavor of three generations of scholars of
this center. From now on, will highlights three characteristics, which are
Traditional, Ethnic and regional studied. Focusing on Buddhism, Islam and
Tibetan Buddhism, pay close attention on the reality of religion, strengthening
the international academic exchange, make more friends in religious circle.
GENARAL