Dynamics in Buddhist Network in Eastern Central Asia 6th to 14th Centuries (short: BuddhistRoad) aims to create a new framework to enable understanding of the complexities in the dynamics of cultural encounter and religious transfer in premodern Eastern Central Asia—a vast area extending from the Taklamakan Desert to north-east China. This region was the home of several neighbouring civilisations, something which to a large extent determined the complex dynamics of inter-religious and cultural exchanges that took place along the Silk Roads. Buddhism was one of the major factors in this exchange; its consistent and extensive transfer of religious knowledge and artefacts took hold in virtually all the cultures existing along the Silk Roads, thereby becoming a major civilising force. In many cases the spread of Buddhism overrode ethnic and linguistic boundaries in Eastern Central Asia creating a world shared by all, one which, despite its diversity, had Buddhism as its common point of reference. A primary aspect of this process was the rise of local forms of Buddhism. The BuddhistRoad project was set up to investigate these forms of local Buddhism that flourished between the 6th and the 14th centuries. At the core of the research are the areas of ancient Khotan, Kuča, Turfan, Dunhuang, and Ganzhou, as well as the territory of the Tangut Empire. The analytical themes of the project revolve around thematic clusters pertaining to doctrines, rituals and practices, the impact of non-Buddhist influences, patronage and legitimation strategies, sacred spaces and pilgrimages, and visual and material transfers.
Under the direction of the PI of the project, Carmen Meinert, and the project coordinator, Henrik H. Sørensen, the BuddhistRoad project has already published two conference proceedings:
Buddhism in Central Asia I. Patronage, Legitimation, Sacred Space, and Pilgrimage, edited by Carmen Meinert and Henrik H. Sørensen, 2019.
Buddhism in Central Asia II. Practice and Rituals, Visual and Materials Transfer, edited by Yukiyo Kasai and Henrik H. Sørensen, 2022.
Moreover, we await further forthcoming volumes to be co-authored by all BuddhistRoad team members and featuring the core findings of the project, and a monograph by Carmen Meinert on the history of Central Asian Buddhism, upon the conclusion of the project.
Carmen Meinert
Henrik H. Sørensen