Chengpeng Li | University of Michigan (original) (raw)

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Papers by Chengpeng Li

Inya Institute Fall 2023 Newsletter, 2023

This piece is my brief account of the field trip to Mae Hong Son in Northern Thailand. Organized ... more This piece is my brief account of the field trip to Mae Hong Son in Northern Thailand. Organized by the Inya Institute, this research trip was centered on exploring the Buddhist manuscripts in the Monastery. I offer preliminary observations on the geographical distribution of ethnic groups within the province. I explore the connections between Buddhist texts, script writings, and the inherent materiality of these manuscripts to particular groups. I also touch upon the historical relocation of the Tai Yai individuals from Myanmar to Thailand in this border region.

Thesis Chapters by Chengpeng Li

Universität Heidelberg, 2023

Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī-sūtra (Uds), an empowering Buddhist scripture that has undergone multiple tr... more Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī-sūtra (Uds), an empowering Buddhist scripture that has undergone multiple translations, adaptations, and compositions across Asian societies. While recontextualized based on regional cultures and rituals, its central theme of life extension and better rebirths through spells remains consistent. The vast transmission and varying interpretations of the Uds across Buddhist cultures present a complex web of evolution and transcultural dynamics. While researchers typically refer to earlier versions of the Uds for comparative analysis, a comprehensive examination of the earliest Chinese sources remains largely unexplored. This research gaps in our understanding since these early Chinese texts, besides a lone Sanskrit manuscript, offer invaluable insights. Through this study, I delve deep into these early Chinese texts, aiming to establish a definitive chronology, exploring the process of their productions, and understanding their textual nature. Leveraging both external and internal evidence, supplemented with Digital Humanities techniques, I contend that of the five Tang versions of Uds, T968 and T967 stand as genuine translations. Meanwhile, T969 and T971 are revisions of T968 and T967, respectively; and T970 emerges as a distinct Chinese composition using earlier Buddhist Chinese sources.

Inya Institute Fall 2023 Newsletter, 2023

This piece is my brief account of the field trip to Mae Hong Son in Northern Thailand. Organized ... more This piece is my brief account of the field trip to Mae Hong Son in Northern Thailand. Organized by the Inya Institute, this research trip was centered on exploring the Buddhist manuscripts in the Monastery. I offer preliminary observations on the geographical distribution of ethnic groups within the province. I explore the connections between Buddhist texts, script writings, and the inherent materiality of these manuscripts to particular groups. I also touch upon the historical relocation of the Tai Yai individuals from Myanmar to Thailand in this border region.

Universität Heidelberg, 2023

Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī-sūtra (Uds), an empowering Buddhist scripture that has undergone multiple tr... more Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī-sūtra (Uds), an empowering Buddhist scripture that has undergone multiple translations, adaptations, and compositions across Asian societies. While recontextualized based on regional cultures and rituals, its central theme of life extension and better rebirths through spells remains consistent. The vast transmission and varying interpretations of the Uds across Buddhist cultures present a complex web of evolution and transcultural dynamics. While researchers typically refer to earlier versions of the Uds for comparative analysis, a comprehensive examination of the earliest Chinese sources remains largely unexplored. This research gaps in our understanding since these early Chinese texts, besides a lone Sanskrit manuscript, offer invaluable insights. Through this study, I delve deep into these early Chinese texts, aiming to establish a definitive chronology, exploring the process of their productions, and understanding their textual nature. Leveraging both external and internal evidence, supplemented with Digital Humanities techniques, I contend that of the five Tang versions of Uds, T968 and T967 stand as genuine translations. Meanwhile, T969 and T971 are revisions of T968 and T967, respectively; and T970 emerges as a distinct Chinese composition using earlier Buddhist Chinese sources.