Dec. 7, 2022
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Professor Chia-lin Pao Tao, Professor Emerita of the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona, recently published a book in Chinese titled Teaching Buddhism Through Calligraphy: Masters Hsin-yun and Hongyi (以筆墨弘揚佛法：星雲大師與弘一大師).
The art of Chinese calligraphy is the jewel of Chinese culture and ranks high among the national treasures. In the history of world art, it is also unique. The only culture in the world that has developed ancient writing into art is the Chinese culture, and several Buddhist monks in the world are also famous for their calligraphy; they have made a vow to save all suffering sentient beings, and these beautiful calligraphy are both their mouthpieces and tools for teaching. Through the calligraphy of Master Hsing Yun and Master Hong Yi, the author leads the reader to the essence of Chinese culture: "It is difficult to become a human being, it is difficult to be reborn in the Middle Kingdom, and it is difficult to hear the Buddha's teachings." On the wall Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan, Master Hsing Yun wrote: "Life is hard to obtain, and the Buddha's teachings are hard to hear; if the body is not liberated in this lifetime, when is a good time for liberation?"
中國的書法藝術是中華文化中的瑰寶，在國粹中名列前茅。在世界藝術史中，它亦獨樹一幟。世界上惟一將古來文字發展為藝術的，只有中華文化，而世界上好幾位佛教高僧也都以書法名世；他們發願救苦救難普度眾生，這些悅目的墨寶既是他們的喉舌，也都是向眾生開示的工具。作者透過星雲大師和和弘一大師的墨寶，帶領讀者進入中國文化的精華領域：「人身難得，中土難生，佛法難聞。」在佛光山的牆上，就有星雲大師寫的：『人身難得今已得，佛法難聞今已聞；此身不向今生度，更向何生度此身？』
About the author:
Chia-lin Pao Tao has co-authored History of Women’s Movement in Modern China(jindai zhongguo funu yundongshi), edited seven volumes of Studies in Chinese Women’s History (zhongguo funushi lunji), co-edited History of Women in Modern China: Bibliography of Chinese Language Materials, and co-edited Excursions in Chinese Culture. She has contributed to the Stanford volume of Women Writers of Traditional China.
Among her numerous articles and essays are “Anti footbinding Movement in Late Ch’ing China,” Research on Women in Modern Chinese History, No. 2, Taipei: Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, “Ch’iu Chin’s Revolutionary Career,” Modern China: Reform, Protest, and Revolution, Studies in Chinese History, Vol. 25, No. 4, and “Chaste Widows and Institutions to Support Them in Late Ch’ing China,” Asia Major, Vol. 4, pt.1.
Chia-lin Pao Tao has been invited to lecture in China, Taiwan and Japan. She serves on the editorial board of Research on Women in Modern Chinese History and is on the Board of Directors of American Association for Chinese Studies.
In 1993 she was the President of The Historical Society for the Study of Twentieth century China in North America. In 2003 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies.
鮑家麟，台北一女中，台灣大學歷史系畢業，1971年獲印第安那大學博士，曾任台灣大學歷史系副教授教授多年，亞利桑那大學(University of Arizona﹐ Tucson, AZ) 東亞系終身教授，現係該校退休榮譽教授。2003年﹐榮獲亞洲學會西部分會終身成就獎。
著作有散文集「婦女問題隨想錄」、「婦女問題隨想錄之二」，與陳三井、張玉法等合寫的「近代中國婦女運動史」，編著「中國婦女史論集」共八集，「近代中國婦女史中文資料目錄」。Excursions in Chinese Culture。並參與孫康宜的 "Women Writers of Traditional China" 詩詞英譯。出版有關中國婦女和近代史研究的中英日文論文﹐書評約有九十餘篇，其中包括："Anti footbinding Movement in Late Ch'ing China," Research on Women in Modern Chinese History, No. 2, Taipei: Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, "Ch'iu Chin's Revolutionary Career," Modern China: Reform, Protest, and Revolution, Studies in Chinese History, Vol. 25, No. 4, and "Chaste Widows and Institutions to Support Them in Late Ch'ing China," Asia Major, Vol. 4, pt.1.
近作有："The Nude Parade of 1927: Nudity and Women's Liberation in China,"in Shanshan Du and Ya-chen Chen, eds., Women and Gender in Contemporary Chinese Societies: Beyond Han Patriarchy, Lexington Books, December 2011, pp. 171-184。
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