Our graduate Dr. Tianyu Lei successfully acquires a position at Xi'an Jiaotong University
Congratulations to our graduate, Dr. Tianyu Lei, for successfully acquiring a position at Xi'an Jiaotong University, one of the top public universities in China! He is now an assistant professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature.
Dr. Tianyu Lei graduated from the University of Arizona with a doctorate in East Asian Studies in 2023. He received his M.A. degree in Chinese Studies from the National University of Singapore and B.A. degree from Sichuan University. He studies Ming-Qing Buddhism, especially the cult of Zhunti 准提 (Cundī) in late imperial China. His other research interests include Buddhist literature and humanistic geography.
His doctoral dissertation is titled “The Mother of All Buddhas: The Formation and Transformation of the Cult of Zhunti (Cundī) in China.” This dissertation offers a renewed perspective on the Chinese Buddhist deity, Zhunti, emphasizing its indigenous origin and intricate evolution from the Liao to Ming-Qing periods. It delves into Zhunti's assimilation into local traditions, illustrated by seminal folktales and venerated shrines, while spotlighting the devotional practices that bolstered its significance during the imperial era. Also, through a comparative lens with Guanyin, complex cultural dynamics are revealed. In sum, with its multidisciplinary approach, this research enriches our understanding of Zhunti and builds a potential model for subsequent deity-focused studies.