Prof. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. - Hyecho’s Journey: The World of Buddhism

In the year 721, a young Buddhist monk named Hyecho set out from the kingdom of Silla, on the Korean peninsula, on what would become one of the most extraordinary journeys in the history of Buddhism. Sailing first to China, Hyecho continued to what is today Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, before taking the Silk Road back to China, where he would end his days on the sacred mountain of Wutaishan. This lecture will describe what Hyecho encountered in his travels and how his journey might provide new ways to understand the Buddhist tradition.
Donald S. Lopez Jr. is the Arthur E. Link Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan, where he serves as chair of the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and as chair of the Michigan Society of Fellows. His recent books include The Lotus Sutra: A Biography, Strange Tales of an Oriental Idol: An Anthology of Early European Portrayals of the Buddha, and Dispelling the Darkness: A Jesuit’s Quest for the Soul of Tibet. His forthcoming book Hyecho’s Journey: The World of Buddhism is the basis for this talk.