Guang Kuan

Biography

Kuan Guang completed his BA in Buddhist studies at the Buddhist Academy of China from 1994 to 1998. He also studied Theravada Buddhism in the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. He conducted his doctoral research on Chinese Buddhism in the Ming dynasty at SOAS. The PhD thesis, completed in 2010, focused on the Buddhist development of Wutai Shan in north China during the Ming dynasty. Before joining King’s he worked as a Research Associate at SOAS. In October 2013, he became a Research Fellow at King’s College London.   Kuan Guang completed his BA in Buddhist studies at the Buddhist Academy of China from 1994 to 1998. He also studied Theravada Buddhism in the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. He conducted his doctoral research on Chinese Buddhism in the Ming dynasty at SOAS. The PhD thesis, completed in 2010, focused on the Buddhist development of Wutai Shan in north China during the Ming dynasty. Before joining King’s he worked as a Research Associate at SOAS. In October 2013, he became a Research Fellow at King’s College London.  

Research Interest

"Kuan Guang's principle research interests lie in the history and texts of Chinese Buddhism. His current study is focused on Ming Buddhist history, particularly on an internationally well known Buddhist pilgrimage centre-Wutai Shan, where Indian pioneer masters brought their traditions and integrated them into the local practice; where other East Asian Buddhists (Japanese, Korean) came and took this Sinicised Buddhist tradition and spread it all over East Asia. His future research plans are to develop a deeper understanding of the development of Ming Buddhism in conjunction with political, social and economical changes. He has a particular expertise and interest in translating classical Chinese Buddhist and historical texts. He started his translation training with Professor Barrett in 2002(SOAS) used a Tang Buddhist text, the Gu Qingliang Zhuan, as an example. His translating skills became more proficient through the research in Wutai Shan Buddhism, which involves many classical Chinese texts and inscriptions. He is interested in hearing from potential PhD students in Chinese Buddhism."