Former Site of the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy

Former Site of the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy

Former Site of the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Former Site of the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy

In 1930, Liu Xiang, commander of the 21st Army of the National Revolutionary Army, issued an order to all counties in Sichuan, requiring them to raise funds within three months to send monks to Tibet to study Buddhist teachings from lamas, aiming to build a bridge between Han and Tibetan cultures. During a banquet for Taixu, to demonstrate his commitment to Buddhism, Liu spoke at length about his initiative to dispatch monks to Tibet. Taixu expressed strong interest and suggested: “Instead of sending monks to Tibet for study, why not establish a Tibetan language institute in Sichuan to train Han monks in Tibetan, preparing them for future studies in Tibet?” Liu Xiang happily adopted this suggestion and agreed on the spot to name it the “Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy.”

On August 21, 1932, the official opening ceremony of the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy was held. That day, the ancient Jinyun Temple was bustling with activity. Hundreds of officials and local gentry, including Feng Junyi, County Magistrate of Baxian County, Fei Mengyu, President of the Chongqing High Court, and Lu Zuofu, Director of the Jialing River Three Gorges Defense Corps, came to show their support. Thus, Sichuan’s first advanced Buddhist educational institution was established at Jinyun Temple.

It is understood that the college offered specialized and general courses, with a curriculum focused primarily on Tibetan language and Buddhist studies, along with subjects such as history, geography, and law. However, students were expected to learn more than just textbook knowledge.

In the autumn of 1937, due to “the severity of national crisis and increasing external threats,” Taixu decided to organize a monastic military training class. This well-known training program in the Buddhist community was divided into rescue and defense squads. Not only did all faculty and students of the college participate in the training, but Taixu also specifically notified nearby county and city Buddhist associations to send able-bodied monks to the college for military instruction.

The college also saw one major event worth mentioning: the establishment of a Buddhist cultural relics exhibition room.

At the end of 1939, Master Taixu organized a Buddhist visiting delegation to tour Myanmar, India, Ceylon, and Thailand. Upon returning to China in May 1940, he brought back a variety of gifts presented by governments, organizations, and Buddhist devotees from those countries, including Buddha statues, scriptures, and hundreds of rare landscape photographs taken during the trip. In June of that year, the college set up a Buddhist cultural relics exhibition room downstairs in the library to display these precious items. The exhibition caused a sensation at the time, attracting numerous celebrities such as Tian Han and Guo Moruo to visit.

Due to the particularly important status of the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College, prominent Chinese military, political figures, and cultural personalities came here to give lectures and tours, making it a hub of culture. In 1950, the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy ceased operations. Over the nearly 20 years of its existence, seven classes were enrolled, training hundreds of professionals for China’s Buddhist circles. The academic works published there continue to have a global impact to this day.

In May 2013, the former site of the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist College of the World Buddhist Academy was announced as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Liu Xiang, a First-Class General of the Army of the Republic of China’s National Revolutionary Army and a Sichuan warlord. Liu Xiang was a formidable figure of his time, brave and fearless in battle, earning the nicknames “Bapihu” and “Liutaozi.” He rose to prominence during the Sichuan civil wars, defeating rival factions to unify the province. Though introverted, deep, and reserved in character, he was strict with himself and fierce in demeanor. He maintained a relationship of superficial cooperation with Chiang Kai-shek, keeping Sichuan semi-independent during his lifetime, achieving notable success in both military and political spheres, while being a devout believer in spiritualism. On the other hand, Liu Xiang also made significant contributions to education in the Sichuan-Chongqing region. In 1929, Chongqing University... More details about Liu Xiang++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units