Harvard Daoist Studies Symposium: The Body, Gender, and Self-cultivation in Daoism

Sponsors: Committee on the Study of Religion, Harvard University; Harvard-Yenching Institute; Harvard University Asia Center; Rabbi Joseph S. Shubow Memorial Fund

This two-day symposium aims to bring in several of the world’s leading experts in the study of Daoism to focus on the topic of body, gender, and self-cultivation in Daoism. This topic is a fertile ground for research, especially because Daoism at most stages of its development envisioned spiritual perfection as inextricably bound with the physical body, and because attitudes towards gender in many Daoist communities were complex and could differ in significant ways from those found in other Chinese sources. The nexus of body, gender, and self-cultivation, therefore, makes for an exceptionally productive and exciting theme to explore in a sustained way through a series of talks and extensive discussions.

For more information, visit the Asia Center website (Day 1 | Day 2)