Kohler Art Library receives 20-volume set of the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts 

On April 26, 2019 the Venerable Youheng Shi and others ceremoniously presented the Kohler Art Library with a 20-volume set of the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts donated by the Fo Guang Shan Chicago Buddhist Temple.  The presentation included an overview of the impressive publication and an introduction to the work of the Temple.  Those present to acknowledge the gift and to thank the donors included librarians Lyn Korenic, Larry Ashman, and Yoriko Dixon as well as Professor Gudrun Buhnemann, Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, and Professor Yuhang Li, Department of Art History.  While paging through one of the volumes, Professor Li was pleasantly surprised to find an entry on a textile that is of current research interest to her.

The Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts contains 10,000 entries and 14,000 images and is considered the first comprehensive compilation of Buddhist art from around the world.  The beautifully designed set is divided into 8 categories, including Architecture, Caves and Rock Carvings, Sculpture, Painting, Calligraphy and Seal Engravings, Artifacts and Decorative Arts, People, and an Index.  Recently translated into English, this major reference work will support research and scholarship in the fields of Art History, Asian Studies, Religious Studies, and Anthropology, among others.  According to Korenic, “the incredible breadth and depth of this resource, covering the expansion of Buddhism throughout Asia, makes it an indispensable tool that will enable students and faculty to develop a global understanding of and deep appreciation for Buddhist art, architecture, and material culture.  The Kohler Art Library is delighted and grateful to be the recipient of this generous gift.”