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Stephen Bokenkamp

Stephen Bokenkamp

Emeritus Professor,
School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies
Other ASU affiliations
Regents Professor, Chinese, School of International Letters and Cultures
Faculty Affiliate, Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict
Center For Asian Research
  • Stephen.Bokenkamp@asu.edu
  • DURHAM LANGUAGE & LITERATURE TEMPE, AZ 85287
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  • ‌
Biography Research Teaching Public Work
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Long Bio

Stephen R. Bokenkamp specializes in the study of medieval Chinese Daoism, with a special emphasis on its literatures and its relations with Buddhism. He is author of "Early Daoist Scriptures and Ancestors and Anxiety" as well as more than 35 articles and book chapters on Daoism and literature. Among his awards are the Guggenheim Award for the Translation of a medieval Daoist text and a National Endowment for the Humanities Translation grants. In addition to his position at Arizona State, he has taught at Indiana University, Stanford University, and short courses for graduate students at Princeton and Fudan Universities. He was also part of the National 985 project at the Institute of Religious Studies, Sichuan University from 2006-2013.

柏夷（加州大學伯克萊分校博士，1986年）教授，專長于中國六朝隋唐道教史，特別關注中古道教文獻和佛道關係。在其漫長的學術生涯中，他出版了《早期道教經典》和《祖先與焦慮》兩部專著以及超過三十五篇學術論文。他的研究貢獻為其贏得了許多榮譽和獎項，比如古根海姆獎、美國國家人文基金會基金等等。除了在亞利桑那州立大學任教之外，他此前曾任教于印第安納大學、斯坦福大學，並在普林斯頓大學、復旦大學為研究生開設短期密集討論班。他也是2006-2013年四川大學國家九八五項目工程特聘海外專家。

Education

Ph.D. University of California-Berkeley 1986

Publications
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "The Early Lingbao Scriptures and the Origins of Chinese Monasticism,". Cahiers d’Extrême-Asie (2012).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Transmissions of a Female Daoist: Xie Ziran (767-795),". Affiliation and Transmission in Daoism: A Berlin Symposium (2012).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "The Daoist Pantheon". Early Chinese Religion, Vol 2 (2010).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Word as Relic in Medieval Daoism". Medieval and Early Modern Devotional Objects in Global Perspective (2010).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Minor Ritual Matters: Gesture and Meaning in Early Daoist Jiao Rites,". Foundations of Daoist Ritual (2009).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Tenkyo: Ko reihogyo no senkyo hoho ??: ?????????". Dokyo to kyosei shiso ??????? (2009).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Mabu yu hui: Tutanzhai zhong de ziwo yu jiazu ????: ??????????". Zhongguo wenzhe yanjiusuo tongxun ????????? (2008).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen. Ancestors and Anxiety: Daoism and the Birth of Rebirth in China. (2007).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "What Daoist Body?". Purposes, Means, and Convictions in Daoism: A Berlin Symposium (2007).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen (author) . The Vessantara-jÄ�taka in Buddhist and Daoist Translation. Taoism in History: Essays in Honour of Professor Liu Ts’un-yan (2006).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen. “Daoism: An Overview”. Encyclopedia of Religion (2005).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen (author) . “Simple Twists of Fate? The Daoist Body and Its Ming”. The Magnitude of Ming: Command, Allotment, and Fate in Chinese Culture (2005).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen (author) . Sackcloth and Ashes: Self and Family in the Tutan Zhai. Scriptures, Schools, and Forms of Practice in Taoism (2005).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen (author) . “The Silkworm and the Bodhi Tree: The Lingbao Attempt to Replace Buddhism in China and our attempt to place Lingbao Daoism. Religion and Chinese Society: Volume 1, Ancient and Medieval China (2004).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen (author) . Daoism and Buddhism. Encyclopedia of Buddhism (2003).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen (author) . The Salvation of Laozi: Images of the Sage in the Lingbao Scriptures, the Ge Xuan Preface, and the Yao Boduo Stele of 496 C.E. Daoyuan binfen lu [A Daoist Florilegium (2002).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen (author) . Lu Xiujing, Buddhism, and the First Daoist Canon. Culture and Power in the Reconstitution of the Chinese Realm, 200-600 (2001).
  • Bokenkamp, Stephen. Early Daoist Scriptures. (1997).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Imagining Community: Family Values and Morality in the Lingbao Scriptures". Philosophy and Religion in Early Medieval China (0).
Research Activity
  • Bokenkamp,Stephen R*. CHIF: Chinas Daos Today (ASUF 30005923). ASU FDN(1/1/2014 - 12/31/2015).
  • Bokenkamp,Stephen R*, Bokenkamp,Stephen R*. The Social Matrices of Early Lingbao Ritual. CHIANG (CHING-KUO) FDN(7/15/2008 - 7/14/2009).
Courses
2025 Fall
Course Number Course Title
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
REL 799 Dissertation
2025 Spring
Course Number Course Title
CHI 592 Research
CHI 595 Continuing Registration
CHI 690 Reading and Conference
CHI 784 Internship
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
CHI 599 Thesis
CHI 593 Applied Project
CHI 691 Seminar
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
CHI 346 Chinese Religions
REL 346 Chinese Religions
SLC 792 Research
CHI 590 Reading and Conference
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
REL 690 Reading and Conference
2024 Fall
Course Number Course Title
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
CHI 691 Seminar
CHI 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
REL 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
2024 Spring
Course Number Course Title
CHI 590 Reading and Conference
CHI 592 Research
CHI 595 Continuing Registration
CHI 690 Reading and Conference
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
CHI 599 Thesis
CHI 593 Applied Project
CHI 691 Seminar
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
REL 343 Daoism
REL 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
2023 Fall
Course Number Course Title
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
CHI 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
REL 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
CHI 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
2023 Spring
Course Number Course Title
CHI 590 Reading and Conference
CHI 592 Research
CHI 595 Continuing Registration
CHI 690 Reading and Conference
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
CHI 599 Thesis
CHI 593 Applied Project
CHI 691 Seminar
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
REL 343 Daoism
REL 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
2022 Fall
Course Number Course Title
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
CHI 691 Seminar
CHI 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
REL 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
2022 Summer
Course Number Course Title
CHI 595 Continuing Registration
2022 Spring
Course Number Course Title
CHI 590 Reading and Conference
CHI 592 Research
CHI 595 Continuing Registration
CHI 690 Reading and Conference
CHI 790 Reading and Conference
CHI 792 Research
CHI 795 Continuing Registration
CHI 799 Dissertation
CHI 599 Thesis
CHI 691 Seminar
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
REL 343 Daoism
REL 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
2021 Fall
Course Number Course Title
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
CHI 691 Seminar
CHI 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
REL 338 Daode Jing: Way to the West
2021 Spring
Course Number Course Title
CHI 690 Reading and Conference
CHI 691 Seminar
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
REL 343 Daoism
REL 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
CHI 343 Daoism
2020 Fall
Course Number Course Title
REL 792 Research
REL 799 Dissertation
CHI 691 Seminar
Presentations
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Sisters of the Blood: Daoist Women in the Late Tang Dynasty Court.". Invited Presentation (Sep 2012).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "The Social Life of the Daoist Gods". Hamilton College, Asian Studies Department 25th Anniversary (Nov 2010).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Sisters of the Blood: Daoist Priestesses in the 8th and 9th century Chinese Court.". Invited Lecture, U. C. Berkeley, Stanford University (Oct 2010).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "The Early Lingbao Scriptures and the Origins of Daoist Monasticism". Princeton Conference on Buddhism and Daoism (Oct 2010).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Gesture, Word, and Intention – the early 5th Century Lingbao zhai". Association for Asian Studies Annual Meeting (Mar 2010).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "The Roots of Daoist Monasticism.". Anniversary Workshop on Quanzhen Daoism, Qingsong Guan (Jan 2010).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Exorcism Ritually Transubstantiated: the Case of the Lingbao Scriptures". Symposium on Exorcism in Religious Daoism, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany (Dec 2009).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Linguistics and the Study of Religion in the West". Lecture, Southwest Nationalities University, Chengdu, China (Jul 2009).
  • Stephen R, Bokenkamp. "This Foreign Religion of Ours: (Mis)Translation, East and West, Ancient and Modern". Dartmouth College Department of Religion, Dickinson Distinguished Visitor (May 2009).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Image Work: Dream Interpretation in a Late Fourth Century Daoist Text". "Visions of the Night: Remembering, Transmitting, and Interpreting Dreams in the Pre-Modern World" (Apr 2009).
  • Stephen R, Bokenkamp. "This Foreign Religion of Ours: Lingbao Views of Indic Buddhism". Conference on Indian Mythology and the Chinese Imagination, Tel Aviv, Israel (Mar 2009).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Confession and Sectarianism in the Lingbao Scriptures" [in Chinese]. Conference on Confession, Academia Sinica and Fagu Buddhist College, Taipei, Taiwan (Dec 2008).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Simple Ritual Matters: The Earliest Jiao" [in Chinese]. Conference on Ritual, Cheng-chih University, Taipei, Taiwan (Dec 2008).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "The origins of the Daoist guan and the early Lingbao Scriptures" [in Chinese]. Third Japanese-American Conference on Daoism, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan (Dec 2008).
  • Stephen R. Bokenkamp. "Imaginary Communities: Yang Xi, Tao Hongjing, and the Lingbao Sect" [in Chinese]. Lecture, Institute of Literature and Philosophy, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (Nov 2008).
Service
  • Daojiao wenhua yanjiu, Editorial Board (1999 - 3000)
  • Daoism: Religion, History, Society, Editorial Board Member (2010 - 3000)
  • SILC, East and Southeast Asia Faculty, coordinator (2009 - Present)
  • Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, speaker (2012 - 2013)
  • Association for Asian Studies, China and Inner Asian Council, Council Member (2010 - 2013)
  • China and Inner Asia Research Council, Association for Asian Studies, member (2009 - 2012)
  • Journal of T'ang Studies, Editorial Board, Board Member (2010 - 2012)
  • University Promotion and Tenure Committee, member (2008 - 2011)
  • University Promotion and Tenure Committee, Member (2008 - 2011)
  • Journal of T'ang Studies, Editorial Board (2008 - 2010)
  • Project 985, Visiting Scholar (2004 - 2010)
  • Project 985, Visiting Scholar (2004 - 2009)
Expertise Areas
Chinese
Religious Studies
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