The worship of Bodhisattva and female goddesses in Asia

Saturday - 07/09/2019 13:04

The international conference titled "The worship of Bodhisattva and female goddesses in Asia" was held on September 5th at USSH, VNU Hanoi and takes place in two days (September 5th-6th). The worship of Bodhisattva and female goddesses is popular in many Asian countries and territories such as Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Japan and India. It helps foster the sharing of beliefs, religions, customs and practices between countries and territories in the region, and also reflects the particularities of each country. The study of Bodhisattva and female goddesses' reverence is a topic attracting many Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese scholars alike.

As such, Faculty of Literature (USSH) collaborated with National Cheng Kung University, National Quemoy University (Taiwan, China) to hold this international conference to provide scientific information and comparative perspectives on this important belief in the region. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof.Dr Nguyen Van Kim (Vice Rector of USSH) said academic events such as this conference are fruitful opportunities for Vietnamese and foreign lecturers and researchers share their knowledge and publish new findings.

Prof.Dr Nguyen Van Kim speaks at the opening ceremony

He expressed his hope the papers at the conference will help clarify the similarities in the worship of Bodhisattva and female goddesses in Asian countries and territories, and provide in-depth, practical scientific evidence and information concerning the ideological, philosophical and humanistic values. Prof. Lin Chung I (Vice President of National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan, China)) appreciated the profound and varied meaning of this conference. The most central mentaility of the belief is compassion, one of the most important components of which is the transcendence of the self and empathy.

Prof Lin Chung I speaks at the opening ceremony

The conference was split into 3 sessions with 7 panels studying the worship of Bodhisattva and female goddesses in Asia from specialized and interdisciplinary approaches: literature, history, cultural studies, religious studies and regional studies. The papers focused on the main topics: Legends of Bodhisattva and female goddesses in Asia; the history of the worship of Bodhisattva and female goddesses in Asia; the vestiges related to the worship of Bodhisattva and female goddesses in Asia; and the practice of Bodhisattva and female goddesses worship in countries and territories in Asia.

The delegates take a ceremonial picture

After the conference, papers of excellent scientific value will be included and published in an ISBN-indexed publication of a prestigious publishing house in Vietnam or Taiwan (China) in 2020.