MSG, Vegan Soap, Karma and Tofu: Chinese Vegetarianism in the Early 20th Century

CHINA HUMANITIES

SPEAKER: John Kieschnick, Stanford University

Drawing on newspapers, essays, memoirs, correspondence and Buddhist journals, this talk will outline the major trends in Chinese vegetarianism from 1900-1950, attempting to capture the diverse motivations, arguments and innovations in the anti-meat movement in China in the first half of the twentieth century.

About the Speaker

John Kieschnick is The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Professor of Buddhist Studies. He specializes in Chinese Buddhism, with particular emphasis on its cultural history. He is the author of The Eminent Monk: Buddhist Ideals in Medieval China, The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture, and Buddhist Historiography in China. He is currently writing a history of Chinese vegetarianism.