Join us for a compelling lecture that examines the complex interplay between gender, sin, and salvation in premodern Japanese Buddhism. While the tradition promises that anyone who recalls Amida Buddha at the moment of death may enter his Pure Land, numerous narratives suggest that women and sinful men face overwhelming karmic obstacles, making descent into hell seem inevitable regardless of their devotion. This talk explores how these individuals were portrayed in Buddhist hell paintings of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and the spiritual journeys they undertook to escape damnation. Through visual analysis and historical context, the lecture reveals how such artworks shaped and challenged doctrinal frameworks, offering insight into how ritual practice and artistic production contributed to evolving discourses on salvation.

Dr. Mimi Chusid, assistant professor of Japanese art history at the University of Washington, Seattle, will lead the discussion. Her scholarship focuses on Japanese Buddhist visual culture, particularly in the premodern period, with research interests that include the intersection of art, ritual, and text; the role of women in religious image-making and reception; Buddhist materialities; and the implications of conservation in art historical inquiry. Her forthcoming book, The Ill-Fated Afterlife: Painting the Buddhist Cosmos in Premodern Japan, will be published by the University of Washington Press in 2026.

This event, hosted by Professors Michael Toole and Ethan Segal, is made possible by the Japan Council Endowment administered by the MSU Asian Studies Center.

Shayan Rajani, "Leaving Legacies: The Individual in Early Modern South Asia"

Join us for a special in-person event with Louisa Wei of City University of Hong Kong, hosted by Professor Tze-lan Sang. The event schedule is as follows: 

1:00-2:50 pm: "Hong Kong Independent Documentary: Discovering Its Traditions"

4:00-6:45 pm: Havana Divas (2018), film screening and discussion with Director Louisa Wei 

7:00 pm: Dinner

Join the Dr. Verghese Kurien Memorial Lecture featuring Mr. Samir Somaiya, Chancellor of Somaiya Vidyavihar University in Mumbai, India. Mr. Somaiya is also Chairman and Managing Director of Godavari Biorefineries, Ltd., and Past President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce. His lecture, "Building a Beautiful and Sustainable World", will explore pathways toward a more sustainable future.

Click here to register!

Join Director Jiang Nengjie and Producter Xu Xin for a film screening and discussion of the 2024 film Fen (Points, or Separation)

Join us for an insightful discussion with Professor Geoffrey Robinson of UCLA as he presents his co-authored work, Exposed - A Visual History of the Destruction of the Indonesian Left. This groundbreaking book delves into the orchestrated mass violence of 1965-1968 in Indonesia, a pivotal yet often overlooked chapter in Southeast Asian history. Through a compelling visual narrative, Robinson and co-author Douglas Kammen challenge distorted official accounts and offer a platform for new social memories and interpretations. The event will be hosted by Professor Siddharth Chandra.

Join us in person or online! Click here to register for the Zoom event, or attend at the location listed.

Join Director Jiang Nengjie for a film screening and discussion of the 2020 film Rainbow Cruise of Love.

Join us for a virtual talk with Professor Wang Jiaxin of Renmin University of China, hosted by Professor Tze-lan Sang. 

Join us for the Joseph & Lucy Memorial Lecture with Professor Zhou Xuanlong of Tsinghua University.