Sernya

Since the turn of the 21st century, significant breakthroughs have been continuously achieved in the research of Tibetan archaeology and art, renewing academic understanding within this field. To further facilitate the exchange of cutting-edge research findings, discussions on prevailing academic topics, and foster academic exchanges and collaboration between scholars of China and overseas, the Center for Tibetan Studies of Sichuan University, Xizang University Research Institute of Chinese National Community, Xizang Museum, Zhejiang University Center for Buddhist Art, Institute for Conservation and Research of Cultural Relics of Xizang, Research Institute for Tibetan Buddhist Heritage of the Palace Museum and Chengdu Dargye Himalayan Culture and Art Mueseum will jointly host The Ninth International Conference on Tibetan Archaeology and Art in Chengdu from August 31 to September 2, 2026. We sincerely invite scholars from universities and research institutions worldwide to submit papers and participate in the conference. Relevant conference arrangements are outlined as follows:
Date:Registration: August 30, 2026Academic Sessions: August 31 – September 2, 2026Departure: September 3, 2026
Place:Sichuan University,29 Wangjiang Road,Chengdu,China
Topics:1. New Archaeological Discoveries and Research on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and Its Surrounding Regions 2. Early Tibetan Buddhist Art and Multicultural Exchanges 3. Tibetan Buddhist Art During the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties 4. Tibetan Ancient Culture in Archaeology, Art and Text5. Cross-Himalayan Artistic Interaction and Exchange 6. Digital Technology and the Conservation of Tibetan Cultural Heritage7. Other Relevant Researches
Language and Presentation:The official conference languages are Chinese and English. Each speaker will be allocated 15 minutes for presentation, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session.
Abstract and PPT：Please submit the title and the abstract of the paper by August 1st, and the presentation PPT or the entire paper by August 25th, 2026.The full paper shall be submitted within five months after the conference.
Fees:No conference registration fee will be charged. The organizers will cover accommodation, meals and conference materials for participants. Round-trip travel expenses shall be borne by participants themselves.
Contact:[email protected]
Look forward to meeting you in Chengdu!

Organizing Committee of the Ninth International Conference on Tibetan Archaeology and Art

Welcoming new leadership at BDRC!

As BDRC looks toward its next chapter after more than twenty-five years of preserving and sharing Buddhist literature, we are pleased to share two important updates.

Gregory Forgues has recently joined BDRC as Executive Director. A Buddhist Studies scholar and translator, Greg brings organizational leadership and extensive experience working with Buddhist textual projects through his work with 84000, Khyentse Foundation, and Tsadra Foundation. He also offers a clear vision of how new technologies can responsibly serve Buddhist textual traditions.

Gedun Rabsal has been elected President of the Board. A scholar, writer, and translator at Indiana University Bloomington, Gedun brings deep expertise and lifelong dedication to Tibetan literature and Buddhist textual culture.

Together with BDRC’s staff and global partners, Greg and Gedun carry forward the vision of founder E. Gene Smith: preserving Buddhist literature and making it accessible to the world.

Read more:
Gedun Rabsal, President of the Board:
https://www.bdrc.io/blog/2026/06/25/gedun-rabsal-elected-president-of-the-board/

Gregory Forgues, Executive Director:
https://www.bdrc.io/blog/2026/05/18/gregory-forgues-appointed-executive-director/

Who are the peoples of Nepal, and what can their languages reveal about their origins?

Join us this Thursday, June 25th at 5:30 p.m. for the public CIRDIS lecture on “The Kathmandu Valley, Nepal and the Eastern Himalayas. Ethnogenesis and Ethnolinguistic Prehistory“ by George van Driem (Institut für Sprachwissenschaft, Universität Bern).

Although the name Nepal originally referred only to the Kathmandu Valley, the region's deeper history extends far beyond the emergence of the modern nation-state. Nepal lies at the crossroads of major language families, including Indo-European and Trans-Himalayan, while the wider Himalayan region is also home to Dravidian, Austroasiatic, Kra-Dai, and Kusunda-speaking communities.

Drawing on evidence from historical linguistics, archaeology, and genetics, this presentation explores the ethnolinguistic prehistory of Nepal and surrounding regions. By examining language relationships, population history, and recent ancient DNA findings, it offers new perspectives on the origins and historical development of the Himalayan peoples.

https://stb.univie.ac.at/news-events/detail/news/the-kathmandu-valley-nepal-and-the-eastern-himalayas-ethnogenesis-and-ethnolinguistic-prehistory/

The lecture will take place in seminar room 1 of the ISTB (University Campus, Spitalgasse 2, Hof 2.7, 1090 Vienna). Join us on site or online via Zoom:
https://univienna.zoom.us/j/67189333764?pwd=zJ2ZQrpnVnmOJDeDlePU3KaVo3kwDS.1

On CIRDIS:
Established at the University of Vienna in 2006, CIRDIS (Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Documentation of Inner and South Asian Cultural History, cirdis.univie.ac.at) is a center of excellence at the University of Vienna.

Through initiatives in documentation and archiving, fieldwork-based primary research, interdisciplinary collaboration, graduate education, and translation and public engagement, CIRDIS fosters innovative approaches and new research directions in the study of South and Inner Asia.

“A HISTORY OF UYGHUR BUDDHISM is an ambitious and valuable study that shifts the study of Buddhism away from narrow civilizational boundaries and toward a broader Eurasian frame. By grounding religious change in institutions, translation, and political economy, Elverskog not only redefines the place of the Uyghurs in Buddhist history but also offers a model for studying multilingual and multi-confessional archives with precision.”—Grace Sun, Reading Religion

https://buff.ly/ScXyEeX