Dr. Xiaolong Diao, Assistant Professor of Chinese Culture and Global Communication (CCGC) from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science (FHSS) of UIC, participated in the academic seminar "Cultural Exchange in East Asia in the 17th Century - Focused on the Eastward Propagation of Huangbo Chan Master". The seminar was jointly organized by the FHSS of UIC, Fuqing Huangbo Academy, and Fuqing Huangbo Studies Association.

The cultural exchange between China and Japan has a long history, and cultural communication centered on Buddhist exchange holds an important position. In the late Ming Dynasty, Chan Master Yin Yuan propagated Buddhism in Japan on invitation in his 60s, founding one of the three major sects of Japanese Chan Buddhism, the Huangbo sect. The Huangbo culture represented by Chan Master Yin Yuan is known as a "pearl in the history of Sino-Japanese exchanges." The monks who followed him not only spread Buddhist scriptures and doctrines in Japan but also brought new ideas, architecture, sculpture, language, music, calligraphy, painting, seal cutting, tea ceremony, cuisine, medicine, and other aspects of Chinese culture and advanced science. This significantly impacted Japan's economic and social development during the Edo period and still holds extraordinary influence today.

This academic seminar was held at Wanfu Temple on Mount Huangbo in Fuqing City, Fujian Province - the birthplace of Huangbo culture and Chan Master Yin Yuan’s hometown to further study Huangbo culture and inherit Chan Master Yin Yuan’s spirit.

At the opening ceremony of the seminar, Assistant Professor Diao Xiaolong, as one of the representatives of the organizers, introduced the origin of this seminar and its significant historical and contemporary significance. Subsequently, with 15 other scholars, he engaged in discussions around three main themes: "Huangbo and East Asian Chan Cultural Thought," "Research on Chinese-Japanese Culture with East Huangbo and West Huangbo," "Huangbo Chan Monks' Eastward Propagation and Cultural Exchange in 17th Century East Asia,". In particular, during the first theme session, Assistant Professor Xiaolong Diao delivered a wonderful speech titled "An Investigation of Gaoquan’s Buddhist Biographical Writings: Focusing on Dongdu Zhuzuzhuan".

This seminar was sponsored by UIC's FHSS Teaching & Learning Grant research project – “Workshop on Historical Exchange in 17th-18th century East Asia”.

The academic seminar concluded successfully at 6 pm that afternoon.