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Taixu (1890–1947) was one of the most influential Chinese Buddhist monks of the 20th century, best known for his efforts to modernise Buddhism and make it relevant to a rapidly changing world.
Commemorating the centenary of Taixu’s first visit to Singapore in 1926, the exhibition Taixu in Singapore: A 100-Year Commemoration brings renewed attention to his enduring influence on the development of Buddhism in Singapore and the wider region.
This event features two talks that explore the historical and intellectual significance of the exhibition. Discover how the daily activities of resident monks shaped the local Buddhist landscape in early Singapore, and learn about Taixu’s three visits to Singapore—pivotal moments that contributed to the transformation of Buddhism from temple-centred practices to more organised, socially engaged institutions.
Together, the exhibition and talks highlight Singapore’s role as a dynamic site of Buddhist exchange and institutional formation in the twentieth century, offering fresh perspectives on modern Chinese Buddhism and its transregional networks across Asia.
The event also includes a curated tour of the exhibition, along with opportunities to engage with materials on Taixu and connect with fellow participants over refreshments.
Programme
1 pm
Registration
2 pm
Opening Remarks
A/Prof Jack Meng-Tat Chia
A/Prof Jack Meng-Tat Chia
2.05 pm
Seminar
- Contracts, Ritual, and Daily Life: Resident Monks in Early Singapore
Dr Wang Sisi - Across the South China Sea: Taixu’s Three Visits to Singapore
A/Prof Jack Meng-Tat Chia
3.05 pm
Q&A
3.40 pm
Tour of the physical exhibition
4.00 pm
Refreshments & networking
Speakers
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Associate Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia
Department of History, NUS
Jack Meng-Tat Chia is the Foo Hai Associate Professor in Buddhist Studies at the National University of Singapore, where he also serves as Assistant Dean of Research at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is a historian of religion specialising in Buddhism and Chinese religions in Southeast Asia. He is the author of Monks in Motion: Buddhism and Modernity Across the South China Sea (Oxford, 2020), which received the 2021 EuroSEAS Humanities Book Prize, and Dongnanya fayin: Xinjiapo fojiao yanjiu lunji 東南亞法音：新加坡佛教研究論集 [Southeast Asia’s Dharma: Essays on Buddhism in Singapore] (Boyang, 2025). He is the editor of Figures of Buddhist Diplomacy in Modern Asia (Bloomsbury, 2026) and the author of the children’s book The Journey of Ashin Jinarakkhita (Karaniya, 2026). Chia is the founding chair of the Buddhist Studies Group and the co-chair of the GL Louis Religious Pluralism Research Cluster at FASS.
/dr-wang-sisi.png?sfvrsn=b864ede5_1 "Dr Wang Sisi")
Dr Wang Sisi
Department of Chinese Studies, NUS
Wang Sisi is a Research Fellow in the Department of Chinese Studies at the National University of Singapore. Her research interests include Chinese Buddhism and the Chinese diaspora. She received her PhD in Chinese Studies from NUS, with a dissertation examining the development of Mount Jiuhua as a pilgrimage center during the late imperial and Republican periods. She has published articles in journals such as Asian Theatre Journal and New History. She is also the Chinese translator of Monks in Motion: Buddhism and Modernity Across the South China Sea by Jack Meng-Tat Chia, and has contributed a chapter to Figures of Buddhist Diplomacy in Modern Asia. She is currently working on a book project on Guanyin temples in Southeast Asia.
Event Partner
All NUS staff, students, alumni and members of the public are welcome.
Booking availability on a first-come, first-served basis.
For general enquiries
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NUS Libraries prohibits the use of presentation slides without permission.
NUS Libraries prohibits the use of presentation slides without permission.
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participation in the event.
