Hsuan Chuang University

Hsuan Chuang University
玄奘大學

Motto	德智勤毅^[1]
Motto in English	Virtue, Knowledge, Diligence and Perseverance^[2]
Type	Private
Established	1997
Academic staff	158
Undergraduates	5,882
Postgraduates	791
Location	Xiangshan, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
Campus	Suburb
Website	www.hcu.edu.tw

Traditional Chinese

玄奘大學

Simplified Chinese

玄奘大学

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Guólì Táiwān Shīfàn Dàxué
Wade–Giles	kuo²li⁴ tai²wan¹ shih¹fan⁴ ta⁴ hsüeh²

Hsuan Chuang University (HCU; Chinese: 玄奘大學""; pinyin: Xuán Zhuǎng Dàxué) is a private Buddhist university in Xiangshan District, Hsinchu City, Taiwan. Founded in 1997 by the Ven. Liao Zhong (了中), and named for the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang, the school was promoted to university status in 2004. It offers bachelor's and master's degrees, mainly in humanities subjects.

History

Prior to 1985, the government of Taiwan maintained strict controls on private universities, and in particular discouraged university-level religious education. For several decades, senior officials of the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China (BAROC) pressured the government to overturn these restrictions, and allow a private Buddhist university similar to Fu Jen Catholic University.

Informal resistance from the Ministry of Education persisted into the 1990s. One obstacle was that the Ministry of Education claimed that as a religious affair, jurisdiction over the proposal lay with the Ministry of the Interior—which in turn maintained that as an educational institution, responsibility lay rather with the Ministry of Education. Prior to 1990, the working group had reconciled itself to creating a technical college (which could be accredited) alongside an unaccredited seminary, in preparation for a time when the government might accredit it as a religious studies department.

The political thaw and economic boom of the 1980s and 1990s erased many of the obstacles facing the venture. However, these events also had the effect of encouraging charismatic Buddhist teachers to build their own organizations and institutions—including universities—separately from BAROC. Examples would include Tzu Chi University, Fo Guang University, Huafan University, Nanhua University, and Dharma Drum Buddhist College). The "rump" project was led by Liao Zhong, a monk and BAROC official who would ultimately chair Hsuan Chuang's board of directors.

Hsinchu was chosen as the school's location for its proximity to the various Buddhist teachers resident in north Taiwan, and also for its cheap land prices relative to Taipei. Government approval for the location was another significant hurdle in the application process. The school is situated in a semi-agricultural area on the outskirts of Hsinchu, next to Yuanpei University and down the road from Chung Hua University. The prospect of a merger between these schools is regularly broached.

In 2008, the school was reevaluated by Taiwan's Ministry of Education, as a result of which one-third of its departments were placed on probation. Underlying this development is demographic pressure resulting from a dearth of university-age young people, and a corresponding glut of colleges and universities (many of very marginal quality). In 2010 it was announced that HCU has passed the re-evaluation (though several departments were closed) for the next five years.

The name

A "contest" was held to decide the name of the new school, but none of the hundreds of entries were ever used.

One name favored by the working group was "Chung Hua University," chosen for its lack of explicit Buddhist content. ("Chung Hua" refers to Chinese culture and/or the Republic of China), but another (non-Buddhist) university project was discovered to be using this name. "Xuanzang Technical College" was another working name for the planned institution. The school finally opened under the name of "Hsuan Chuang College of Humanities and Social Science" (玄奘人文社會學院, Xuanzang Renwen Shehui Xueyuan). However, the name "Hsuan Chuang University" was in use well before government approval of its university status.

As spelled on all school signage, "Hsuan Chuang" follows the Wade-Giles phonetic standard that would equate to Pinyin Xuán Zhuǎng (but not zàng). The character in question, 奘, has two pronunciations, one associated with its "bound" form, and the other with its unbound and stative-verb form; they have slightly different ranges of denotations. As a result, there are, in effect, two different phonetic "interpretations" of the name of the historical monk alluded to (i.e., Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang).

Character of the school

Although founded by Buddhists, Hsuan Chuang University is broadly indistinguishable from other lower-tier private universities in Taiwan. There are no religious requirements or restrictions (indeed, these would not be allowed by the Ministry of Education), and except for a handful of monks and nuns, religion does not seem to be an important factor in attracting students. It is indicative that the university does currently (April, 2011) serve meat to its students—indeed, there are no vegetarian options in the student dining hall. However, the religious studies program does have an extensive set of courses on Buddhism, including specialized courses in,

Taiwanese Buddhism,
Sanskrit,
Taoism, Confucianism, and the major historical schools of Chinese Buddhist thought

References

↑ "HCU Motto (in Chinese)". Hsuan Chuang U. Retrieved 2014-10-24.
↑ "Our Motto". Hsuan Chuang U. Retrieved 2014-10-24.

External links

Official website (Taiwanese Mandarin)
Official website (English)

Books

Jones, Charles Brewer. Buddhism in Taiwan: A Historical Survey. Doctoral dissertation in Religious Studies, University of Virginia, 1996. See pp. 432–449 for history relevant to Hsuan Chuang University.

Universities in Taiwan

List of universities in Taiwan

Public Universities, Institutes and colleges

National Universities	National Central University National Cheng Kung University National Chengchi University National Chi Nan University National Chiao Tung University National Chiayi University National Chung Cheng University National Chung Hsing University National Dong Hwa University National Ilan University National Quemoy University National Sun Yat-sen University National Taipei University National Taitung University National Taiwan University National Taiwan Ocean University National Tsing Hua University National United University National University of Kaohsiung National University of Tainan National Yang-Ming University National Pingtung University University of Taipei

Normal Universities	National Kaohsiung Normal University National Taiwan Normal University National Changhua University of Education National Taichung University of Education National Taipei University of Education

University of Art and Sports	National Taiwan University of Arts Tainan National University of the Arts Taipei National University of the Arts National Taiwan Sport University National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport

University of Science and Technology	National Chin-Yi University of Technology National Formosa University National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology National Kaohsiung Marine University National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism National Penghu University of Science and Technology National Pingtung University of Science and Technology National Taichung University of Science and Technology National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science National Taiwan University of Science and Technology National Taipei University of Technology National Yunlin University of Science and Technology

Institutes and Colleges	National Tainan Institute of Nursing National Taipei University of Business National Taitung Junior College National Taiwan College of Performing Arts

Open Universities	National Open University Open University of Kaohsiung

Private Universities, Institutes and colleges

Private Universities	Aletheia University Asia University Chang Gung University Chang Jung Christian University Chinese Culture University China Medical University Chung Hua University Chung Shan Medical University Chung Yuan Christian University CTBC Financial Management College Dayeh University Feng Chia University Fo Guang University Fu Jen Catholic University Hsuan Chuang University Huafan University I-Shou University Kainan University Kaohsiung Medical University Mackay Medical College Ming Chuan University MingDao University Nanhua University Providence University Shih Chien University Shih Hsin University Soochow University Taipei Medical University Taiwan Hospitality and Tourism University Taiwan Shoufu University Tamkang University Tatung University Toko University Tunghai University Tzu Chi University University of Kang Ning Yuan Ze University

University of Science and Technology	Chang Gung University of Science and Technology Chaoyang University of Technology Cheng Shiu University Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science Chienkuo Technology University China University of Science and Technology China University of Technology Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology Chung Chou University of Science and Technology Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology Far East University Fooyin University Hsiuping University of Science and Technology Hungkuang University Hwa Hsia University of Technology Jinwen University of Science and Technology Kao Yuan University Kun Shan University Ling Tung University Lunghwa University of Science and Technology Meiho University Ming Chi University of Technology Minghsin University of Science and Technology Nan Jeon University of Science and Technology Nan Kai University of Technology Overseas Chinese University Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology St. John's University Shu-Te University Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology Tainan University of Technology Taipei City University of Science and Technology Tajen University Takming University of Science and Technology TransWorld University Tungnan University Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology Vanung University Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages WuFeng University Yu Da University Yuanpei University

Institutes of Technology and Colleges	Asia-Pacific Institute of Creativity Chihlee Institute of Technology Ching Kuo Institute of Management and Health Chungyu Institute of Technology Dahan Institute of Technology De Lin Institute of Technology Fortune Institute of Technology Hsing Wu University Lan Yang Institute of Technology Lee-Ming Institute of Technology Oriental Institute of Technology Taipei College of Maritime Technology Taoyuan Innovation Institute of Technology Tatung Institute of Commerce and Technology Tung Fang Design Institute Tzu Hui Institute of Technology

Junior Colleges	Cardinal Tien College of Healthcare and Management Chung Jen College of Nursing, Health Science and Management Hsin Sheng College of Medical Care and Management Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management Kang-Ning Junior College of Medical Care and Management Kaomei College of Health Care and Management Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College Min-Hwei College of Health Care Management Shu Zen College of Medicine and Management St. Mary's Medicine Nursing and Management College Tzu Hui Institute of Technology Yuh-Ing Junior College of Health Care and Management

Military and Police Academies

Military Academies	Air Force Institute of Technology Army Academy R.O.C. National Defense Medical Center National Defense University Republic of China Air Force Academy Republic of China Military Academy Republic of China Naval Academy

Police Academies	Central Police University Taiwan Police College

University Alliances

Present	Joint Private Medical Universities Admissions System University System of Taiwan Taiwan Comprehensive University System European Union Centre in Taiwan University System of Taipei U9 League

Defunct	Taiwan Joint Normal University System Taiwan University System University System of Formosa

Universities and colleges in Taiwan

Coordinates: 24°46′33″N 120°56′37″E / 24.7759°N 120.9437°E / 24.7759; 120.9437

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