Professor, Religious Studies B.A., International Christian University, Tokyo Ph.D., Harvard University Office: 904 Sproul Hall Email: wwlai@

Research Areas

Focusing on early Chinese Thought and Early Chinese Myth

Book co-edited with Lewis Lancaster, Early Ch’an in China and Tibet. (Berkeley: Asian Humanities Press, 1983).

Book co-authored with Michael von Brueck, Buddhismus und Christentum: Geschichte, Konfrontation, Dialog. Munich: Beck, 1997.

Partial translation into English, Christianity and Buddhism: A multicultural history of their dialogue. New York: Orbia, 2001.

Encyclopedia Entries in Encyclopedia of Monasticism, ed. William M. Johnston (Chicago London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2000).

Entries on: “Images: Buddhist,” “Conversion/Initiation: Buddhist,” “Scholasticism: Buddhist Spiritual Ladders,” “Master/Disciple: Buddhist,” “Governance: Buddhist,” “Hierocrat: Buddhist,” “Prophethood: Japanese Buddhist,” “Charities/Social Service: Buddhist,” “Gnostic Cosmogony: Buddhist,” “Sacred Topography: Buddhist,” “Intercession for the Dead,” “Economic Justice: Buddhist.”

Encyclopedia Entries on. “Chinese Buddhism,” “Chinese Myth,” “Hui Shih,” “Kung-sun Lung,” “Ma-tsu Tao-i.” in Encyclopedia of Chinese Philosophy, ed. Antonio Cua (New York: Routledge, 2003).

The whole China section in Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy, ed. Oliver Leaman (London-New York: Routledge, 2002).

1984. Symbolism of Evil in China: The K'ung-chia Myth Analyzed." History of Religions, 23, 4:316-3 43.

1985. "Ma-tsu Tao-i and the Unfolding of Southern Zen." Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, (Special Volume for Heinrich Dumoulin) 12, 4:173-192.

1985 (Paper). "The One-Legged and the Three-Legged." Asian Cultural Studies, (International Christian University, Tokyo) 3, A:67-80.

1986 (Paper). "Dating the Hsiang-fa Chüeh-i Ching." Annual Memoirs of Otani University Shin Buddhist Comprehensive Research Institute, 4:61-91.

2004. “The Earth Mother Scripture: Unmasking the Neo-Archaic.…” Beyond Primitivism: Indigenous Religious Traditions and Modernity,, ed. Jacob Olupona (New York: Routledge), pp. 200-213.

2004. “The Origin of Ming Buddhist Schism.” Heterodoxy in Late Imperial China, ed. Kwang-Ching Liu and Richard Shek (Honolulu : University of HawaiiPress), pp. 109-135.

2003. “The Century of the Holy Man in Chinese History (316-439): The Death of Hsuan-Kao,” in Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies, (Special section: “In Memory of Masatoshi Nagatomi”) Third series, 5:143-161.

Honors and Awards

"Christianity in China” Fellowship, 1988

NEH Summer Institute Fellowship, 1988

German Research Society Scholarship, 1986

NEH Grant for study on Buddhism in Japanese Civilization, 1979

Kent Fellowship, 1971-73

Harvard Yenching Fellowship, 1970

Harvard Graduate Fellowship 1968-70

Valedictorian in Graduate Class, June 1968

Special Career Fellowship, UCB, 1968

United Board of Christian Higher Education in Asia, Scholarship 1964-68

Courses Taught

• RST 1: Survey of Religion
• RST 2: Myth, Ritual, & Symbolism
• RST 3B: Ghost Stories (Topics in Religious Studies)
• RST 075: Intro to Chinese Philosophy
• RST 110: Life, Meaning, & Identity
• RST 130: Topics in Religious Studies
• RST 170: Buddhism
• RST 172: Ch'an Buddhism