Background, Publications, and Current Projects
Fabrizio Pregadio
Stanford University
Department of Religious Studies
450 Serra Mall, Building 70
Stanford, CA 94395-2165
For email address and other information, see the Stanford Directory
Areas of Interest and Current Research
Acting Associate Professor (Stanford University, Department of Religious Studies). Specializes in Taoism and Chinese thought and religion. His research focuses on the doctrines of Taoism, their history, and their application to alchemy, meditation, and other self-cultivation techniques. He is the editor of The Encyclopedia of Taoism and the author of Great Clarity: Daoism and Alchemy in Early Medieval China. He is currently working on a book on the doctrinal and textual tradition of Taoist "inner alchemy" (neidan).
Education
Degrees:
- M.A. (Chinese Language and Literature), Ca' Foscari University of Venice, 1983
- Ph.D. (Civilizations of East Asia), Department of East Asian Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, 1990
Other graduate study:
- Italian School of East Asian Studies, Kyoto (Chinese Religion and Traditional Sciences), 1985
- Kyoto University, Institute for Research in Humanities (History of Chinese Science), 1985-90
Other undergraduate study:
- University of Leiden, Sinologisch Instituut (Linguistics of Classical Chinese), 1980-81
Professional Appointments
Teaching:
- Department of Religious Studies, Stanford University: Visiting Professor, 2001-02; Acting Associate Professor, 2002 to present
- Institute of Philosophy, Study Group for the History and Philosophy of Chinese Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin: Visiting Professor, 1998 and 1999-2001
- Department of East Asian Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice: Professor, 1996-97
Research:
- Post-doctoral Researcher, Department of Asian Studies, University of Naples, 1991-93
- Research Fellow, Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University (Six Dynasties Taoism), 1991-95
Current Professional Organizations and Service
- Member, Society for the Study of Chinese Religions
- Councilor, Dôkyô gakkai (Japanese Society for the Study of Taoism)
Fellowships and Awards
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 2005
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), 2000-02
- Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, 1999-2000
- Japanisch-Deutsches Zentrum Berlin, 1993-94
- Italian Institute for the Middle and the Far East (IsMEO), 1991, 1986-87, 1985
- Italian Ministry of the University and Scientific Research, 1991-93, 1989-91
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 1988
- Italian National Research Council (CNR), 1986-89, 1981-83
- European Science Foundation, 1984-89 (for participation to the "Tao-tsang Project")
- Dutch Ministry of Education, 1980-81
Courses Taught
Department of Religious Studies, Stanford University
- Introduction to Daoism (2006-07, 2003-04, 2002-03, 2001-02)
- Readings in East Asian Religious Literature (2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05, 2003-04)
- Views of the Human Body in Daoism (2006-07, 2001-02)
- Translating the Daode jing (2006-07)
- The Great Clarity Tradition in Early Medieval Daoism (2005-06)
- The Zhuangzi and the Daoist Idea of Sainthood (2004-05)
- Daode jing (2004-05)
- Introduction to Chinese Religion (2004-05)
- Chinese Alchemy (2003-04)
- Buddhist Studies Proseminar (2003-04, with Carl Bielefeldt and Bernard Faure)
- Medieval Daoist texts (2002-03, 2001-02)
- East Asian Buddhist Texts (2002-03)
- Daoist Meditation (2002-03)
- The Study of Daoism (2001-02)
Institute of Philosophy, Technical University Berlin
- Readings from the Wuzhen pian (2000-01)
- Taoist Meditation and Inner Contemplation (2000-01)
- The Huangting jing and its Tradition (2000-01)
- The Xici Appendix to the Book of Changes (2000-01)
- The Daode jing and Early Daoism (1999-2000)
- External and Internal Alchemy in the Zhouyi cantong qi (1999-2000)
- Advanced Readings in Chinese Science and Thought (1999-2000)
- Readings from the Baopu zi (1999-2000)
- Chinese Views of the Human Body (1999)
- Introduction to Chinese Cosmology (1999)
- Chinese Alchemy ("Blockseminar," 1998)
Other
- Research Tools for Chinese Studies (Göttingen University, 1999-2000)
- Facets of Chinese Culture (University of Venice, 1996-97)
- Cultural Aspects of the Chinese Language (University of Venice, 1996-97)
- History and Doctrines of Daoism (University of Naples, Oriental Institute, 1996-97)
Publications
In progress
- Zhouyi cantong qi: Text and Exegetical Tradition (provisional title of book manuscript).
2007
- The Encyclopedia of Taoism, editor. London and New York: Routledge, 2008.
2006
- "Early Daoist Meditation and the Origins of Inner Alchemy." In Daoism in History: Essays in Honour of Liu Ts'un-yan, ed. Benjamin Penny, 121-58. London: Routledge, 2006.
- Great Clarity: Daoism and Alchemy in Medieval China. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2006.
2005
- "Daoism," "Alchemy, Chinese," and "Yin and Yang." In New Dictionary of the History of the Ideas, ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005.
2004
- "The Notion of 'Form' and the Ways of Liberation in Daoism." Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie 14 (2004): 95-130. (In memoriam Isabelle Robinet.)
- Abstracts of twenty-one texts in The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang, ed. Kristofer Schipper and Franciscus Verellen. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2004.
2002
- "The Early History of the Zhouyi cantong qi." Journal of Chinese Religions 30 (2002): 149-76. (Available through the ATLA website if your university subscribes to this service. If you are at Stanford, start from this list of databases.)
2001
- "Alchimia" [Alchemy] and "Gli apocrifi" [The apocrypha]. In Enciclopedia di Storia della Scienza [Encyclopedia of the history of science], 2: 244-55. Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 2001.
- Entries for the Grand Dictionnaire Ricci de la langue chinoise. Paris-Taipei, 2001. [Seven-volume edition of the Chinese-French dictionary edited and published by the Institute Ricci.]
2000
- "The Elixirs of Immortality." In Daoism Handbook, ed. Livia Kohn, 165-95. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2000.
- "Inner Alchemy" (with Lowell Skar). In Daoism Handbook, ed. Livia Kohn, 464-97. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2000.
Selected earlier publications
- Review of Wong, Harmonizing Yin and Yang: The Dragon-Tiger Classic. Journal of Chinese Religions 27 (1999). (Available through the ATLA website if your university subscribes to this service. If you are at Stanford, start from this list of databases.)
- Review of Taoism: Growth of a Religion, by Isabelle Robinet. Philosophy East and West 48 (1998): 665-68.
- "A Work on the Materia Medica in the Taoist Canon: Instructions on an Inventory of Forty-five Metals and Minerals." Asiatica Venetiana 2 (1997): 139-160.
- Zhouyi cantong qi: Dal Libro dei Mutamenti all'Elisir d'Oro [Zhouyi cantong qi: From the Book of Changes to the Golden Elixir]. Venezia: Cafoscarina, 1996.
- Entries for the Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures, ed. Helaine Selin. Dordrecht, 1996. ["Chinese Alchemy", "Chao Yuanfang," "Huangdi jiuding shendan jing," "Li Shizhen," "Shen Gua," "Sun Simo", "Tao Hongjing", "Wang Chong," "Wei Boyang," "Zhang Zhongjing."]
- "Chinese Alchemy: An Annotated Bibliography of Works in Western Languages". Monumenta Serica 44 (1996): 439-476.
- "The Representation of Time in the Zhouyi cantong qi." Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie 8 (1995): 155-173. [The appendix entitled "The Early History of the Cantong qi" is online.]
- "The Book of the Nine Elixirs and Its Tradition." In Chûgoku kodai kagakushi ron (zokuhen) [Studies on the history of ancient Chinese science; vol. II], ed. Yamada Keiji and Tanaka Tan, 543-639. Kyoto: Kyôto Daigaku Jinbun Kagaku Kenkyûjo, 1991. [A summary of this article is online.]
- Ko Hung: Le Medicine della Grande Purezza, dal "Pao-p'u tzu nei-p'ien" [Ko Hung: The Medicines of the Great Purity, from the Baopu zi neipian]. Roma: Edizioni Mediterranee, 1987. (Translation of chapters 1, 4, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19.)
Recent Lectures
- "Daoist Inner Alchemy and Its Views of Other Practices." University of California, Berkeley, October 2005.
- "Alchemy and the Three Caverns." New Perspectives on Daoist Religion: A Symposium in Celebration of The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang. University of Chicago, October 2005.
- "External Alchemy, Meditation, and the Origins of Inner Alchemy." Research Institute for Humanistic Studies, Kyoto University, November 2004.
- "Digital Resources in Daoist Studies." Religions in Chinese Script: Perspectives for Textual Research, Kyoto University, November 2004.
- "From the Side Gates to the One Vehicle: Neidan Syncretism and Li Daochun's (fl. 1288-92) Classification of Teachings and Practices." Workshop on "The Roots of Taoist Inner Alchemy," Stanford University, May 30-31, 2003.
- Discussant for panel "Daoist Inner Alchemy and Life Philosophy." AAS Conference, Washington DC, 2002.
- "Gods, Demons, and Elixirs in Early Chinese Alchemy." Asian Gods and Demons Lecture Series, Stanford University, 2002.
- "Rituals in Early Chinese Alchemy." Religious Studies Colloquium, Stanford University, 2001.
- "The View of Nature in Chinese Alchemy." Conference on Understanding Nature in China and Europe: A Cross-Cultural Comparison until the Eighteenth Century, Universität Bielefeld, 2000.
- "The Background of the Idea of "Refining the Form" (lianxing) in Inner Alchemy." AAS Conference, San Diego, March 2000.