Kristofer Schipper
Encyclopedia
Kristofer Marinus Schipper, 1934, Järnskog (Eda Municipality
), Sweden
. Schipper is also known as Rik Schipper, and is known in China
as Professor Shi Zhouren. Schipper grew up near Edam in The Netherlands. After his retirement he and his wife Dr. Yuan Bingling moved to Fuzhou
(Fujian
) in China.
Schipper is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
. He organized and edited the first complete scientific study of the 1500 works contained in the Taoist Canon of the Ming Dynasty
.
He is an emeritus
professor of Oriental studies
at Leiden University
, appointed there in 1993. He is also appointed at the Sorbonne
, religious studies, in Paris and is head of the École pratique des hautes études
. He also teaches at Fuzhou University
and Zhangzhou
College.
Schipper studied in Taiwan
. He was very interested in the ceremonies and rituals that are part of Taoism
. Knowledge of the rituals may only be passed on within a family. He was adopted by a befriended family, so he could be trained in Taoism. In 1968 he was initiated
as a priest in the Zhengyi School of Taoism.
In 2001 Kristoffer Schipper and his wife Dr. Yuan Bingling founded the first library in China specialised in western art, literature, and culture, in Fuzhou. It is called the "Library of the Western Belvedere" or "Xiguan cangshulou" (Fuzhou University Global Civilization Research Center and Library of the Western Belvedere.)
With his library they intend to make western literature more accessible to Chinese scientists. The collection consists, in 2007, of about 25000 titles on literature, art history, and philosophy in many languages, such as English, French, German, Dutch, and other western languages. In 2004 Schipper was awarded the Friendship Prize of the Chinese government for establishing this library.
Eda Municipality
Eda Municipality is a municipality in Värmland County in west central Sweden, on the Norwegian border. Its seat is located in the town of Charlottenberg....
), Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Schipper is also known as Rik Schipper, and is known in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
as Professor Shi Zhouren. Schipper grew up near Edam in The Netherlands. After his retirement he and his wife Dr. Yuan Bingling moved to Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
(Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
) in China.
Schipper is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences is an organisation dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands...
. He organized and edited the first complete scientific study of the 1500 works contained in the Taoist Canon of the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
.
He is an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
professor of Oriental studies
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, appointed there in 1993. He is also appointed at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, religious studies, in Paris and is head of the École pratique des hautes études
École pratique des hautes études
The École pratique des hautes études is a Grand Établissement in Paris, France. It is counted among France's most prestigious research and higher education institutions....
. He also teaches at Fuzhou University
Fuzhou University
Fuzhou University is a university located in Fuzhou, China. Split into two campuses by the Min River, Fuzhou University's Old Campus is located on the north bank of the river in the western part of Fuzhou City, while the New Campus is located on the edge of the city on the south bank, at the base...
and Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. Located on the banks of the Jiulong River , Zhangzhou borders the cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou to the northeast, Longyan City to the northwest and the province of Guangdong to the southwest.Zhangzhou...
College.
Schipper studied in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. He was very interested in the ceremonies and rituals that are part of Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
. Knowledge of the rituals may only be passed on within a family. He was adopted by a befriended family, so he could be trained in Taoism. In 1968 he was initiated
Initiation
Initiation is a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components...
as a priest in the Zhengyi School of Taoism.
In 2001 Kristoffer Schipper and his wife Dr. Yuan Bingling founded the first library in China specialised in western art, literature, and culture, in Fuzhou. It is called the "Library of the Western Belvedere" or "Xiguan cangshulou" (Fuzhou University Global Civilization Research Center and Library of the Western Belvedere.)
With his library they intend to make western literature more accessible to Chinese scientists. The collection consists, in 2007, of about 25000 titles on literature, art history, and philosophy in many languages, such as English, French, German, Dutch, and other western languages. In 2004 Schipper was awarded the Friendship Prize of the Chinese government for establishing this library.
External links
- Early list of publications.
- Founding information on library.
- Schipper in the Library of the Western Belvedere.
- Torch bearer in Olympic ceremony.
- Reference to three interviews (in Dutch).
- Schipper received permanent residency in China in 2005.