Zhang Presents Research at 2025 ASEAS Conference
Wenxian Zhang presented his research on a rare Buddhist manuscript’s journey from Thailand to America at the 2025 Association for Southeast Asian Studies (ASEAS) Conference.
September 25, 2025
Wenxian Zhang, professor and chair of Asian studies and head of College Archives & Special Collections at Olin Library, recently presented his research “A Buddhist Book of Merit and Its Long Journey from Southeast Asia to America” at the Association for Southeast Asian Studies (ASEAS) conference at the University of Cambridge.
Through studying the provenance of a Buddhist manuscript written in the Pali and Thai languages, Zhang tells the story of how this rare religious document from Thailand ended up at Rollins, which not only shows the growth of Buddhism in Southeast Asia but also reflects the colonial history in Asia and the rise of “Oriental Studies” in the West. The research also sheds light on the practice of manuscript collection in the Western tradition and the act of philanthropy in America. As a part of his sabbatical project, his research, “The Provenance of the Illustrated Folding Manuscript at the Rollins College Library: A Buddhist Book of Merit and Its Long Journey from Southeast Asia to America,” has been published in the 9:2 (fall 2024) issue of The Manuscript Studies: A Journal of the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies.
The Association of Southeast Asian Studies (ASEAS) hosts a biennial conference that brings together scholars, researchers, and practitioners from around the world to advance the study of Southeast Asia. Founded in 1969, ASEAS is a U.K.-registered educational charity dedicated to fostering international collaboration, supporting research, and promoting diversity and inclusion within the field. The 2025 ASEAS Conference explored the theme “Global Southeast Asia: Continuity and Change,” examining the region’s political shifts, environmental challenges, cultural flows, and socioeconomic transformations in a global context.
- Categories:
- Highlights |
- Asian Studies |
- Wenxian Zhang
Recent Stories
December 19, 2025
Magic Makers
Every ride, show, and spark of wonder at Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld begins with a great idea, and often, a Rollins graduate. From engineers and marketers to product developers and producers, our alumni are defining what’s next for the theme-park entertainment industry that fuels Central Florida and delights the world.
December 19, 2025
Bradshaw ’18 ’20MBA ’24DBA Earns Award from PRSA Orlando
Assistant Dean of the Hamilton Holt School Doragnes Bradshaw ’18 ’20MBA ’24DBA earned PRSA Orlando’s President’s Award for Distinguished Service.
December 19, 2025
What I’ve Learned: Gaileon Thompson ’01 ’03MBA
How Gaileon Thompson ’01 ’03MBA built a leadership career in finance—starting with a second chance at Rollins.