Spiritual & special: Contemporary Buddhism and the Shan
by Naw Liang

Mai soong kha and Happy Hallowe'en.
I hope that everyone is well and enjoying the weather, be it beautiful autumn in the UK, Europe and North America or spring/summer in the Southern Hemisphere. It's warm and colourful in London these days, though I am sure that a cold winter - perfect for catching up on reading under the duvet or other things - is just around the corner. As always.

While I have a growing library of articles to come, I felt that I needed to get this one completed and online before it falls through the cracks, a true shame due to the primacy and importance of the topic. Regardless, I hope you find it enlightening.

Contemporary Buddhism and the Shan
I was lucky enough a few months ago to get back in touch with an editor friend/ex-colleague of mine from my Informa days, who was always a living library for information on a tremendous range of issues and subjects. As we chatted over a few drinks in NoHo, my studies and work into the Shan came up. He, as always, pulled an incredible list of articles, books and papers out of his head, jotting down numerous 'must reads' for my research. Among the more surprising was a special issue (special edition) published in May 2009 by the prominent academic publication, Contemporary Buddhism: An Interdisciplinary Journal (see here for a short description), on Shan Buddhism. I was all ears (and busy fingers) from that point. While I have yet to get an issue for myself - the £90 price tag is a bit steep, so I am working my insider links - I am certain that this is a formidable text for anyone involved in the Shan, particularly from a religious/spiritual angle. The table of contents is packed with renowned Shan scholars such as Dr. Kate Crosby, Dr. Nancy Eberhardt, Dr. F K Lehman (aka Chit Hlaing), Dr. Catherine Raymond and Dr. Nicola Tannenbaum as well as upcoming and exciting new scholars such as Dr. Jane M. Ferguson and Jotika Khur-yearn. They (and others) have written on a remarkable range of topics - from the study of Shan Buddism to Shan tributes to rites of passage to ethno-religious identity and much more - that exhibits in-depth research and provocative insights. I am eager to read into this further, and the journal is now at the top (or near) of my Christmas list.

I urge anyone interested in the topics found in the table of contents to get their hands on a copy. Furthermore, if you are a bit put off by the hard copy price, I have been told that a membership (fees are unknown at this time) might be a cheaper, more flexible and easy (e = electronic) way to get reading up on Shan Buddhism.

For now, jot down the title, have a look through the table of contents and keep your eyes out for a copy in your local and/or university library sometime soon.

Tsohm tae-tae khah,

Naw Liang