The Interplay Between Narrative, Ritual, and Religiosity in East Asian Literary and Cultural Traditions

Dear Colleagues,

The history of East Asian literature cannot be defined in the singular. Its development is marked by diverse and heterogeneous narratives that continue to shape the lives of many across Asia. This Special Issue explores the interplay between narrative and religiosity within East Asian literary traditions.

Particular value will be placed on studies engaging with literature in Sanskrit, Chinese, or Japanese, especially those that offer translations and analyses of primary texts. We also welcome contributions that examine how Asian thought has been reshaped throughout its transmission by local beliefs, literary forms, and cultural contexts. By drawing together a range of perspectives, this Special Issue aims to highlight the rich and complex ways in which literature has functioned as a medium for the historical and spiritual circulation of ideas across Asia.

We are especially interested in how literary compositions—such as sutras, biographies, folktales, and poetry—have conveyed religious ideas across linguistic and geographic boundaries. These texts did more than transmit doctrines; they reimagined and reinterpreted core concepts from Asian philosophical traditions, adapting them to new historical and cultural settings. Many aspects related to the localization, narrative-framing, and historical development of religious thought in East Asian contexts remain underexplored, including the challenges posed by translating texts from the diverse linguistic backgrounds of India and Central Asia into East Asian languages.

We invite contributions that work directly with primary sources from any area of Asian literature. Submissions may focus on Indian, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese materials and adopt historical, philological, or literary-critical approaches. This Special Issue welcomes original papers that address religious ideas in Asian literature, particularly with regard to the transmission and adaptation of religious thought (e.g., Brahmanism/Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, etc.).

Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The role of religious scriptures and doctrinal texts within Asian literary traditions;
• Analyses of primary sources from linguistic, sociological, philological, or related perspectives;
• Intersections between systems of religious thought (e.g., the influence of Buddhist philosophy in Central Asia and its interactions with Shinto);
• Comparative studies of primary texts across cultural or historical contexts;
• Interdisciplinary approaches to the religious and historical landscapes of East Asia.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Efraín Villamor Herrero
Dr. Irene Minerva Muñoz-Fernández
Dr. David Sevillano López
Guest Editors

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• Asian literature
• Buddhism
• religions
• India
• China
• Korea
• Japan