Natasha Heller

Natasha Heller received her Ph.D. from Harvard University in East Asian Languages and Civilizations, her M.A. from the University of Michigan in Buddhist Studies, and her B.A. in Religious Studies from Brown University.  Most recently she was a Mellon Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught courses on philosophy, intellectual history, and religion. She is interested in the religious and intellectual history of China from the Tang dynasty through the Ming, with particular focus on Buddhism.  She is working on a manuscript on the social and cultural construction of the Chan monk Zhongfeng Mingben (1263-1323).  Research interests include the interaction between Buddhism and later Confucianism, Dunhuang and Buddhist visuality, the role of religion in state legitimation and governance, and the intersection of law and religion.   

Courses Taught at UCLA:

• Chinese 60
• Chinese 160
• Chinese 176
• Asian 161

Mailing Address:

UCLA -Dept. of Asian Languages and Cultures
Royce Hall 290, Box 951540
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1540
U.S.A.

Campus Address:

Royce Hall 234-A
Tel: (310) 794-8934 (direct)
Tel: (310) 206-8235 (department)
Email: nheller@humnet.ucla.edu