The Elling Eide Center campus specializes in premodern Asian studies, featuring the Eide Library with the largest private collection of rare books, manuscripts, and artifacts on classical Chinese literature and culture outside Asia. Nestled on a 72-acre nature preserve, it offers a serene retreat for scholars, hosting workshops, lectures, winter schools, fellowships, and interdisciplinary projects focused on textual analysis, paleography, and cultural preservation.
- Chinese Classics and Philosophy: Study of Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist canonical texts, including rare commentaries and editions.
- Tangut and Central Asian Studies: Programs like the Tangut Winter School on the Western Xia empire, language, and script.
- Medieval Manuscripts and Paleography: Research on Dunhuang, Turfan documents, punctuation marks, and funerary inscriptions.
- Sinology and East Asian History: Exploration of Han dynasty memorials, portents, and historical narratives.
- Asian Art and Ephemera: Analysis of artworks, objects, audio-visual materials, and cross-disciplinary cultural studies.
- Environmental Humanities: Integration of preserve ecology with studies in landscape history and native habitats.
Primarily research-oriented, the campus supports resident scholars and international collaborations rather than formal degree programs, emphasizing hands-on access to primary sources.
