Table of Contents Abstract This talk examines different modes through which the Han authorities interacted with non-Han groups on and beyond the northern and southern frontier zones of the […]
Table of Contents Abstract The massive expansion of solar power in China was less a linear green transition than an evolving process of managing a politically conjured energy market. Triggered […]
Table of Contents Abstract Drawing upon the writings of the Chinese intellectual elite, we assess their intellectual alignment with Baconian philosophy of progress that prevailed in the European Industrial […]
Table of Contents Abstract We challenge the interpretivist/symbolic view that rain rituals are primarily social performances by analyzing 3,463 rain ritual episodes from late Qing and early Republican journals and […]
Table of Contents Abstract While violence in past societies has traditionally been inferred from weapons, fortifications, and texts, skeletal remains offer direct, long-term evidence of interpersonal conflict. This talk […]
ABSTRACT Daoist priests in central and northern Hunan Province (PRC), an area known as Plum Mountain (Meishan 梅山), are the custodians of many local traditions. Among them is an ancient […]
ABSTRACT This talk investigates how local constructions of the “national fengshui master” (guoshi 國師) reshaped geomantic discourse in the Ming in ways that indirectly reinforced the imperial model of centralized […]
One of the two doctrinal pillars of Sun Yat-sen’s Principal of the People’s Livelihood was to “contain the capital,” which was never clearly defined and invited conflicting readings over the years.
Ho Amei is a fascinating figure. He was a pioneer in modern capitalist enterprises such as telegraphy, insurance, waterworks, and high-technology mining;
As a Western foothold at the southern tip of China, Hong Kong has played a crucial role as China’s interface with the rest of the world since the nineteenth century. The appeal of Hong Kong must be understood within a broader regional and national context.
This paper examines the transition from limited to open-access societies, focusing on early and high-Tang China (618–906). Using a dataset of 1,200 marriages from 618 to 755, we find that Empress Wu’s rise to power in 674—the first and only female emperor in Chinese history—positively impacted upward mobility. After 674, men from common and poor clans were more likely to marry into elite clans. This increase in inter-class marriages was primarily driven by Empress Wu’s expansion of national civil examinations, which strengthened her legitimacy and created new opportunities for social advancement.
ABSTRACTIn this talk, I propose a new approach to studying elite politics by focusing on changes in network structures that emerge from elites’ informal conversations. I apply this method to […]
ABSTRACTWe analyze whether and how iron technology drove political consolidation in pre-imperial China (770–221 BCE) using the China Archaeological Database (CADB)—689,943 grave goods from 98,020 sites. Dividing the era into […]
ABSTRACTThe Lanten Yao 藍靛瑤 of what is now northern Laos historically lived at the margins of three socio-political systems: the Chinese empire, Tai polities (müang), and the forest. As they […]
ABSTRACTWhat is the meaning of love in modern Chinese politics? Why has ai (love) been a crucial political discourse for secular nationalism for generations of political leaders as a powerful […]
ABSTRACTBeginning in late 2023 the notion of “nine purple li fire trend (jiuzi lihuo yun 九紫离火运)” started to emerge on various Chinese media platforms. The trend (yun 运) is a […]
ABSTRACTIn 1375, Emperor Hongwu, sitting in a newly constructed hall, reportedly heard strange noises on the roof. Believing them to be the result of carpenter sorcery, he ordered the execution […]
ABSTRACTIn recent years, cultural archaeology has broadened its scope to include churches and seminaries, leading to groundbreaking discoveries in North China that uncover evidence of missionary activities and Christian communities. […]
ABSTRACTIn recent years, contents showing deep knowledge about African countries and people have been increasingly popular in Chinese social media, especially on short video platforms. Such knowledge often contains insider […]
ABSTRACTThis talk explores the logistics networks of the Qin state during its war of unification between 230 and 221 BCE. First, the article investigates the Qin’s “assigned transfer” logistics system, […]
ABSTRACTMany of the knowledges we can classify as vernacular were enacted by women in spheres that were largely governed by women: whether household maintenance, family emergencies, or basic healthcare. Accessing […]
Capitalism is a remarkable system which has re-invented itself throughout history. It has proved capable of co-existing with entirely different political and economic contexts.
Title: Rediscovering Ni Kwei Tseng and the Rise of the 'Soong Dynasty' in the Republican EraSpeaker: Dr. Annie Hongping Nie (Faith and Global Engagement Research Fellow)Date/Time: March 11, 2025 (Tue) 12:30 – […]
Capitalism is a remarkable system which has re-invented itself throughout history. It has proved capable of co-existing with entirely different political and economic contexts.
