Senhao Hu

Title

PhD Student (Admitted in 2023 – 2024)
Field Area: Economic History

Contact

Overview

Hu Senhao is a PhD student in the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IHSS) at The University of Hong Kong. Prior to entering the PhD programme, he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration (in Cultural Industries Management) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2015-2019), a Master of Arts (in Chinese Studies) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2019-2020), and a Master of Philosophy (in History) from Hong Kong Lingnan University (2020-2022). Before joining IHSS, Senhao worked as a full-time research assistant at the Business School, HKU (2022-2023).

His master’s thesis, entitled “The Reconstruction of State Governance in North China during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties: Garrisons’ Land, Grain Transportation, and Horse Raising,” is a case study of the Daming prefecture. In this study, he identifies the role of military mobilization in the economic, political, and cultural aspects of Song-Yuan-Ming China. Senhao is quantifying these three themes and is also extending the time period to early historic China.

Sharing and Experiences

Senhao, an economic historian, has a keen interest in understanding the impact of military mobilization on the development trajectory of historic China. He has conducted extensive research using both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine how policies regarding garrison land and horse-raising during the Yuan-Ming periods were formulated, implemented, and influenced population growth and commercial prosperity.

In the realm of transportation, Senhao has delved into the effects of canal construction on regional development in historic China. By combining archaeological findings with historical data, he has explored how the construction of canals, primarily intended to supply the frontier and capitals, influenced various aspects of regional development.

Furthermore, Senhao is collaborating with Professor Zhiwu Chen to investigate how wars and military mobilizations have shaped the development of Chinese civilization and states. Their research aims to shed light on the intricate relationship between military conflicts and broader societal and economic developments in Chinese history.

Research Interests

Economic history, development economics

Thesis Supervisors