Michael Nylan

Michael Nylan is the Jane K. Sather Chair in History at the University of California, Berkeley, where he holds the rank of Professor in the Department of History. His research focuses on Early China (475 BCE–220 CE), with emphasis on sociopolitical contexts, aesthetic theories, material culture, cosmological beliefs, and gender history. He is renowned for interdisciplinary work bridging history, philosophy, and archaeology, particularly through comparative studies of classical civilizations like Rome and Han China.

Education includes a PhD from Princeton University (1976–81), MA from SUNY Buffalo (1970–73), and BA from UC Berkeley (1968–70). He has conducted additional training at Cambridge University (Oriental Studies) and Beijing's Institute of Archaeology.

Current research projects include studies on the 'Four Fathers of History' (Herodotus, Thucydides, Sima Qian, Ban Gu), sociopolitical conditions of classical learning in the Han dynasties, and the 'politics of the common good' in early China. His recent publications include Chang'an 26 BCE: An Augustan Age in China? (2015) and The Chinese Pleasure Book (2018), alongside translations of classical texts like Yang Xiong's Fayan and Sun Tzu's Art of War.

His scholarly contributions span over 100 articles and books, addressing topics such as Han legal systems, aesthetic values in calligraphy, and the interplay between religion and governance. He has edited volumes on topics ranging from the Wu Family Shrines to the legacy of Nathan Sivin, showcasing his role as a leading figure in Sinological research.