Sophie Volpp is a Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on Chinese literature from the 16th to 19th centuries, with particular emphasis on theatricality, material culture, and literary objects. She is the author of *Worldly Stage: Theatricality in Seventeenth-Century China* (2011) and *The Substance of Fiction: Literary Objects in China, 1550-1775* (2022). Her current projects include a book on the National Peiping Library’s preservation efforts during the Sino-Japanese War and an analysis of referents in *The Story of the Stone*. Her scholarly work bridges literary analysis and cultural history, examining themes such as gender, power, and spectacle in late-imperial China. She has translated works by pre-modern women poets and dramatists, contributing to gender-centric scholarship in East Asian studies. Her publications span journal articles and edited volumes, addressing topics like Qing-era theatrical design, material circulation in classical novels, and cross-cultural influences in literary production. Her research has been published in venues such as *Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies* and *Journal of Asian Studies*.
Paize Keulemans is an Associate Professor of Chinese Literature at Princeton University's Department of East Asian Studies. His research focuses on the interplay between oral and written literary traditions in Chinese literature, particularly exploring acoustic dimensions in 19th-century martial arts fiction and the role of gossip and rumor in 17th-century texts. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (2004) and a B.A. from Leiden University (Netherlands). His work bridges literary analysis with cultural studies, examining topics like Dutch-Chinese interactions since the 17th century and the adaptation of classical texts like The Three Kingdoms into modern media such as video games. Education: Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Literatures, University of Chicago B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature, Leiden University Research Interests: Acoustic imagination in printed novels Rumor dynamics in late-Ming literature Cultural exchanges between the Netherlands and China Modern adaptations of classical Chinese narratives Publications highlight his exploration of Ming-Qing transition narratives through Dutch tragic plays and the sonic dimensions of martial arts fiction. Current projects include analyzing video game adaptations of classical texts and the role of 'idleness' in literary production.
Yiqun Zhou serves as Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and, by courtesy, of Classics at Stanford University. Holding dual appointments since 2013, Zhou is actively engaged in teaching and research within Stanford's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and the Department of Classics, with program affiliations at the Center for East Asian Studies. Research interests span Chinese and comparative women's history, early Chinese literature, Ming-Qing fiction, China-Greece comparative studies, and the reception of classical antiquity in modern China. Zhou's scholarly approach emphasizes cross-cultural analysis between ancient Chinese and Greek civilizations, particularly examining gender relations, literary traditions, and the modern Chinese reception of classical antiquity. Zhou's publications demonstrate consistent scholarly output with recent works appearing in 2024, focusing on imperial performance, gender dynamics, and intellectual history. The research trajectory reveals a sustained engagement with comparative methodologies, particularly examining intersections between Chinese and Greco-Roman civilizations across historical periods. Zhou actively mentors graduate students through multiple roles including Doctoral Dissertation Advisor for Xiaoyi Huang and Bingxiao Liu, Master's Program Advisor for Helen Bovi and Yuan Wei, and Doctoral Program advisor for ZiFan Yang. Teaching responsibilities include courses such as Beginning Classical Chinese, Heroes and Heroism (co-listed with Classics), Proseminar in East Asian Humanities, and The Use of Classical Antiquity in Modern China. Academic background includes a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Chicago (2004). Zhou maintains an active research agenda with publications spanning journal articles and book chapters, primarily focusing on comparative approaches to Chinese literature and history with Greco-Roman antiquity.
Liang Luo is a Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Kentucky’s Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures department within the College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University’s East Asian Languages and Civilizations program, preceded by MA and BA degrees in Chinese literature and comparative literature from Beijing Normal University. Luo’s research focuses on intersections of performance, politics, and popular culture in modern China, Japan, and the international avant-garde. His work explores Sino-Japanese cultural relations, gender politics, and folklore, particularly through the lens of the White Snake legend. Education: Ph.D., East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University M.A., Comparative Literature, Beijing Normal University B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University Research Interests: Performance studies, propaganda, and avant-garde movements Cultural politics of gender and intersectionality Multimedia adaptations of classical legends East Asian comparative literature and film Awards and Recognition: Harvard-Yenching Doctoral Fellowship Reischauer Institute Fellowship NEH Summer Stipend (Stanford University) Harvard’s Certificate of Distinction in Teaching Professional Affiliations: International Studies Chinese Studies Folklore & Mythology Gender and Women’s Studies Global Asias Luo’s publications include The Global White Snake (2021) and The Avant-Garde and the Popular in Modern China (2014), analyzing intersections of cultural politics and performance. His work bridges classical and modern studies, with recent projects exploring digital activism through folklore and transnational cultural narratives.
Mengxiao Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Literatures from Yale University, an M.A. in Classical Chinese Literature and Philology from Beijing Normal University, and a B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature from the same institution. She completed postdoctoral training as a Sheng Yen Postdoctoral Fellow in Chinese Buddhism at the University of California, Berkeley (2019-2021). B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University M.A., Classical Chinese Literature and Philology, Beijing Normal University Ph.D., East Asian Languages and Literatures, Yale University Postdoctoral Training: Sheng Yen Postdoctoral Fellow in Chinese Buddhism, University of California, Berkeley (2019-2021) Wang specializes in traditional Chinese literature and culture with a primary focus on the interplay between literary production and religious practice, particularly examining how Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian traditions intersect with theatrical performance and literary creation in late imperial China. Her research reveals how religious practices shaped theatrical forms and how literary works served as vehicles for religious expression, with particular attention to gender dynamics within religious contexts. Her current book project, Buddhism and Theatricality in Early Modern China, investigates how monastics and the laity reshaped theater as a form of religious endeavor during the 16th and 17th centuries. Analysis of Wang's 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent scholarly trajectory exploring the intersections of Chinese literature, religious practice, and theatrical performance across multiple dynastic periods. Her work demonstrates particular expertise in Buddhist influences on Chinese drama, with recurring investigations of specific texts like the Buddhist play Guiyuanjing. She has established a distinctive research niche examining gender representations within religious theatrical contexts and the complex relationships between monastic communities and literary production. Her scholarship spans multiple disciplines including literary history, religious studies, theater studies, and gender studies, with particular strength in textual analysis of primary sources from late imperial China. Wang has taught courses including Introduction to Chinese Culture, Art and Literature; Cultural Topics in East Asian Literature; Classical Chinese I; Chinese Fiction; and specialized seminars on China. Her teaching reflects her research interests in Chinese literature, religion, and cultural history.
Han Li is Professor and Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Rhodes College, serving since 2008 while concurrently holding the position of Section Head for Chinese. Her academic work centers on East Asian Languages and Literatures with specialized focus on Chinese cultural and media studies. Education: Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Literatures, University of California, Irvine B.A. in Chinese Literature, Nanjing University Research Profile: Dr. Li's scholarship bridges material cultural history of late imperial China with contemporary Chinese cinema and media studies. She critically examines rural representations in social media, gender dynamics in film, and the political economy of Chinese soft power. Her work consistently connects historical contexts with modern digital landscapes, revealing how cultural narratives shape national identity and heritage preservation in transnational frameworks. Publication Trends: Her recent articles demonstrate a clear trajectory from historical analysis (17th-century fiction) toward contemporary media phenomena, with increasing emphasis on rural China's digital transformation. Key thematic clusters include cinematic representations of national trauma, the commodification of revolutionary culture, and the geopolitical dimensions of cultural heritage in US-China relations. Academic Engagement: Beyond her departmental leadership, Dr. Li actively contributes to Gender and Sexuality Studies, Media Studies, and Asian and Asian American Studies programs. Her public scholarship includes interviews with major international media outlets and commentary for Sixth Tone on Chinese soft power and media trends.
Harry Miller is a faculty member in the Department of History at the University of South Alabama since 2002. He holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and specializes in Ming and Qing dynasty history, East Asian intellectual history, and cultural narratives. B.A., Wesleyan University (1988) M.A., Columbia University Ph.D., Columbia University (2001) His research focuses on state-gentry dynamics, dynastic transitions, and the interplay between historical interpretation and literary expression in early modern China. He has authored books on Ming-Qing political conflicts and translated classical Chinese texts, while currently crafting a historical novel set in 17th-century China. Publications reflect expertise in Ming-Qing intellectual history, factional politics, and cross-cultural narratives. He oversees the USA in Japan study abroad program and teaches courses spanning Asian civilization, film, and specialized seminars on China, Japan, and democratic transitions.
Thomas P. Kelly is an Assistant Professor in East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University, where he holds a position in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He earned his PhD from the University of Chicago (2017) and BA from the University of Oxford (2009). Previously, he served as a Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows at the University of Michigan. As President of the Society for Ming Studies, he actively contributes to scholarly networks in early modern Chinese studies. His research focuses on Chinese literature, material culture, and pre-modern media studies, particularly exploring the interplay between writing and material objects in the Ming and Qing periods. His monograph The Inscription of Things: Writing and Materiality in Early Modern China (2023) examines how writers engaged with materiality through inscriptions on objects. Current projects include The Unfinished Book , analyzing manuscript culture during the Ming-Qing transition, and a study of performance theory via Pan Zhiheng’s essays. His work spans late imperial drama, fiction, poetry, and prose. Key research themes include the materiality of literature, rituals in performance, and the poetics of incompletion. His publications investigate topics such as mourning rituals in early Qing theater, the cultural significance of seal carvers’ biographies, and the role of objects in Ming-Qing literary imagination. He frequently critiques the relationship between textual production and social dynamics, emphasizing how material forms shape literary meaning. His articles demonstrate a focus on interdisciplinary approaches, blending literary analysis with art history, anthropology, and cultural studies. Notable works include explorations of Hong Sheng’s Palace of Lasting Life , Su Shi’s ink-making practices, and Fang Yongbin’s calligraphic materiality. His 2024 article ' The Crying Statue in Early Qing Drama ' delves into contested staging practices of theatrical mourning rituals. Though no formal grants or labs are listed, his academic leadership (e.g., Society for Ming Studies presidency) underscores his role in fostering collaborative research. His work bridges textual analysis with broader cultural histories, positioning material objects as central to understanding Chinese literary and intellectual traditions.
Jessica Moyer is an Associate Professor of Chinese Language & Literature at Smith University, specializing in traditional and modern Chinese literature, genre theory, cultural history, and gender studies. She teaches courses on Chinese literature and language while maintaining an active research profile. Ph.D., M.Ph., M.A., Yale University B.A., Kenyon College Her research explores literary constructions of gender, spatial practice, and genre evolution in Qing dynasty texts. Publications focus on topics like chastity narratives, household dynamics, and the interplay between domestic spaces and textual structures in classical Chinese fiction. Recent work examines 18th-century xiaoshuo (Chinese fiction), Qing anthologies, and the literary representation of insects. Her teaching and research emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, blending literary analysis with cultural and gender studies.
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Yinghui Wu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), specializing in early modern Chinese literature of the Ming and Qing periods. Their academic work bridges traditional Chinese literary studies with contemporary media theory, creating innovative approaches to understanding historical cultural practices. Education: Ph.D. in Chinese & Comparative Literature, Washington University in St. Louis M.A. in English Language and Literature, Peking University B.A. in English, Renmin University of China Professor Wu's research program centers on rethinking Chinese drama and performance cultures through the lens of early modern media studies. Their work challenges conventional paradigms that treat plays merely as literary texts or theatrical performances, arguing instead for understanding drama as part of a broader media ecology. Drawing on concepts like media archaeology (which examines pre-electronic media forms while critiquing technocentric views of media history) and media ecology (which considers the interconnectedness of media systems), Wu conceptualizes media expansively to include semiotic elements (language, writing, image), technical materials (manuscript, print, paper), and cultural practices (music, dance, drama). This interdisciplinary approach reveals how early modern Chinese drama functioned as 'expanding and changing processes of cultural innovation' through the refashioning and multiplying of media. Wu's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on how drama intersects with various media forms in early modern China. The articles show progression from analyzing specific textual practices (the 2016 T'oung Pao article on eight-legged essays) to more comprehensive media theoretical frameworks (the 2025 East Asian Publishing and Society article on illustrated plays). The research reveals patterns of cross-generic experimentation and the fluid boundaries between literary forms in Ming dynasty China, with particular attention to how visual elements, textual annotations, and performance practices created complex reading and viewing experiences. Professor Wu is currently working on several significant projects including a monograph Playing with Plays: Drama and Early Modern Chinese Media Ecologies (forthcoming 2025) from Brill, and research on 'environments as media' through Pan Zhiheng's writings, broken bonds between performers and patrons in seventeenth-century China, and the information ecology of early modern China. They have also co-edited Emotions in Non-Fictional Representations of the Individual, 1600-1850: Between East and West (2021), demonstrating their commitment to cross-cultural scholarly dialogue.
Tina Lu serves as the Colonel John Trumbull Professor of East Asian Languages & Literatures at Yale University and has been Head of Pauli Murray College since 2017. She joined Yale in 2008 after a decade at the University of Pennsylvania, holding leadership roles including Department Chair (2013-2019) and Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies for East Asian Languages & Literatures. Her research centers on late imperial Chinese literature (c. 1550-1750), with expertise in classical Chinese texts, novels, plays, and belle-lettristic writing. She examines identity construction, transgressive themes, and social norms through works like The Story of the Stone , while pioneering initiatives such as Six Pretty Good to enhance academic discourse. Her teaching spans introductory surveys to specialized seminars on Ming-Qing literary culture. Professor Lu's publications reveal consistent scholarly engagement with philosophical and sociological dimensions of Chinese literary tradition, particularly focusing on taboo subjects and identity fluidity in classical dramas. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary theoretical frameworks, establishing significant contributions to understanding pre-modern Chinese cultural production. Her research has been supported by prestigious awards: ACLS Fellowship National Humanities Center Fellowship Mellon Foundation Grant As an academic leader, she has mentored generations of students while shaping departmental curriculum and administration, notably through her dual roles as department chair and Pauli Murray College Head. Her collaborative projects include co-editing the MLA volume on Approaches to Teaching The Story of the Stone , demonstrating commitment to pedagogical innovation.
Yunjing Xu serves as Associate Professor of East Asian Studies at Bucknell University, currently on sabbatical for the 2025-2026 academic year. Her scholarly work bridges literary studies, religious history, and cultural exchange in Chinese contexts. Education: Ph.D. in Chinese and Comparative Literature, Washington University in St. Louis, with graduate certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Research Focus: Dr. Xu specializes in early modern Chinese literati culture , examining cultural exchanges between Chinese Catholics and Jesuit missionaries through textual analysis. Her secondary research trajectory explores xiaoshuo (fiction) development and storytelling traditions in the lower Yangzi River delta throughout the twentieth century. Additional expertise includes women's writing in imperial China and Chinese performing arts , reflecting interdisciplinary engagement with gender studies and oral literature traditions. Publication Trends: Her 2012-2023 output reveals sustained investigation into Sino-Western religious encounters and regional narrative forms. Key themes include the transmission of Christian texts in Ming/Qing China, Suzhou tanci storytelling, and literary identity construction among Chinese Catholic intellectuals. Work appears in specialized journals covering Chinese oral literature, religious history, and East Asian studies. Scientific Awards: No awards documented in source material Academic Contributions: Teaching portfolio includes Modern/Classical Chinese language instruction, Late-imperial fiction courses, and specialized seminars on Chinese women writers and performing arts. No advising or grant details were provided in source text.
Wei Shang serves as the Du Family Professor of Chinese Culture within Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures, maintaining his office in 404 Kent Hall. Academic background: BA, Peking University (1982) MA, Peking University (1984) PhD, Harvard University (1995) His research centers on pre-modern Chinese literary traditions, with concentrated expertise in Ming and Qing dynasty fiction and drama. He investigates cultural transformations through print culture, book history, and intellectual frameworks, producing seminal works like "Rulin Waishi" and Cultural Transformation in Late Imperial China (2003) and Writing on Landmarks: From Yellow Crane Tower to Phoenix Pavilion (2020). Recent publications reveal consistent interdisciplinary exploration connecting literary analysis with visual culture, imperial rituals, and perspective techniques, particularly examining how fictional narratives engage with court ceremonies and dynastic transitions. He has significantly contributed to scholarly discourse through editorial leadership, including co-editing Dynastic Crisis and Cultural Innovation: From the Late Ming to the Late Qing and Beyond (2005) and directing a special issue of the Journal of Chinese Literature and Culture on Literature and Visual Culture in Early Modern China (2015).
Ariel Fox serves as Associate Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago, with cross-appointment in Theater and Performance Studies. She currently holds the position of Director of Graduate Studies for EALC and is on academic leave during the 2024-2025 year. Her research centers on Ming-Qing literary production's entanglement with economic systems, specializing in vernacular fiction, drama, monetary history, and the conceptual framework of the economic imaginary. Current projects investigate anthropomorphic money narratives, banknote aesthetics, and movement practices in late imperial performance. This interdisciplinary work bridges literary analysis with economic anthropology to examine how theatrical forms mediated China's engagement with global commerce. Professor Fox's publications reveal consistent thematic focus on commercial representation in early modern Chinese literature, particularly examining moral dimensions of merchant figures, material transformations of currency, and community dynamics in theatrical space. Her scholarship demonstrates how literary genres processed economic change through narrative strategies that redefined social value and interpersonal relations during China's integration into global trade networks.
Zhenjun Zhang is a Professor and Coordinator of Asian Studies at St. Lawrence University's College of Arts and Sciences, specializing in pre-modern Chinese literature. His research focuses on classical Chinese tales, vernacular fiction, and their intersections with history, religion, and culture. He holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MA from Peking University, and a BA from Zhengzhou University. His research explores classical Chinese tales from the Six Dynasties, Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing periods, with emphasis on supernatural narratives, Buddhist influences, and cultural transmission. Recent scholarly contributions include comprehensive anthologies and annotated translations of classical texts. Zhang's recent publications demonstrate sustained focus on classical Chinese literature, particularly anthologies and critical editions of Tang-Song tales, Ming vernacular fiction, and religious narratives. His editorial work on the Routledge Handbook of Traditional Chinese Literature synthesizes current scholarship across poetry, prose, drama, and fiction genres. His extensive publication record includes dozens of books in Chinese and English, covering classical fiction anthologies, literary criticism, and translations. Key works include studies of Buddhist influences in early medieval tales and annotated readers of Ming and Song dynasty narratives.
