Lavoix Valérie

Valérie Lavoix serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (Inalco), specializing in Classical Chinese language and literature with a focus on medieval periods. Her institutional affiliations include membership in the IFRAE research team and administrative roles such as Head of the Chinese Studies teaching committee.

Her research centers on Medieval Chinese Literary Criticism (particularly Liu Xie's Wenxin diaolong), Medieval Chinese Poetry forms like fu and Yutai xinyong, Materiality of Literary Texts through ancient manuscripts and illustrations, and Cultural/Social History of Early Medieval China (3rd-6th centuries) with emphasis on secular Buddhism. She examines intersections between literary forms, manuscript culture, and socio-religious contexts, notably Buddhist influences on medieval Chinese society.

Analysis of her publications reveals consistent engagement with textual materiality, poetic evolution, and Buddhist cultural integration across 15+ years. Key trends include reinterpretations of classical texts through manuscript evidence, exploration of Buddhist-secular dynamics, and innovative studies of illustrated fu poetry. Her work bridges literary criticism, art history, and social history within early medieval China.

Administratively, she contributes to academic governance as member of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Advanced Chinese Studies (Collège de France, 2011-present), CRCAO China office (2022-present), ICAS/GIS Asia Book Prize committee (2023-present), and École Nationale des Chartes entrance jury (2022-present).

Her teaching encompasses Classical Chinese language (Literary Chinese), Classical Chinese literature, poetry analysis, medieval literary criticism, and early medieval Chinese history (3rd-6th centuries), reflecting her research specialization in textual and cultural studies of pre-Tang China.