Matthew Wells

Matthew Wells is an Associate Professor of Early Chinese Literature and Culture at the University of Kentucky, affiliated with the Chinese Studies program. He holds a Ph.D. in Chinese from the University of Oregon (2006) and has taught at institutions including Eastern Oregon University and the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on Daoism, early Chinese historiography, and life writing, including autobiography and hagiography. He has held research fellowships at institutions like Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University. Currently, he is collaborating on a translation of Shangqing Daoist hagiographies and studying the cultural world of Wang Dao. His work bridges religious, literary, and historical analysis of premodern China.

Education: Ph.D. in Chinese (2006), M.A. in Asian Studies (2001), B.A. in History (1997), all from the University of Oregon, University of Washington, and other institutions.

Research Interests: His work spans Daoist texts, early Chinese historiography, and the intersection of biography and spirituality. Recent projects include translating Yang Xi’s hagiographies and analyzing Wang Dao’s political biography. He emphasizes the cultural and intellectual contexts of early medieval China.

Awards: None explicitly listed, though he has secured grants such as the Fulbright-Hays dissertation fellowship.

Advising & Grants: No advisees listed, but has organized research initiatives at the Elling Eide Center. His grants include the Fulbright-Hays award for research in China.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Dr. Jonathan Pettit (University of Hawai'i) on Daoist texts. Previously directed the Elling Eide Center’s research programs.