Si Yen Fei

Dr. Si Yen Fei is a professor of Chinese history at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her PhD from Stanford University in 2004 and specializes in the political and cultural dynamics of the late Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Her research challenges traditional narratives of imperial domination by examining the agency of marginalized groups like women, urbanites, and border residents through the lens of 'defiant late Ming energy.'

Research Focus:
• Political and cultural activism in early modern China
• Knowledge acquisition through captivity and trafficking
• Ming Dynasty frontier labor systems

Academic Background:

• PhD, Stanford University (2004)

Key Research Contributions: Her work analyzes two critical projects: (1) Capturing Knowledge investigates how trafficking networks and captivity shaped knowledge systems, and (2) Lost People on the Ming Frontiers explores labor acquisition practices in border regions. Both studies align with the Institute's focus on transnational cultural exchange and historical agency.