As IHSS approaches its ninth anniversary, we’re delighted to welcome 18 distinguished visiting scholars into our ever-growing community. This autumn’s cohort brings together expertise from across history, archaeology, philology, political science, philosophy, literature, and sociology, in line with IHSS’s commitment to foster vibrant interdisciplinary dialogue.
On September 2, IHSS Director Assistant Han Xiao led the new fellows on an introductory tour of the facilities. Highlights included an exhibition in the basement floor, which offered an immersive look into the institute’s storied past and the scholars who have enriched it over the past eight years. This set the stage for a promising semester of collaboration and learning.
The welcoming session began with a video from the Spring 2024 visiting fellows, offering the new cohort a glimpse into the residency experience of their predecessors. Following the video, IHSS Director Yang Lihua delivered an engaging speech, emphasizing the institute’s mission of nurturing scholarship and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. He encouraged fellows to take advantage of IHSS’s interdisciplinary environment, where scholars from diverse fields can exchange ideas freely and open doors to fresh perspectives.
Representing the previous semester’s visiting fellows, Professor Zhao Jing from the Institute for the Compilation of Ancient Legal Texts offered reflections on his time at IHSS. Serving as the "class leader" of the Spring 2024 group, Professor Zhao shared tips on making the most of the four-month residency: plan diverse academic events, engage actively, and make meaningful connections. He noted the unique opportunities for intellectual synergy at IHSS and the joy of interacting with Peking University’s brilliant student body, which deepens the experience of learning and teaching alike.
Each member of this Autumn’s visiting scholars cohort brings a wealth of knowledge and unique insights to the IHSS community. During the welcoming session, they shared their research focus and hopes for the semester ahead. Professor Mei Jianjun, from the Needham Research Institute and McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge, specializes in the study of metallurgical archaeology and the history of science and technology. Professor Mei commented that his work at the Needham Research Institute shares many similarities with IHSS, where scholars value their opportunities for academic exchanges. He looks forward to a rich and fulfilling time at IHSS. Professor Dong Yue, from the University of Washington, Seattle, focuses on modern and contemporary history and the history of Beijing. She noted that exactly forty years ago to the day, she entered Peking University as a freshman in the Department of Chinese Literature. Professor Dong is eager to have valuable research time at IHSS.
Professor Arnd Helmut Hafner, from Meiji University, specializes in Chinese legal history and paleography. He mentioned that digitization has changed the way we read and write, and during his residency at IHSS, he hopes to explore digital applications suitable for excavated texts. Professor Zhao Wei, from the University of California, Riverside, completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in the History Department at Peking University before shifting to sociology. He is familiar with the IHSS building (former office to the History Department) and looks forward to exchanging ideas with colleagues across disciplines. Professor Song Nianshen, from the Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, has deep connections with IHSS: he was invited to be the main speaker for a lecture series in 2020 and has also published in the IHSS Lecture Series of Peking University Journal. He praises IHSS for its outstanding efforts in academic organization and agenda planning and hopes to observe the institute’s practices in serving scholars up close.
Professor Lu Mingjun, from the Department of Art Philosophy at Fudan University, focuses on 20th-century Chinese art history and contemporary art theory, criticism, and curation. Recognizing the vast landscape of art studies, he eagerly anticipates cross-disciplinary dialogues at IHSS that will allow him to broaden his perspectives and explore new research approaches. Professor Zhang Jin, associated with the Institute of Foreign Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, dedicates her studies to Foucault’s theories, especially in examining the intersection of ideology and empirical methods. Zhang hopes to deepen her insights into these themes, particularly in how scholarly approaches to text and ideology can strike a thoughtful balance.
Professor Wu Gongqing, of Renmin University of China’s Department of Philosophy, brings his focus on Western philosophy, with a current emphasis on Spinoza and related translations. Through discussions with fellow scholars, Wu seeks to enhance his study of Spinoza’s works within a self-sustained system of knowledge, exploring how to advance Western philosophy studies in China’s academic landscape. Associate Professor Hu Xiaobai, from the School of History at Nanjing University, specializes in the history of ethnic groups in China’s border regions, with a current focus on the areas where Han and Tibetan civilizations intersect. Having previously studied and worked mainly in southern China, he remarked on the warmth he has felt from northern scholars and looks forward to engaging in more exchanges. Research Fellow Guo Junye, from the Dunhuang Academy, transitioned from studying cave temples to Dunhuang manuscripts. As the sixth visiting fellow from the Dunhuang Academy at IHSS, she hopes to further the collaboration between Peking University and her home institute.
IHSS’s commitment to fostering productive interactions between scholars and students took root with the launch of the Student Assistant Program in Spring 2024. This program links visiting scholars with PhD students in relevant fields, creating a unique blend of mentorship and academic exchange that enriches everyone involved.
As autumn settles over the campus and IHSS’s newest cohort embarks on their residency, the institute remains focused on creating a collaborative space where ideas flourish. With such diverse expertise gathered under one roof, the academic year ahead promises rich discussions, innovative research, and lasting connections across disciplines.
