Tartar lamb and earth-born lamb are species with both plant and animal characteristics in ancient... more Tartar lamb and earth-born lamb are species with both plant and animal characteristics in ancient European and Chinese historical materials. Through the discussion of Tartar lamb and earth-born lamb, this article presents how European natural history encountered China in the process of scientificization and systematization, and how Chinese herbal knowledge and folklore knowledge were selectively embedded into the European natural history knowledge system by European naturalists in the process of encounter. Although the original Chinese natural history knowledge system was not completely replaced until the Western science entered China in the 20th century, the disintegration of the European natural history knowledge system on the Chinese knowledge tradition began in the late 17th century.
REMAPPING THE WORLD IN EAST ASIA: TOWARD A GLOBAL HISTORY OF THE “RICCI MAPS”, 2024
The world map series initiated by Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) and his schol- arly collaborators incl... more The world map series initiated by Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) and his schol- arly collaborators includes several artifacts produced in China. These include printed maps, like the Kunyu wanguo quantu 坤輿萬國全圖 (Complete map of all countries on earth, 1602; figure 1.2) and the Liangyi xuanlan tu 兩儀玄覽圖 (Mysterious visual map of the two forms, 1603; figure 1.2), as well as manuscripts (based on the former) such as the so-called figured manuscripts that included images of ships, animals, and monsters. Later replications produced in Japan, as discussed by Elke Papelitzky in chapter 6, and in Korea are also extant. As significant points of intersection in the his- tory of encounters between western Europe and East Asia, these maps have attracted tremendous scholarly attention. Studies have focused on far-flung aspects of that his- tory: the accuracy of the maps’ geographical information, Chinese responses to the new geographical knowledge, and possible reasons why the maps did not displace Chi- nese mapping traditions. These last inquiries have particularly been concerned with whether these collaborative mapping methods were more “universal,” “accurate,” or “useful” than the traditional Chinese ones. Moreover, scholars’ investigations into the impact of western European practices upon East Asian methods have taken early mod- ern European world maps, tacitly, to be nearer their implicitly preconceived ideal car- tography than their traditional Chinese counterparts. Matthew H. Edney, pointing out how modern culture only began to idealize cartography as “a modern myth” after 1800, admonishes us to reject “the entire ideal and all of its preconception.”1 Rather than beginning from such an idealized world map or the above-mentioned world map series’ geographical details, therefore, this chapter seeks to contextualize these world maps by analyzing the manners of displaying and viewing them.
Among the archives and physical materials collected by the Sun Yat-sen University Museum and don... more Among the archives and physical materials collected by the Sun Yat-sen University Museum and donated by the Mayer family of the United States, there are 128 letters from Reginald Johnston to Isabel Ingram between 1922 and 1930. As Wanrong's English tutor, Isabel became a colleague with Johnston, who was Puyi's tutor, so the two had many contacts. These letters and files cover issues such as the fluctuations in the relationship between Johnston and Puyi, the granting of Yangxingzhai, Johnston's management of the Summer Palace, Johnston's invitation to Tagore to visit the Forbidden City, Western-style life in the Forbidden City, etc., providing a better understanding of Johnston and Puyi's court in the Forbidden City. 在 中 山 大 学 新 入 藏 的 美 国 梅 尔 家 族 捐 赠 的 档 案 与 实 物 资 料 中 ， 有 1922 - 1930 年间庄士敦致伊萨贝尔·盈格兰的128封信件。伊萨贝尔作为婉容的英文教习，与同为溥 仪教习的庄士敦成为同事，因此二人有诸多交往。这批信件档案涉及包括庄士敦与溥仪的 关系波动、养性斋的赐予、庄士敦对颐和园的管理、庄士敦邀请泰戈尔访问紫禁城、紫禁 城内的西式生活等问题，为学界了解庄士敦和溥仪小朝廷提供了更为丰富与准确的信息。
Among the geographical knowledge introduced into China by the European Jesuits Matteo Ricci, Giul... more Among the geographical knowledge introduced into China by the European Jesuits Matteo Ricci, Giulio Aleni and Ferdinand Verbiest in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the knowledge of "sea creatures" was included. The academic community has done some research on the sources of these "sea creature" knowledge, but it is not sufficient. The "Sea creature" texts in Giulio Aleni’s Zhifang waiji and Ferdinand Verbiest’s Kunyu tushuo consulted different types of references from Europe for different contents. Among them are geography books, such as Olaus Magnus's Carta Marina, Historia de gentibus septenrionalibus, and Abraham Ortelius 's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. In order to be more precise, when some specific topics were involved, the corresponding research writings also became the reference of Giulio Aleni and Ferdinand Verbiest. Therefore, although there may be major reference objects, their works can be regarded as a mix of all the information that they were able to access at the time. These "sea creature" textual knowledge, which has the imprint of the ancient Greek and Roman natural history traditions, the influence of the textual traditions of Christian theology and Christian bestiary, and the "new" “scientific” knowledge established since the discovery of New Continent, presented the overall face of the European intellectual community at that time.
The present paper tries to shed light on changes of three editions of the well - known political ... more The present paper tries to shed light on changes of three editions of the well - known political cartoon Shi- jutu ( Current Situation) and what brought about these changes. It contends that the reasons of Shijutu's nationwide popularity were twofold. First，it was a revolutionary artwork pictorially disseminating anti - imperialism and anti - feudalism. Second，the spread of this cartoon conformed to external factors respect- ing transmission of images.
This paper traces the history and usage of the theory of Sinicisation in western and Chinese sc... more This paper traces the history and usage of the theory of Sinicisation in western and Chinese scholarship, and discusses the intellectual trends underlying the different discourses in which the theory has been adopted. Since early 20th Century, the theory of “Sinicisation” has evolved and was adopted into three distinct historiographical discourses to construct different arguments. The first discourse is about the historical acculturation of border peoples and assimilation of domestic peoples to Chinese language, culture and economic life; the second one argues an inherent superiority in Chinese culture specifically produced cultural change across eastern Eurasia to promote nationalism; the third discourse emphasizes the diversity and mixture of the people living inside historical and contemporary China to construct and stabilise the polity. Every discourse rooted in its own intellectual trend, and also faces different criticism. Followed with examining criticisms of Sinicisation since the 1950s, this paper concludes by discussing the relationships of the three discourses of Sinicisation.
Aside from John Day's important survey of the figured manuscript copies of Matteo Ricci's map, th... more Aside from John Day's important survey of the figured manuscript copies of Matteo Ricci's map, there has been little investigation of the reasons they were made, the sources of their content or how they circulated. Key to understanding these maps is the text Zhifang waiji [職方外紀] (1623) edited by Giulio Aleni and Yang Tingyun. This text was actually the work of Diego de Pantoja and Sabatino de Ursis in Beijing, composed on the orders of the Wanli emperor. At the same time, a figured manuscript copy of Ricci’s map was composed, which was copied by other scholars in Beijing and circulated at court. These efforts, however, were largely aimed at pleasing the Wanli Emperor rather than impressing the literati with the extent of Jesuit knowledge.
Pre-modern Falconry and Bird Symbolism – Interdisciplinary and Practical Consideration: the global perspective in relation to northern Europe, 2018
This paper analyses ancient Chinese falconry terminology focusing on the names for falcons. Based... more This paper analyses ancient Chinese falconry terminology focusing on the names for falcons. Based on linguistic evidence from Oracle Bone and Bronze inscriptions, it seems that falconry might have already existed within Chinese territory during the Shang dynasty (17th–11th centuries BCE). Although falconry may have been transferred from the Eurasian Steppe to China, no loanwords or other forms of linguistic communication exists between Chinese and other neighboring languages, especially prior to 220 CE. Some evidence for the communication between the Chinese and their nomadic neighboring cultures concerning falconry, however, can be found in later falconry termi- nology beginning in the 6th century CE, such as the transcription of a Sanskrit word for goshawk in Chinese.
Pre-modern Falconry and Bird Symbolism – Interdisciplinary and Practical Consideration: the global perspective in relation to northern Europe, 2018
Falconry is usually considered to have appeared in China beginning in the Eastern Han dynasty (25... more Falconry is usually considered to have appeared in China beginning in the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE). It became an important part of royal hunts in Medieval China (roughly 6th–12th c. CE). Two different types of royal falconry existed in China between the 6th and 14th centuries. These differed most obviously in their timing and setting – but most importantly in the role of falconry in the royal hunt as a whole. The present paper argues that falconry at the beginning of this period was primarily a form of entertainment, but later became an important part of political life. Government management of falcons and falconers, the practice of falconry by the royal family, and the influence of falconry and reactions to falconry are all examined in this paper, which concludes with a discussion of the differences between the two types of royal falconry and the implications of those differences.
First edited journal issue or volume devoted to the comparative question of Jesuit cartography ar... more First edited journal issue or volume devoted to the comparative question of Jesuit cartography around the globe from the 16th to the 19th centuries. See the Table of Contents: https://brill.com/view/journals/jjs/6/1/jjs.6.issue-1.xml
Tartar lamb and earth-born lamb are species with both plant and animal characteristics in ancient... more Tartar lamb and earth-born lamb are species with both plant and animal characteristics in ancient European and Chinese historical materials. Through the discussion of Tartar lamb and earth-born lamb, this article presents how European natural history encountered China in the process of scientificization and systematization, and how Chinese herbal knowledge and folklore knowledge were selectively embedded into the European natural history knowledge system by European naturalists in the process of encounter. Although the original Chinese natural history knowledge system was not completely replaced until the Western science entered China in the 20th century, the disintegration of the European natural history knowledge system on the Chinese knowledge tradition began in the late 17th century.
REMAPPING THE WORLD IN EAST ASIA: TOWARD A GLOBAL HISTORY OF THE “RICCI MAPS”, 2024
The world map series initiated by Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) and his schol- arly collaborators incl... more The world map series initiated by Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) and his schol- arly collaborators includes several artifacts produced in China. These include printed maps, like the Kunyu wanguo quantu 坤輿萬國全圖 (Complete map of all countries on earth, 1602; figure 1.2) and the Liangyi xuanlan tu 兩儀玄覽圖 (Mysterious visual map of the two forms, 1603; figure 1.2), as well as manuscripts (based on the former) such as the so-called figured manuscripts that included images of ships, animals, and monsters. Later replications produced in Japan, as discussed by Elke Papelitzky in chapter 6, and in Korea are also extant. As significant points of intersection in the his- tory of encounters between western Europe and East Asia, these maps have attracted tremendous scholarly attention. Studies have focused on far-flung aspects of that his- tory: the accuracy of the maps’ geographical information, Chinese responses to the new geographical knowledge, and possible reasons why the maps did not displace Chi- nese mapping traditions. These last inquiries have particularly been concerned with whether these collaborative mapping methods were more “universal,” “accurate,” or “useful” than the traditional Chinese ones. Moreover, scholars’ investigations into the impact of western European practices upon East Asian methods have taken early mod- ern European world maps, tacitly, to be nearer their implicitly preconceived ideal car- tography than their traditional Chinese counterparts. Matthew H. Edney, pointing out how modern culture only began to idealize cartography as “a modern myth” after 1800, admonishes us to reject “the entire ideal and all of its preconception.”1 Rather than beginning from such an idealized world map or the above-mentioned world map series’ geographical details, therefore, this chapter seeks to contextualize these world maps by analyzing the manners of displaying and viewing them.
Among the archives and physical materials collected by the Sun Yat-sen University Museum and don... more Among the archives and physical materials collected by the Sun Yat-sen University Museum and donated by the Mayer family of the United States, there are 128 letters from Reginald Johnston to Isabel Ingram between 1922 and 1930. As Wanrong's English tutor, Isabel became a colleague with Johnston, who was Puyi's tutor, so the two had many contacts. These letters and files cover issues such as the fluctuations in the relationship between Johnston and Puyi, the granting of Yangxingzhai, Johnston's management of the Summer Palace, Johnston's invitation to Tagore to visit the Forbidden City, Western-style life in the Forbidden City, etc., providing a better understanding of Johnston and Puyi's court in the Forbidden City. 在 中 山 大 学 新 入 藏 的 美 国 梅 尔 家 族 捐 赠 的 档 案 与 实 物 资 料 中 ， 有 1922 - 1930 年间庄士敦致伊萨贝尔·盈格兰的128封信件。伊萨贝尔作为婉容的英文教习，与同为溥 仪教习的庄士敦成为同事，因此二人有诸多交往。这批信件档案涉及包括庄士敦与溥仪的 关系波动、养性斋的赐予、庄士敦对颐和园的管理、庄士敦邀请泰戈尔访问紫禁城、紫禁 城内的西式生活等问题，为学界了解庄士敦和溥仪小朝廷提供了更为丰富与准确的信息。
Among the geographical knowledge introduced into China by the European Jesuits Matteo Ricci, Giul... more Among the geographical knowledge introduced into China by the European Jesuits Matteo Ricci, Giulio Aleni and Ferdinand Verbiest in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the knowledge of "sea creatures" was included. The academic community has done some research on the sources of these "sea creature" knowledge, but it is not sufficient. The "Sea creature" texts in Giulio Aleni’s Zhifang waiji and Ferdinand Verbiest’s Kunyu tushuo consulted different types of references from Europe for different contents. Among them are geography books, such as Olaus Magnus's Carta Marina, Historia de gentibus septenrionalibus, and Abraham Ortelius 's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. In order to be more precise, when some specific topics were involved, the corresponding research writings also became the reference of Giulio Aleni and Ferdinand Verbiest. Therefore, although there may be major reference objects, their works can be regarded as a mix of all the information that they were able to access at the time. These "sea creature" textual knowledge, which has the imprint of the ancient Greek and Roman natural history traditions, the influence of the textual traditions of Christian theology and Christian bestiary, and the "new" “scientific” knowledge established since the discovery of New Continent, presented the overall face of the European intellectual community at that time.
The present paper tries to shed light on changes of three editions of the well - known political ... more The present paper tries to shed light on changes of three editions of the well - known political cartoon Shi- jutu ( Current Situation) and what brought about these changes. It contends that the reasons of Shijutu's nationwide popularity were twofold. First，it was a revolutionary artwork pictorially disseminating anti - imperialism and anti - feudalism. Second，the spread of this cartoon conformed to external factors respect- ing transmission of images.
This paper traces the history and usage of the theory of Sinicisation in western and Chinese sc... more This paper traces the history and usage of the theory of Sinicisation in western and Chinese scholarship, and discusses the intellectual trends underlying the different discourses in which the theory has been adopted. Since early 20th Century, the theory of “Sinicisation” has evolved and was adopted into three distinct historiographical discourses to construct different arguments. The first discourse is about the historical acculturation of border peoples and assimilation of domestic peoples to Chinese language, culture and economic life; the second one argues an inherent superiority in Chinese culture specifically produced cultural change across eastern Eurasia to promote nationalism; the third discourse emphasizes the diversity and mixture of the people living inside historical and contemporary China to construct and stabilise the polity. Every discourse rooted in its own intellectual trend, and also faces different criticism. Followed with examining criticisms of Sinicisation since the 1950s, this paper concludes by discussing the relationships of the three discourses of Sinicisation.
Aside from John Day's important survey of the figured manuscript copies of Matteo Ricci's map, th... more Aside from John Day's important survey of the figured manuscript copies of Matteo Ricci's map, there has been little investigation of the reasons they were made, the sources of their content or how they circulated. Key to understanding these maps is the text Zhifang waiji [職方外紀] (1623) edited by Giulio Aleni and Yang Tingyun. This text was actually the work of Diego de Pantoja and Sabatino de Ursis in Beijing, composed on the orders of the Wanli emperor. At the same time, a figured manuscript copy of Ricci’s map was composed, which was copied by other scholars in Beijing and circulated at court. These efforts, however, were largely aimed at pleasing the Wanli Emperor rather than impressing the literati with the extent of Jesuit knowledge.
Pre-modern Falconry and Bird Symbolism – Interdisciplinary and Practical Consideration: the global perspective in relation to northern Europe, 2018
This paper analyses ancient Chinese falconry terminology focusing on the names for falcons. Based... more This paper analyses ancient Chinese falconry terminology focusing on the names for falcons. Based on linguistic evidence from Oracle Bone and Bronze inscriptions, it seems that falconry might have already existed within Chinese territory during the Shang dynasty (17th–11th centuries BCE). Although falconry may have been transferred from the Eurasian Steppe to China, no loanwords or other forms of linguistic communication exists between Chinese and other neighboring languages, especially prior to 220 CE. Some evidence for the communication between the Chinese and their nomadic neighboring cultures concerning falconry, however, can be found in later falconry termi- nology beginning in the 6th century CE, such as the transcription of a Sanskrit word for goshawk in Chinese.
Pre-modern Falconry and Bird Symbolism – Interdisciplinary and Practical Consideration: the global perspective in relation to northern Europe, 2018
Falconry is usually considered to have appeared in China beginning in the Eastern Han dynasty (25... more Falconry is usually considered to have appeared in China beginning in the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE). It became an important part of royal hunts in Medieval China (roughly 6th–12th c. CE). Two different types of royal falconry existed in China between the 6th and 14th centuries. These differed most obviously in their timing and setting – but most importantly in the role of falconry in the royal hunt as a whole. The present paper argues that falconry at the beginning of this period was primarily a form of entertainment, but later became an important part of political life. Government management of falcons and falconers, the practice of falconry by the royal family, and the influence of falconry and reactions to falconry are all examined in this paper, which concludes with a discussion of the differences between the two types of royal falconry and the implications of those differences.
First edited journal issue or volume devoted to the comparative question of Jesuit cartography ar... more First edited journal issue or volume devoted to the comparative question of Jesuit cartography around the globe from the 16th to the 19th centuries. See the Table of Contents: https://brill.com/view/journals/jjs/6/1/jjs.6.issue-1.xml
今天当我们谈到欧亚大陆上各文明之间的交流时，在“丝绸之路”这一名称的影响之下，我们似乎常常想到的只是单纯的物质方面的交流、贸易。但事实却并非如此，历史上欧亚大陆上各文明之间的交流是多层面的、立体... more 今天当我们谈到欧亚大陆上各文明之间的交流时，在“丝绸之路”这一名称的影响之下，我们似乎常常想到的只是单纯的物质方面的交流、贸易。但事实却并非如此，历史上欧亚大陆上各文明之间的交流是多层面的、立体的，其中不仅有物质层面，更有精神层面的。本书集中讲述民间传说、故事欧亚各文明之间通过口耳相传的方式流通，它们在进入中国后则被记录下来。但这些故事传说有些很早便湮没无闻，而有些却影响广泛，深入人心。
Heresy in Pre-Modern China
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Spon... more Heresy in Pre-Modern China
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Sponsor: Department of EALC, UPenn Taihe Foundation
Uploads
Papers by Fangyi Cheng
鞑靼羊和地生羊是古代欧洲与中国史料中的兼具植物和动物两种特性的物 种。通过对鞑靼羊与地生羊的讨论，本文呈现了欧洲博物学在科学化与系统化的过程中 如何遭遇中国，以及在遭遇过程中，中国的本草知识与民俗知识是如何被欧洲博物学家 选择性地嵌入欧洲博物知识体系的。虽然直到 20 世纪西方的科学进入中国时，中国原 有的博物知识体系才被完全取代，但是欧洲的博物知识体系对中国的知识传统的瓦解却 是从 17 世纪晚期便已经开始了。
在 中 山 大 学 新 入 藏 的 美 国 梅 尔 家 族 捐 赠 的 档 案 与 实 物 资 料 中 ， 有 1922 - 1930 年间庄士敦致伊萨贝尔·盈格兰的128封信件。伊萨贝尔作为婉容的英文教习，与同为溥 仪教习的庄士敦成为同事，因此二人有诸多交往。这批信件档案涉及包括庄士敦与溥仪的 关系波动、养性斋的赐予、庄士敦对颐和园的管理、庄士敦邀请泰戈尔访问紫禁城、紫禁 城内的西式生活等问题，为学界了解庄士敦和溥仪小朝廷提供了更为丰富与准确的信息。
Talks by Fangyi Cheng
Books by Fangyi Cheng
鞑靼羊和地生羊是古代欧洲与中国史料中的兼具植物和动物两种特性的物 种。通过对鞑靼羊与地生羊的讨论，本文呈现了欧洲博物学在科学化与系统化的过程中 如何遭遇中国，以及在遭遇过程中，中国的本草知识与民俗知识是如何被欧洲博物学家 选择性地嵌入欧洲博物知识体系的。虽然直到 20 世纪西方的科学进入中国时，中国原 有的博物知识体系才被完全取代，但是欧洲的博物知识体系对中国的知识传统的瓦解却 是从 17 世纪晚期便已经开始了。
在 中 山 大 学 新 入 藏 的 美 国 梅 尔 家 族 捐 赠 的 档 案 与 实 物 资 料 中 ， 有 1922 - 1930 年间庄士敦致伊萨贝尔·盈格兰的128封信件。伊萨贝尔作为婉容的英文教习，与同为溥 仪教习的庄士敦成为同事，因此二人有诸多交往。这批信件档案涉及包括庄士敦与溥仪的 关系波动、养性斋的赐予、庄士敦对颐和园的管理、庄士敦邀请泰戈尔访问紫禁城、紫禁 城内的西式生活等问题，为学界了解庄士敦和溥仪小朝廷提供了更为丰富与准确的信息。
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Sponsor: Department of EALC, UPenn Taihe Foundation