Embodying Guanyin, Embodying yaojing

For those who missed AAS this year, or went to one of the other amazing sounding panels on Saturday morning that were scheduled at the same time as ours, here's a recording of my paper: Paper abstract: In Liu Xiang baojuan, a popular Qing religious performance text, when exemplary protagonist Liu Xiangnü is likened to…Read more Embodying Guanyin, Embodying yaojing

Foreign bones on Taiwan soil: the Princess of Eight Treasures (part 2)

(part 1) Having read about the Princess of Eight Treasures online years ago, when we were in Kenting for a night at a resort in late December 2015 (thanks parents!), I made sure to go see the temple in person. Granted, my pictures shared here are little different from what you can find yourself via online…Read more Foreign bones on Taiwan soil: the Princess of Eight Treasures (part 2)

Foreign bones on Taiwan soil: the Princess of Eight Treasures (part 1)

At the southern point of Taiwan, not far from the hedonic bustle of Kenting's main strip, small waves rush and retreat reassuringly across the white sand of the village's beach. At its eastern end sits a small temple, easily looked over as another one of the millions of shrines that dot the Taiwanese landscape, urban…Read more Foreign bones on Taiwan soil: the Princess of Eight Treasures (part 1)

What I did on my Winter Vacation… (what vacation?)

We spent a fantastic week or so in Taiwan in December.  It says something about the past eight weeks, in which I've collected 10 boarding passes for three different itineraries (including the Taiwan vacation) and purchased tickets for two new itineraries (Seattle and Kyoto, I'm hitting both AAS conferences this year), that I'm only just now,…Read more What I did on my Winter Vacation… (what vacation?)

The Complete Work In Search of the Origins of the Deities of the Three Schools《三教源流搜神大全》

Quickly, because I really should be writing.  Thanks to following Shuge Library (@shugeorg) on Twitter, a group that hosts and shares high quality scans of Chinese works in the public domain, The Complete Work In Search of the Origins of the Deities of the Three Schools《三教源流搜神大全》came to my attention a few months ago. With over 120…Read more The Complete Work In Search of the Origins of the Deities of the Three Schools《三教源流搜神大全》

Outlandish fables and Taiwanese curriculum reform

In the late 19th century, the period I focus on in my dissertation, one way of responding to the many crises that China was undergoing involved trying to morally realign society in such a way as to prevent such crises from ever happening again. This was on one level cosmic: heaven will no longer send…Read more Outlandish fables and Taiwanese curriculum reform

Reflecting on Tsai Ing-wen’s Chicago discussion session

A little over a week ago, I had the privilege to attend the discussion session for students that Tsai Ing-wen, DPP chairperson and the party's presidential candidate for Taiwan's 2016 election, held before the huge banquet event thrown in her honor by the greater Taiwanese American community of Chicago. Capped at roughly 100 attendees, we…Read more Reflecting on Tsai Ing-wen’s Chicago discussion session