Xiuyuan Mi
Credentials: Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania M.A., University of Pennsylvania B.A. College of William and Mary
Position title: Assistant Professor of Classical Chinese Lit and Culture
My current book project traces the spread of lyrical writings beyond elite circles from ca. 950—
1400. Situating literary activities at the intersection of social history, religion, and material
culture, my work explores how the aesthetic properties of language enabled diverse verse
genres to disseminate across different social strata, hence functioning as a constituent in an
affective network of collective resonance. I am particularly fascinated by the musicality of
metered speech, which not only facilitated multidirectional interactions across various
demographic segments but also served as a proxy for parallel realities that could dissolve
linear temporality.
Apart from my book project, I am also interested in the immigration of Central Asian Muslims to
China during the Mongol Yuan and Ming dynasties, particularly the development of
monotheistic religious diasporas in a religiously pluralistic environment dominated by
Buddhism and Daoism.