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CS Lecture: Ying Zhang, "Creative Environment, Creative Prisoners: Life in Confinement in the Ming"

Marshall Wang (Lei Gong).jpg
September 13, 2019
4:00PM - 5:30PM
Mendenhall Lab Room 115 (125 S Oval Mall)

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Add to Calendar 2019-09-13 16:00:00 2019-09-13 17:30:00 CS Lecture: Ying Zhang, "Creative Environment, Creative Prisoners: Life in Confinement in the Ming" The Institute for Chinese Studies presents:Ying ZhangAssociate Professor, HistoryThe Ohio State UniversityTitle: Creative Environment, Creative Prisoners: Life in Confinement in the MingFlyer: Ying Zhang Flyer Abstract: Imprisoned Ming officials are often associated with torture and gruesome deaths inflicted on them by autocratic emperors and evil eunuchs. This simplistic narrative prevents us from understanding accurately the experiences of the Confucian-educated elite, many of whom lived culturally rich lives in confinement. To them, the space of confinement, far from being an isolated, lifeless environment, was full of meanings and movements. This talk will discuss how the material aspects of prison—such as nature and objects—inspired their artistic production, which sheds interesting light on these men’s self-understanding and self-expression as Confucian subjects. It also shows how the non-elite contributed to their artistic production and spiritual exploration.  Bio: ForthcomingFree and Open to the PublicThis event is supported by a U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant to The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center. Mendenhall Lab Room 115 (125 S Oval Mall) Department of East Asian Languages and Literature deall@osu.edu America/New_York public

The Institute for Chinese Studies presents:

Ying Zhang
Associate Professor, History
The Ohio State University

Title: Creative Environment, Creative Prisoners: Life in Confinement in the Ming

Flyer: Ying Zhang Flyer 

Abstract: Imprisoned Ming officials are often associated with torture and gruesome deaths inflicted on them by autocratic emperors and evil eunuchs. This simplistic narrative prevents us from understanding accurately the experiences of the Confucian-educated elite, many of whom lived culturally rich lives in confinement. To them, the space of confinement, far from being an isolated, lifeless environment, was full of meanings and movements. This talk will discuss how the material aspects of prison—such as nature and objects—inspired their artistic production, which sheds interesting light on these men’s self-understanding and self-expression as Confucian subjects. It also shows how the non-elite contributed to their artistic production and spiritual exploration.  

Bio: Forthcoming

Free and Open to the Public

This event is supported by a U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant to The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center.