Poetics and Politics of the Human Body in Premodern China

In recent decades, there has been a marked increase in scholarly focus on the human body across various disciplines. In Chinese studies, scholars have examined the human body in contexts including medical, political, military, religious, and legal frameworks. While studies of Chinese literature have traditionally approached themes of death, ghosts, spirits, and resurrected skeletons, recent scholarship has directly investigated the “literary body” in fiction and poetry.  Building on this momentum, this two-day conference at McGill University will explore embodied themes within the context of premodern Chinese literature and culture.