A presentation of recent East Asian research projects based in the Brown University Library
Join the Brown University Library for two presentations by three East Asian scholars at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30 in the Patrick Ma Digital Scholarship Lab at the Rockefeller Library.
Free and open to the public. Light refreshments.
Mallory Go ’25 MPH’25
The Library’s 2025 Gardner Fellow, Mal Go is a senior in the Five Year Undergraduate/MPH program studying Public Health/Applied Epidemiology. She has an eclectic research profile that includes historical and feminist analyses, gestational diabetes, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and the monstrous feminine. When she’s not working or catching up on sleep, Mal can be found losing a game of chess in Coffee Exchange.
Presentation:
Viewing the Feminine with Horror: Linguistic and Artistic Depictions of the Feminine in Classical Chinese and Japanese Folklore
In China and Japan, folklore has played a crucial role in shaping gender perceptions. The portrayal of female spirits and characters, particularly in ghost stories and supernatural tales, reveals distinct yet overlapping perspectives on gender roles, patriarchal anxieties, and social control. The feminine entities in Chinese and Japanese folklore serve as cautionary figures, warning against women who defy societal norms, and have functioned as a means of patriarchal reinforcement and an outlet for the monstrous feminine. The lasting influence of these depictions in contemporary literature, art, film, and animation demonstrates the enduring power of the feminine in shaping gendered narratives across cultural and historical contexts.
Yan Li and Fanjie Meng
Visiting scholars based in the Rockefeller Library in spring 2025, Professors Li and Meng came to Brown from Xiamen University, PRC, where Li serves as the chair of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature. Their research at Brown, funded by the China Initiative, focuses on Western scholars’ works in our collections and the significance of their work in China studies.
Presentation:
Accidental Sinologists: Early Western Scholars’ Documentation of China and the Chinese Language
From the 16th century onward, early Western explorers to China — a group that often included missionaries, architects, merchants, diplomats, professors, and judges — have left behind a wealth of writings. Interestingly, some of these figures never visited China, while others resided there for many years, engaging in roles from serving the British East India Company to positions within the Chinese imperial palace. Brown University’s special collections house hundreds of these works, with approximately 40 that are unique to Brown. This presentation will examine a selection of these special items, highlighting their pivotal role in the initial efforts toward mutual understanding between the East and the West.