Wenting Ji is an assistant professor at Duke Kunshan University, specializing in late imperial and early modern Chinese literature. Her research investigates how sensory experiences were represented in literary texts and how these depictions shaped literati and gentry women’s self-perception, interpersonal relationships, and engagement with a rapidly changing early modern society. Her manuscript project, “Between the World and Me: Writing Senses in Early Modern China,” demonstrates how writing about sensory experiences became a powerful tool for expressing personal struggles and navigating social transformation. She leads research project on translating and annotating tanci novel Destiny of Rebirth (sponsored by SRS and CSCC) and the IGHE lab on premodern female education.

Yuqing Wang is an undergraduate student at Duke Kunshan University. Her research focuses on contemporary Chinese literature and gender studies. Her current research focus on the Chinese novel Dream of Red Chamber. Her broader interests include contemporary as well as pre-modern East Asian literature and female education.

Yuting Zeng is a student in the Class of 2026, majoring in Media and Arts with a focus on Art History. She is particularly interested in the intersection of art and literature, with a specific emphasis on emotional expression. Currently, Yuting is researching pre-modern Chinese women’s literature, exploring diverse topics such as the emotional and sensory experiences of women, as well as their roles in family and social relationships. Through her studies, she aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics between women, their bodies, and the literary representations of their experiences in early Chinese culture.