Speaker: Tingting Xu, Assistant Professor of Art History, University of Rochester

Title: Prince Chun, Photography, and Poetry: Visual and Textual Accounts of the Naval Drill of 1886

Abstract: The poem Singing while Sailing (Hanghai fangge) was written by Prince Chun Yihuan (1840~1891) on the 15th days of the Fourth lunar month in 1886, during his inspection of the naval drill of the Beiyang Fleet in the Bohai Sea. It was composed just after the Haiyan Steamer he was aboard left Dagu and entered the open Bohai Sea. The poem was included in Yihuan’s Verses of Navigation (Hanghai yincao) and was inscribed onto the monumental painting Riding the Wind by two court painters. The painting further incorporated facial details drawn from a group photograph of Yihuan and two accompanying inspectors, Li Hongzhang (1823~1901) and Shanqing (1833~1888), thereby integrating poetry, painting, and photography into a single commemorative ensemble. We will conduct a close reading of the poem, examining how image and text intertwine, how ideals and realities coexist, and how personal expression is woven into courtly narratives.

About Cornell Classical Chinese Colloquium
The group meets monthly during the semester to explore a variety of classical Chinese texts and styles. Other premodern texts linked to classical Chinese in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese have also been explored. Presentations include works from the earliest times to the 20th century. Workshop sessions are led by local, national, and international scholars. Participants with any level of classical Chinese experience are welcome to attend.
o At each session, a presenter guides the group in a reading of a classical Chinese text. Attendees discuss historical, literary, linguistic, and other aspects of the text, working together to resolve difficulties in comprehension and translation.
o No preparation is required; all texts will be distributed at the meeting.
o Refreshments will be served.