Whose Tianxia? Imagining the Great Qing in Post-Imperial China

Fei-Hsien Wang, History, Indiana University Bloomington

Cornell Contemporary China Initiative (CCCI) lecture series

How should the geographical and ethnic boundary of “China” be defined after the fall of the Qing Empire? Did China become just a nation among nations, or should it retain the vision of being the overseer of “all under Heaven”? How should the modern (Han) Chinese states and society come to terms with the Manchu imperial glory? Wang explores cases ranging from the popular history in the early Republic period, martial art novels and cinema from the Cold War Hong Kong, and twenty-first-century internet novels and TV drama, to demonstrate how (Han) Chinese authors, audiences, and the state confront, negotiate, and reconcile with the tension between their uncomfortable longing for greatness, the modern Han-centered Chinese nationalism, and the imperial legacy of a Manchu/non-Han “prosperous age.”

China: The Central State and All Under Heaven is the theme of this semester's CCCI lecture series directed by Professor Yue (Mara) Du, History, Cornell. At the core of the “China Dream” and China’s rise in power on the global stage is the Chinese Communist Party’s proclaimed role in the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation”—a restoration of China’s historical glory and its rightful place as a “Central State” of “All under Heaven.” To achieve this goal, China’s current leader Xi Jinping requires the party “not to forget the original intention,” which could be interpreted as either a return to Marxist-Leninist fundamentalism, to Mao’s integration of “Marx” and Legalism of China's first imperial dynasty, to Republican ethnonationalism, or to state Confucianism combined with territorial expansion in imperial China. As China’s past looms large in its present, understanding the historical relationship between the "Central State" and "All under Heaven" is critical for our analysis of China’s economy, society, politics, and international engagement at the present and in the future.

The Cornell Contemporary China Initiative lecture series is co-sponsored by The Levinson China and Asia-Pacific Studies Program, Cornell Society for the Humanities, and the Department of History.

Our semester's first Cornell Classical Chinese Colloquium text-reading will be led by Megan Bryson, Department of Religious Studies, University of Tennessee.

The Dali kingdom (937–1253), centered in what is now southwest China’s Yunnan province, left behind several ritual texts that have not been found elsewhere. This short section on “Inviting the White Vajra Being” thus resonated far beyond the spatial and temporal confines of the Dali kingdom.

The Cornell Classical Chinese Colloquium (CCCC) 古文品讀 is a reading group for scholars interested in premodern Sinographic text (古文). 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 been explored. Presentations include works from the earliest times to the 20th century. Workshop sessions are led by local, national, and international scholars.

Apply for funding to explore potential research collaborations with colleagues at Hubs universities. 

Global Hubs collaborative research seed grants bring together Cornell and partner institution faculty to develop joint projects with the potential to create new or expanded research partnerships and cutting-edge scholarship with academic and societal impact. These international seed grants provide initial financial support for early-stage research projects or capacity-building efforts to create and sustain long-term collaborations and secure external funding.

Please join us on September 8 from 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. ET / 11:00 – 11:45 a.m. ECT for a joint info session to learn more about the Cornell–USFQ grant opportunity. Q&A and collaboration matchmaking will follow a short presentation.

Up to five (5) research proposals will be funded.

Each successful proposal may receive up to $5,000 from each university for a total of $10,000.

Application deadline: October 6, 11:59 p.m. ET

Project duration: January 1–December 31, 2024.

Register for the USFQ-Cornell Joint Info Session on Zoom

Sign up for the USFQ-Cornell collaboration matchmaking 

Learn about additional seed grants available with other Global Hubs partners.

Global Cornell is offering competitive faculty grants in collaboration with Global Hubs partners. 

Apply for funding to explore potential research collaborations with colleagues at Hubs universities. 

Global Hubs collaborative research seed grants bring together Cornell and partner institution faculty to develop joint projects with the potential to create new or expanded research partnerships and cutting-edge scholarship with academic and societal impact. These international seed grants provide initial financial support for early-stage research projects or capacity-building efforts to create and sustain long-term collaborations and secure external funding.

Please join us on September 5, 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. ET (Ithaca) / September 6, 8:00 – 8:45 a.m. AEST (Sydney) for a joint info session to learn more about the Cornell–USYD grant opportunity. Q&A and collaboration matchmaking will follow a short presentation.

Up to four (4) research proposals will be funded.

Each successful proposal may receive up to $7,500/AUD10,000 from each university for a total of $15,000/AUD 20,000.

Application deadline: October 6, 11:59 p.m. ET

Project duration: January 1–December 31, 2024.

* Applications should be submitted online via USyd Funding Schemes Site. Applications can only be initiated by the USYD PI. Cornell PI may access and edit the applications after an invitation from USYD PI.

Register for the USYD-Cornell Joint Info Session on Zoom

Sign up for the USYD-Cornell collaboration matchmaking 

Learn about additional seed grants available with other Global Hubs partners.

Global Cornell is offering competitive faculty grants in collaboration with Global Hubs partners. 

Apply for funding to explore potential research collaborations with colleagues at Hubs universities. 

Global Hubs collaborative research seed grants bring together Cornell and partner institution faculty to develop joint projects with the potential to create new or expanded research partnerships and cutting-edge scholarship with academic and societal impact. These international seed grants provide initial financial support for early-stage research projects or capacity-building efforts to create and sustain long-term collaborations and secure external funding.

Please join us on September 6, 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. ET / 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. GMT for a joint info session to learn more about the Cornell–King’s grant opportunity. Q&A and collaboration matchmaking will follow a short presentation.

Up to five (5) research proposals will be funded.

Each successful proposal may receive up to $5,000/£4,000 from each university for a total of $10,000/£8,000.

Application deadline: October 6, 11:59 p.m. ET

Project duration: January 1–December 31, 2024.

Register for the King's-Cornell Joint Info Session on Zoom

Sign up for the King's-Cornell collaboration matchmaking

Learn about additional seed grants available with other Global Hubs partners.

Apply for funding to explore potential research collaborations with colleagues at Hubs universities. 

Global Hubs collaborative research seed grants bring together Cornell and partner institution faculty to develop joint projects with the potential to create new or expanded research partnerships and cutting-edge scholarship with academic and societal impact. These international seed grants provide initial financial support for early-stage research projects or capacity-building efforts to create and sustain long-term collaborations and secure external funding.

Please join us on September 6, 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. ET / 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. GMT for a joint info session to learn more about the Cornell–UCL grant opportunity. Q&A and collaboration matchmaking will follow a short presentation.

Up to five (5) research proposals will be funded.

Each successful proposal may receive up to $5,000/£4,000 from each university for a total of $10,000/£8,000.

Application deadline: October 6, 11:59 p.m. ET

Project duration: January 1–December 31, 2024.

Register for the UCL-Cornell Joint Info Session on Zoom

Sign up for the UCL-Cornell collaboration matchmaking

Learn about additional seed grants available with other Global Hubs partners.

Global Cornell is offering competitive faculty grants in collaboration with Global Hubs partners. 

Apply for funding to explore potential research collaborations with colleagues at Hubs universities. 

Global Hubs collaborative research seed grants bring together Cornell and partner institution faculty to develop joint projects with the potential to create new or expanded research partnerships and cutting-edge scholarship with academic and societal impact. These international seed grants provide initial financial support for early-stage research projects or capacity-building efforts to create and sustain long-term collaborations and secure external funding.

Please join us on September 6, 8:00-8:45 am. ET / 8:00 – 8:45 p.m. HKUST for a joint info session to learn more about the Cornell–HKUST grant opportunity. Q&A and collaboration matchmaking will follow a short presentation.

Up to five (5) research proposals will be funded.

Each successful proposal may receive up to $5,000 from each university for a total of $10,000.

Application deadline: October 6, 11:59 p.m. ET

Project duration: January 1–December 31, 2024

Register for the HKUST-Cornell Joint Info Session on Zoom

Sign up for the HKUST-Cornell collaboration matchmaking

Learn about additional seed grants available with other Global Hubs partners.