• Date: January 13th, Tuesday, 2026, 14:00 – 17:00
• Location: Room 522, Bldg. 14

Moderator: Byung-Joon Kim (Dept. of Asian History)
Presenter: Chen Kan Li (Peking Univ.)

Titled “Local Governance and Transformation of Rural Society in the Qin and Han Dynasties”, this lecture examines how imperial rule during the Qin and Han dynasties functioned at the lowest levels of society, drawing on excavated bamboo-strip manuscripts. Through this approach, the lecture aims to deepen reflections on institutions and social structures in Asia.

Chen Kan Li is currently a Professor in the Department of History at Peking University. His research focuses on the political and intellectual history of the Qin, Han, and Wei–Jin periods, excavated texts, and the political culture of ancient China. His major monograph, Confucianism, Numerology, and Politics: A Political-Cultural History of Ominous Portents, explores the intellectual origins of portent discourse and the tradition of numerical techniques, shedding light on distinctive aspects of ancient Chinese political culture. Recognized for its scholarly contribution, the book received the “New History Young Scholars Book Award” in 2019. His recent publication includes Wen, History, Stars, and Calendrics: Collected Essays on Qin–Han History (Shanghai Classics Publishing House, 2024).