New Frontiers in the Study of Medieval China
The Inaugural Workshop: On Muzhiming
Organizers: Jessey Choo (Rutgers), Alexei Ditter (Reed College) & Yang Lu (Peking University)
Sponsors: Tang Research Foundation and Rutgers Center for Chinese Studies
Friday, May 15 and 16, 2015, 9 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Brower Commons A and B
Participants: Jessey Choo (Rutgers University), Timothy Davis (Brigham Young University), Alexei Ditter (Reed College), Tineke D’Haeseleer (Princeton University), Paul Kroll (University of Colorado - Boulder), JIA Jinhua (University of Macao and Institute for Advanced Study), LU Yang (Peking University), LUO Xin (Peking University and Institute for Advanced Study), David McMullen (University of Cambridge), SHI Jie (Chicago University), SHI Rui (Peking University), Anna Shields (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), YAO Ping (California State University-Los Angeles), and ZHU Yuqi (Peking University)
Description: The workshop will focus on one of the most important and influential new sources in the study of medieval China, muzhiming— stone slabs interred within a tomb and typically inscribed with a biography, an account of the burial, and a rhymed eulogy. Excavated by the thousands in recent decades and with new finds occurring almost daily, muzhiming are a unique cultural form of commemorative epigraphy through which contemporary scholars can explore a diverse range of artistic, literary, religious, and economic practices. As such, the workshop will ask fundamental questions about the nature of and approaches to muzhiming. The main participants of the workshop are among the leading scholars of medieval China and muzhiming from Asia, Europe and the US and from the disciplines of Art History, History, Literature and Religion. It is hoped that conversations begun between workshop participants through the translation, close reading of specific examples of muzhiming and broader discussions will generate methodologies and resources useful to future research on aspects of medieval China often neglected in Western scholarship.
Schedule:
Friday, May 15, 2015
9:00-9:15 Welcoming Remarks
9:15-10:15 Keynote Speech:
SHI Rui (Peking University)
“On the Research Methods for the Study of Medieval Tomb Epitaphs” 中古墓誌研究方法談 [in Chinese]
10:30-11:10 Alexei Ditter (Reed College)
“Tomb Epitaph Inscription and Preface for the Joint Burial of Sire Yu of Kuaiji and Madam Fang of Henan” 會稽余公夫人河南方氏合祔墓誌銘並序
11:20-12:00 Anna Shields (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
“Entombed Epitaph for Right Rectifier of Omissions and Hanlin Academician Liang” 右補闕翰林學士梁君墓誌
12:00-1:15 Lunch
1:15-1:55 JIA Jinhua (University of Macao and Institute for Advanced Study)
“" Epitaph with Preface of Priestess Tian 田法師玄室銘並序"
2:05-2:45 LU Yang (Peking University)
“Epitaph of Consort Shangguan” 上官昭容氏墓誌;
“Eulogy to Consort Shangguan” 昭容上官氏碑銘;
“Preface to the Literary Collection of Consort Shangguan” 上官昭容集序
2:45-3:05 Coffee Break
3:05-3:45 David McMullen (Cambridge University)
“Tomb text with introduction for his excellency Li of Longxi” 隴西李公墓誌銘並序
4:00-5:00 Roundtable
Paul Kroll (University of Colorado-Boulder), David McMullen, and Lu Yang
Saturday, May 16, 2015
9:15-10:15 Keynote Speech:
ZHU Yuqi (Peking University)
“What does the Family Residence of Xu Yushi in Luoyang tell us about Poet Li Bai's First Marriage: New Evidence from the Funerary Inscription of Xu Suzhi 许圉师家族的洛阳聚居与李白安陆见招—大唐西市博物馆藏《许肃之墓志》相关问题考论 [in Chinese]
10:30-11:10 Tim Davis (Brigham Young University)
“Entombed Epitaph for Ming [Tanxi] 明曇憘 (444–474) of the [Liu] Song”
宋故員外散騎侍郎明府君墓誌銘;
“Entombed Epitaph for Liu [Huaimin] 劉懷民 (410–463) of the [Liu] Song”
宋故建威將軍齊北海二郡太守笠鄉侯東陽城主劉府君墓誌銘
11:20-12:00 SHI Jie (University of Chicago)
Epitaph of the Great Wei's Prince Zhenjing of the Zhao prefecture” 大魏趙郡貞景王誌銘
12:00-1:15 Lunch
1:15-1:55 YAO Ping (California State University-Los Angeles)
“Epitaph of Ms. Go, the Late Wife of Mr. Cheon” 大唐泉府君故夫人高氏墓誌;
“Epitaph of Ms. Buyeo, Consort of the Late Prince of Guo” 嗣虢王妃扶餘氏墓誌銘並序
2:05-2:45 Tineke D'Haeseleer (Princeton University)
“Tomb inscription with preface of the Zhenxiao Princess (Bohai/Balhae)” 貞孝公主墓誌幷序
2:45-3:05 Coffee Break
3:05-3:45 Jessey Choo (Rutgers University)
"Entombed Epitaph of Lady (née) Houmochen, the Late Duchess of the Linru Commandery of Tang" 唐故臨汝郡夫人河南侯莫陳氏墓誌銘
4:00-5:00 Roundtable
Luo Xin (Peking University and Institute for Advanced Study), Jessey Choo and Alexei Ditter
The seminar is open to all faculty and graduate students, but RSVP is required by emailing