Mother Goose and the Chinese General: A Qing Diplomat at the French Society of Popular Traditions in Fin-de-Siècle Paris

Ke Ren (任可) is Assistant Professor of History at the College of the Holy Cross. He specializes in the cultural and intellectual history of modern China, focusing on Sino-Western exchanges and transnational movements.

In the late nineteenth century, Sino-French interactions took place not only through missionary enterprises, political negotiations, or established Sinological institutions, but new cultural spaces and intellectual networks, in which Qing diplomats and travelers actively participated. In this talk, Dr. Ke Ren will share research from his book manuscript, Fin-de-Siècle Diplomat: Chen Jitong (1852-1907) and Cosmopolitanism in the Late Qing World, to shed light on Chinese self-representation at the learned societies (sociétés savantes) in 1880s Paris. In particular, the French Society of Popular Traditions became a meeting place in which an iconic Chinese diplomat-writer and French scholars engaged in the sharing, translation, and publication of Chinese popular tales, songs, and poetry, which contributed to the renewal of a romantic and positive image of China.

Ke Ren (任可) is Assistant Professor of History at the College of the Holy Cross. He specializes in the cultural and intellectual history of modern China, focusing on Sino-Western exchangesand transnational movements. He is currently writing a book about Chen Jitong (陳季同), a Chinese diplomat and writer who became a celebrity in late nineteenth-century Paris, while also researching Chinese participation in anti-fascist and peace movements in the global World War II.

*Voici le lien pour vos étudiants:This webinar is conducted in English. You can ask questions in French during the Q & A segment.

Organized by French Connexions and WUSTL China Forums

With Generous Support from Cultural Services French Embassy in the United States

April  9 | 8:00 PM | Central Time

April 10 | 09:00 AM | Beijing Time

April 10 | 03:00 AM | Paris Time


 

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