My research in ethnomusicology unravels the evolution of Chinese musical instruments and practices during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In collaboration with Prof. Stewart Carter at Wake Forest University, I examined sources in both classical Chinese and French, such as Daqing huidian (清会典), Lülü zhengyi (律吕正义), and the manuscripts of Joseph-Marie Amiot, an 18th-century Jesuit missionary to China. I evaluated and compared the measurements of musical instruments in these treatises, highlighting both the overall accuracy of Amiot’s descriptions and some subtle yet intriguing flaws. Ultimately, my work shed light on the early musical exchange between China and Europe.

My research also delves into earlier periods, leveraging the iconography of terracotta musicians and dancers from the Former and Later Shu kingdoms of the 10th century. Another joint effort with Prof. Carter showed how these regional powers emulated musical traditions of the preceding Tang Dynasty to establish legitimacy. Analyzing artifacts from the Yongling Mausoleum and the Chengdu Museum reveals the enduring influence of Tang court music and dance, while also highlighting unique regional adaptations.