On February 13, 2025, Dr. Yue Zhang, Associate Professor of the University of Macau, was invited to give an academic lecture entitled "Reassessing Literary Production in the Context of the Jin-Song Transition (420-479 CE)" at UIC. The event, moderated by Dr. Jianing Chen, Assistant Professor of CCGC, was attended by Dr. Vivien Wai Wan Chan, Dr. Yegor Grebnev of UIC, and Dr. Zhitian Wang of Sun Yat-sen University (Zhuhai Campus), along with a group of UIC undergraduate and graduate students.

This talk re-examines the literary corpus of Fu Liang, Zheng Xianzhi, Fan Tai, Xie Zhan, and Xie Lingyun through the interdisciplinary lenses of cultural memory studies and political governance theory during the Jìn-Sòng transition (420-479 CE). Through an analysis of their textual productions, the presentation seeks to illuminate the multifaceted psychological landscapes of these literati-officials as they navigated the complex sociopolitical transformations of the period. It also illuminates Liu Yu's (Emperor Wu of Song) calculated invocation of cultural memory associated with figures such as Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang), Prince Yuan of Chu (Liu Jiao), and Zhang Liang, which served to articulate his court's recruitment of talent, bolster claims to dynastic legitimacy, and construct a political mythology that legitimized his regime's authority through historical precedent and cultural resonance.

In the continuous process of remembrance, the images of historical figures are reintegrated and reshaped, reaching unprecedented heights and breadths, and thus exerting far-reaching influences. In addition, by examining these "Song building" literary works together in this lecture, it is possible to highlight the vicissitudes of power between military generals and noble clans during the transition from the Jin to the Song dynasty. Moreover, this approach can also reveal the values and meanings behind these "praise and virtue" works.

After the lecture, Dr. Zhang engaged in a lively Q&A discussion with the on-site audience. He also introduced the postgraduate programs of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Macau. On behalf of UIC, Dr. Jianing Chen expressed great gratitude and presented souvenirs to the guest speaker. Subsequently, the lecture ended with a group photo.

Dr. Yue Zhang holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. He is an associate professor and doctoral supervisor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Macau. Currently, he serves as the assistant dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Macau and the Director of the Postgraduate Program of the Chinese Department. His main research fields include medieval literature and Sinology.

Reporter: Jianing Chen

Photographer: Fuman Zhan

Translator: Yumeng Song