Prof. Sophie Ling-chia Wei 魏伶珈 of the Department of Translation was selected as a Harvard-Yenching Institute Visiting Scholar for the 2023-2024 academic year. During her sabbatical, she had the invaluable opportunity to engage in-depth with 28 colleagues from all around the world and a diversity of disciplines, among them political science, communications, Mongolian studies, comparative literature, women’s studies, religious studies, Chinese bibliography, media studies, Chinese architecture, missionary studies, comparative philosophy, and archaeology. “I have 28 classmates!” Prof. Wei would acclaim excitedly. Every time these HYI scholars convened was a profoundly significant and unforgettable event, and for that Prof. Wei cherished this wonderful turning point in her academic career.
Full Scale of Exchanges
Being the first cohort that was not totally confined by COVID restrictions, the 2023-24 HYI visiting scholars thus fully enjoyed all the academic activities provided by the Harvard Yenching Institute. Starting from September, one or two scholars each week would be assigned to give an 80-minute talk; that scholar’s mentor would give remarks and facilitate the subsequent discussions. “I learned the most from my mentor, Prof. James Robson,” Prof. Wei says, expressing her sincere gratitude for Prof. Robson’s guidance. “We would have regular meetings and discussions due to our common interests in the Daodejing and its translations, which inspired a leap in my research to the next stage.” Her Harvard Yenching Talk, “A Sage Embellished with Elements of “Chinoiserie: The Making of Jesus in the Jesuit Figurist Translations of Chinese Classics,” was a perfect chance for her to showcase her research on the Jesuits Figurists’ translations of the Yijing and the Dao to the academic community of the Boston area, especially to scholars at Harvard.
In addition to the mentorship, Prof. Wei also embraced several academic pursuits, dedicating herself to a diverse range of subjects and disciplines for future interdisciplinary cooperation. She audited classes at Harvard and attended talks held by the Fairbank Center for China Studies and Asia Center at Harvard. Prof. Wei employed an interesting metaphor to describe the abundance of treasures in this re-invigorating ten-month journey: “Harvard University is a veritable forest of treasures, and the Harvard Yenching Institute provides me with the right paths to the right trees.”
The Strong Bonds among the Cohort
Each year Harvard Yenching Institute offers fellowships and monthly stipends to each scholar. HYI visiting scholars are also encouraged to hold workshops and build connections with other scholars in North America. After spirited competition, only six workshop proposals were accepted and sponsored by the HYI. Prof. Wei co-organized the interdisciplinary workshop Encounters of Civilizations in East Asia from the 16th to the 18th Centuries with Ji Young JUNG, Professor of Women's Studies at Ewha Womans University in Korea, and Ran WEI, Associate Professor in the Institute of Foreign Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Other invited participants of this workshop included Koichi HAGIMOTO, Professor of Spanish at Wellesley College, Kwaingmin KIM, Associate Professor of Early Modern China at University of Colorado Boulder, Tomoyasu IIYAMA, Professor in the Faculty of Letters, Arts, and Sciences at Waseda University, Gang SONG, Associate Professor of Chinese History and Culture Programme at Hong Kong University, and Ji LI, Associate Professor of History at Hong Kong University. A strong bond was established during the organizing of the workshop, and that bond continues to hold. “Our genuine and intimate camaraderie had lasting impact; it fueled our passion for future workshops and cooperation.”
Work-Life Balance
The strong bond not only grew among the scholars she co-organized the workshop with, but also became stronger among the cohort via various activities organized by the Harvard Yenching Institute. The Institute aims to build a perfect work-life balance for these mid-career scholars. Thus it organized several trips and outings, including visits to Concord, Salem, NYC, Newport, and a ski trip at Mount Washington, all in addition to the packed schedule of presentations and small-scale workshops. Prof. Wei treasures the friendships built during this ten-month journey. “The laughter and insightful conversations we enjoyed on these trips are all moments I would not trade for anything.”
“Fun-filled moments, thought-provoking conversations we had on bright sunny days, under golden sunsets, in presentations, during workshops, over cups of coffee—these led to me turning a new page in my life.”
Prof. Wei strongly encourages the CUHK colleagues to apply for the Harvard-Yenching Visiting Scholars Programme 2025-26. For more details, visit the following website: https://www.harvard-yenching.org/programs/visiting-scholars-program/.
