Zhang Rui, postdoctoral researcher in ancient Chinese literature and society

What is your research ?

My research focuses mainly on medieval Chinese literature and society. Last September, I defended my doctoral thesis on the evolution of sung poetry in early medieval China (^3rd-6th century) in the context of the cultural and social history of the period.
More generally, my research interests include the transversality of Chinese arts and the transmission of knowledge in ancient China. My current post-doctoral project, conducted within the Collège de France and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, enables me to explore Chinese visual culture of the late imperial period, thus broadening my fields of investigation.

Why did you choose these subjects of study ?

I've been fascinated by classical poetry and ancient culture ever since I was a child. For me, poetry is not simply a literary form, but rather a way of understanding the world. As Confucius said : " Young people, nothing beats the study of Poetry ! " In Chinese culture, poetry played an important role in society, politics and the transmission of knowledge.
Because of its cross-disciplinary nature, I have become accustomed to thinking at the crossroads of different disciplines. This postdoctoral project, which began last October, extends my previous research while opening up new perspectives. I'm continuing my exploration of the intersections between different disciplines, paying particular attention to cultural transmission through texts and, above all, images.

Why work on Chinese literature in France rather than in China ?

I was expecting this question... I think it's partly due to a need to find myself again, although it may seem paradoxical. Sometimes you have to leave to find yourself.
My university career began with a degree in French language and literature, as I was eager to discover " elsewhere ", to learn about other languages and cultures. In 2012, as winner of a French-language poetry competition and invited by the Maison des Cultures du Monde, I came to France for the first time. My stay lasted ten days, and by the time I returned to China, I had a feeling I'd be back.
I did indeed come back in 2013 to do a year's exchange in modern literature at the University of Reims. I then went on to do two masters 2, one at the Sorbonne in applied French language, the other at the Sorbonne Nouvelle in general and comparative literature, before enrolling for a thesis at Inalco (Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales).
I'm not sure I'd have chosen to do a thesis in classical Chinese literature if I'd stayed in China... I'm also fascinated and delighted by the ability to navigate between different languages and cultures. My love of literary translation has also played a crucial role in my research. French has opened up new horizons in my understanding of classical Chinese poetry, and the practice of translation has nourished many of the reflections that have shaped my work. Acting as a bridge between different cultures is both stimulating and enriching, as if you needed a mirror to see your own face.

Once in France, how did you find your thesis topic ?

As you can see from my academic career, there was a sort of " retour " to Chinese studies. My interest in sinology was awakened, or reawakened, during my 2 master's thesis in general and comparative literature, where I proposed a study of the reception in France of a hermit poet from the Tang period (^7th-10th century). This particular poet drew me back into the world of sinology.
My interest in the intersection of the arts in ancient China led me to choose sung poetry as the subject of my thesis, the evolution of which is marked by the encounter between folk tradition and scholarly knowledge.

What are you currently working on ?

Currently, at the Collège de France and the BnF, I'm working on a remarkable but little-known collection of Chinese prints, made up of two collections : the Lieure collection and the Curtis collection, which came to the BnF through donation and acquisition in the years 1940.
This collection is extremely rich, with around two thousand pieces covering a long period from the ^13th to the ^20th centuries, making it possible to study the entire history of Chinese engraving. The prints are extremely varied, including sutras (classics), Buddhist apocrypha (texts whose authenticity has not been established), religious books, engravings and more. It's a textual and visual heritage of great historical and scientific value, which unfortunately suffers from a lack of recognition.

What is the aim of your research into this collection ?

The main aim of my research into this collection is to make it accessible to interested researchers, by identifying, cataloguing and studying the items. Our aim is to digitize the prints to make them available on the BnF's Gallica platform.
However, my research also aims to promote a collective, interdisciplinary project, encouraging dialogue between different disciplines, arts and cultural areas. To this end, I am organizing meetings with specialists from various backgrounds, such as Michela Bussotti from the École française d'Extrême-Orient, Vincent Durand-Dastès from Inalco... and I am also planning to organize a study day to bring together interested specialists around this collection.

How did you get involved in this agreement between BnF and the Collège de France ?

During my doctoral years, I attended a wide range of seminars on subjects ranging from philosophical thought in the time of Confucius to literary identities and knowledge in the Song period (920-1279). Thanks to these seminars, which gave me methodological training, I was lucky enough to be noticed by several professors.
When the Collège de France and the BnF put out the call for applications for a postdoctoral project focusing on one of the five fonds spéciaux de la BnF, Frédéric Wang and Valérie Lavoix, my thesis supervisors at Inalco, and Stéphane Feuillas, a professor at Université Paris-Cité, recommended my name to Pr Anne Cheng - whom I had already met during the seminars she led at the Collège de France in 2017.
I presented a detailed research project aimed at enhancing the value of the Chinese collection in question, and I'm delighted and honored that my project was one of the five selected.

How do you work with such documents ?

The first step was to identify the scattered pieces in this collection, and to create a reliable inventory from the basic databases we had, in order to better locate them. This preparatory stage was essential, even if it wasn't the most exciting.
Then it was time to take the pieces out of their boxes, and there was pure joy in discovering wonders. However, it is crucial to handle the pieces with care to avoid any risk of damage, and to ensure their conservation. Multidisciplinary expertise is required to understand the engraving techniques and materials used in the creation of these prints over time.
Research on this collection also requires the consultation of numerous documentary sources in order to better understand the historical and cultural context in which they were created, as well as the various issues linked to the collection and circulation of art objects in Asia and Europe.
To enhance the value of this collection, I also aim to carry out communication and knowledge dissemination activities, such as writing blog posts, to share my discoveries with a wider audience. This helps to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving and promoting cultural heritage, while at the same time showcasing exceptional works of art.

Do you plan to continue working on this collection ?

I certainly intend to continue working on this collection in the future. Its great wealth promises to make it the subject of a long-term research project. What's more, I aspire to turn it into a collective, even international project, in collaboration with museums and libraries in London, Beijing and Taipei.
As far as I'm concerned, although my contract is limited to one or two years, I'm determined to commit myself to this long-term project. In particular, I hope one day to have the time and opportunity to translate the beautiful texts inscribed on the prints and scrolls. This collection is both a gateway to others (other researchers, other fields, other periods) and a way of returning to oneself (with a continually renewed gaze).

Dr Zhang Rui has a postdoctoral contract under a partnership agreement between the Collège de France and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. She works under the supervision of Pr Anne Cheng of the Collège de France and Corinne Le Bitouzé, Deputy Director of the Department of Prints and Photography, BnF.

Photos © Patrick Imbert
Interview by Aurèle Méthivier