简介

He Bian (Ch. 邊和) is a historian of late imperial / early modern China. Her research interests focus on the theme of authority and variations in China’s traditional culture, pertaining in particular to the history of medicine and science. Professor Bian is currently preparing a book manuscript based on her dissertation, “Assembling the Cure: Materia Medica and the Culture of Healing in China, 1550-1800.” The book sheds new light into China’s early modern condition by charting changes in the intellectual, economic and social underpinnings of traditional pharmacy. She is also working on the transformation of the “masters literature” (zi) and the study of history during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Before joining the Princeton faculty, Professor Bian received her B.S. degree from Peking University, M.S. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Ph.D. in history of science from Harvard University. At Princeton, she will teach introductory courses to modern East Asian history and early modern China, as well as seminars on special topics ranging from doing research with the Qing Archive to China’s material culture and environmental history.