Folk Religions and Digital Humanities: Focusing on the Case of the Block-Printing and Dissemination of Baojuan Literature in the Ming China
Lecturer: LIU Yunou
Abstract：The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) was a transformative era for Baojuan, a Chinese folk religious literature genre, evolving from its Song-Yuan origins to widespread prominence. The publication of Lo Qing's "Five Books in Six Volumes" during the Zhengde reign marked a turning point, enabling systematic dissemination among lower and middle social strata and deeply influencing folk beliefs. Ming-era Baojuan documents, bridging Song-Yuan and Qing developments, offer rich, dispersed data for digital integration across collections and institutions. Using digital humanities tools like 3D radar charts and GIS, this study visualizes Baojuan's spatial distribution and influence in Ming China. It reveals how transportation networks and economic prosperity drove dissemination, with southern regions, especially Wu-Yue, showing high density, reflecting Ming Jiangnan's economic and cultural vitality. The research also uncovers political support in Beijing, highlighting the complex interplay of religion and politics. This enhances understanding of Ming Baojuan and demonstrates digital humanities' potential in revitalizing intangible cultural heritage and traditional Chinese folk religions.
Biography:
Liu Yunou is an Assistant Professor at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law in China, focusing in the area of Chinese folk religious literature, cross-cultural transmission, and digital humanities. She earned her Ph.D. in Chinese Ancient Literature from Zhejiang University (2022.12), with dual Bachelor’s degrees in Chinese Language and Literature and English Literature (2017.06). Her international academic training also includes a joint Ph.D. program at Harvard University (2019.09-2020.09), supervised by Prof. Peter K. Bol; and the CSC-funded visiting scholar position at the University of Cambridge from September 2025, supervised by Prof. Noga Ganany. She currently leads the 2023 Chongqing Social Science Planning Project, “Interactions, Influences, and Evolution of Ancient Baojuan with Novels and Traditional Opera” (2023BS099), and contributes to the 2025 Chongqing Municipal Education Commission Project, “Generative AI-Driven Digital Transformation in International Chinese Language Education” (25SKGH015). Her publications include a forthcoming monograph, Interaction and Symbiosis: Transmission of Chinese Baojuan, Local Opera, and Folk Culture (Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, December 2025), and numerous articles in leading journals such as Zhejiang Academic Journal (2021, on the comparative study of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and The Golden Lotus), The Voice of Dharma (2022, examining Buddhist texts from the early Ming Dynasty’s Jiangshan Assembly), and Literary Heritage (2019, reporting on an international conference on digital humanities and cultural geography). Her cross-cultural research also appears in Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2020, analyzing national identity in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children).
