Ph.D., Asian Languages and Cultures (Ghent University)
M.A., Philosophy and Ethics (University of Perugia) / Religious Studies (Fu Jen University)
B.A., Sinology (Ca’ Foscari University of Venice)

My final doctoral work, titled " The Advent of Monastic Bodies to China: Symbolic Appearance, Identity Markers and Social Perceptions", examines how Buddhist bodily practices became sites of controversy in early medieval China. Focusing on dress, posture, and hair, it explores their symbolic significance within Chinese systems of etiquette and cultural identity. It argues that the monastic body challenged established distinctions between the indigenous and the foreign, shaping broader debates on ritual, identity, and political authority.

My interests include the history of Chinese Buddhism during the period of division (220-589) with a focus on apologetic literature, material culture, monastic regulations, and bodily issues. The focus of my research lies in the analysis of the several implications (both social and philosophical) raised by the discussions of certain bodily habits between monastics and secular society. Inevitably, my investigation also encompasses the study of Chinese philosophy as developed in the Warring States period (481-221 B.C) up to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.).

TALKS AND CONFERENCES

23 July 2026: “Is There any Chinese Buddhist Apologetic at All? Some Methodological Considerations” Talk at the 26th Biennial Conference of the European Association of Chinese Studies (EACS) at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
13 August 2025: “Debates and Social Perceptions of Śramaṇas’ Bodily Gestures in Early Medieval China”. Talk at the 20th IABS (International Association of Buddhist Studies) at Leipzig University.
4 April 2025: “Clashes of Cultures: Buddhism from India to China” Talk at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi (Department of Indian-Arab Cultures).
28 August 2024: “Why Did Śramaṇas Take the Tonsure? Perceptions and Symbolism of the Shaven Head in Ancient and Early Medieval China” Talk at the 25th EACS (Biennial Conference of the European Association of Chinese Studies) at Tallinn University.
20 April 2024: “Chinese Temples in Bangkok: On-Field Observations”. Talk at the online conference “From the Ground to the Cloud: Insights from Seven Years of Fieldwork, Training, and Data Collection”.
11 November 2023: “How to Treat a Dead Body: The Introduction of Buddhist Funerary Practices in Six Dynasties' (220-589) China”. Talk at the DRGPA 2023 Conference (Documenting and Researching Gravesites in Pacific Asia) at National Kaohsiung University.
17 June 2023: “Propagating Buddhist Customs through the Classics: Discursive Strategies on Bodily Issues Controversies”. Talk at the 4th Biennal Conference of the European Association for Chinese Philosophy (EACP) at Macerata University

Projecten

Projecten als doctoraatsonderzoeker

Legitimizing buddhism through the body. On robe, posture and tonsure in early medieval China's buddhist communities (2022 - 2026)

Projecten als onderzoeker

Typologies of text-image relations (2018 - 2024)

Publicaties

Meest recente publicaties

Volledige bibliografie

Onderwijs

2026/2027: MA course: "Traditional China: Language, Text and Context". Co-lecturer in charge with Prof. Dr. Ann Heirman.
2025: MA course lesson: “Xuanzang's Journey: Tang China and the Cosmopolitan Golden Age” Course: “The Golden Age and Contemporary Asia” at Ghent University.
2025: MA course lesson: “On Monastics not Bowing before the Emperor: Saṃgha-State Relations in Early Medieval China” Course: “Interactions between Religious and Political Authority in East Asia: Past and Present” at Ghent University.
2024: Seminar “Buddhism in China: Origins, Developments and Debates” at the University of Bologna. Main lecturer
2024: MA course lesson: “Śramaṇas in China: Debates on Body, Customs and Material Culture”. Course: “Chinese Society and Culture” at University of Perugia.
2024: MA course lesson: “Propagating Buddhism in Early Medieval Chinese Society: Debates on Etiquette and Material Culture” Course: “Interactions between Religious and Political Authority in East Asia: Past and Present” at Ghent University.
2023: MA course lesson: “Etiquette of Bodily Postures in Ancient and Early Medieval China: Debates on Sitting Positions”. Course: “Buddhism and Society” at Chengchi University.
2022: MA course “Buddhism: Text and Material Culture”, Teaching Assistant

Aankondigingen

2025 (April): Visit at the Nalanda Archeological Museum and University of Nalanda’s Campus (Bihar, India).
2024/2025 : Coordinator of the “Interdisciplinary Research Fora” (East Asia and South East Asia) at the Department of Languages and Culture at Ghent University.
2024 (November): Presentation of Research Poster at the Faculty Research Day at Ghent University Museum (GUM).
2024 (October): Volunteer at the International Conference “Diverse Lives: Narratives of Śākyamuni Buddha in Text and Image” at Royal Museum of Mariemont (Belgium).
2023 (November): Fieldwork of 4 days in Kinmen Island (Taiwan) as an additional training of the DRGPA conference held at National Kaohsiung University.
2023 (May): Fieldwork of ten-days in Bangkok (Thailand) in the frame of the FrogBear research cluster 3.4 “Typologies of Text-Image Relations”.
2022: Proofreading papers and editing metadata collected for the FrogBear (From the Ground Up: Buddhist and East Asian Religions) database in the frame of Cluster 3.4 “Typologies of Text and Image Relations” in collaboration with University of British Columbia (Canada).
2022: Proofreading of Italian subtitles of Edward A. Berger’s movies “The Mountain Path” (2021), “Vows” (2013) and “Alms” (2010).