Hello, my name is Celia. I was born and raised in a northern city of China and studied at Fudan University in Shanghai, majoring in Spanish Literature with a minor in History. My academic interests center on comparative cultural history, focusing on the interactions between modernity and tradition in China and Latin America.
During my undergraduate studies, I explored Latin American Magical Realism and contemporary Chinese literature, identifying intriguing parallels in how foreign powers and invaders are portrayed as both adversaries and symbols of progress. This led to a fascination with the cultural exchanges between indigenous traditions and Western influences.
My undergraduate thesis was on syncretism in Mexican Catholicism, specifically the cultural significance of the Virgin of Guadalupe. This research, which was supported by the Junzheng Program founded by Tsung-Dao Lee and his wife, Qin Jun Hui, examined how indigenous Mexican culture intertwined with Catholic practices, highlighting the cultural hybridism phenomenon in colonial Mexico.
At Columbia University and the London School of Economics, I aim to deepen my understanding of comparative history, focusing on the cultural narratives of Latin America and China, especially the cultural encounters that happened in both regions during the 16-18th Centuries.
Beyond my academic interest, I love cooking, swimming, traveling and enjoying every moment with my adopted cat.
