Telephone number:	+31 (0)71 527 2248
E-Mail:	y.bian@umail.leidenuniv.nl
Faculty / Department:	Faculteit der Geesteswetenschappen, Institute for Cultural Disciplines, Literatuurwetenschap
Office Address:	Witte Singel-complex van Wijkplaats 2 2311 BX Leiden Room number 2.01a

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Research

Ever since the 1980s, with the translation and popularization of various Western trends of literary thought and critical theories, the term “postmodern” or “postmodernism” has become more and more popular among Chinese scholars. Its frequent appearance in Chinese culture and academic domains has made it possible for Chinese scholars to make a careful study of this phenomenon. Taking Chinese films as case studies, I would analyze these postmodernist devices and strategies in terms of Western discourse. Meanwhile, the “other” postmodernist elements, I mean the unique Chineseness that can be traced back to the artists’ own cultural background, would also be compared with their foreign counterparts. Of course, most of these postmodern texts should be constructed according to the specific references known to the Chinese viewers. But in a long run, I think these cues will also reach the Western viewers as well. Thanks to an intricate interplay of foreign influence and Chinese cultural background, postmodernism in Chinese film has been undergoing a metamorphosis in present-day Chinese culture: modernism is still under its construction while postmodernism also visualize its variable mood. The juxtaposition and superimposition of these two place different, sometimes incommensurable worlds in tense confrontation. Fortunately such a period is ours and I want to unfurl it to the outside world.

Curriculum Vitae

When Yanfeng Bian was 14 or 15 years old, he used to sneak out of school （boarding school） to see Hollywood and Hong Kong movies, which opened a complete new world to him. Some of those movies were not translated into Chinese, so he had to study English to understand them. At that time, he did not realize that one day film itself would be his lifelong accompany in his academic life. With his experience on the comparative study between poetry and painting (his MA thesis), the Institute for cultural disciplines at University Leiden should be a suitable platform to launch his own doctoral study on literature and film.

Activities

I had been a Junior Middle school teacher for three years, a volunteer teacher in the most western part of China (Uygur Autonomous Region) for one year, a project officer at China Scholarship Council for three years, and a teacher and program coordinator at Nankai University in China for one year. These complicated experiences should be a great fortune for me to understand the society, and to cherish the lucky chance to pursue my doctorate at the beautiful and quiet Leiden.