Unraveling the Mysteries of Ancient China: Looking at Classical Texts, Nationalism, and Comparative Antiquity with Martin Kern

In this episode, Fred Lawrence speaks with Professor Martin Kern, a leading scholar in Chinese antiquity and a professor at Princeton University. Kern shares his unique academic journey, from growing up in post-war Germany to studying in Beijing during a period of political transformation. He discusses the complexities of interpreting ancient Chinese texts, the challenges of nationalism in historical scholarship, and his passion for comparative antiquity. The conversation also explores the richness of classical Chinese poetry, the evolution of historical narratives, and exactly how he ended up studying ancient Chinese manuscripts in the first place.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.