My research project will focus around the following question: what relationships exist between religious models of the human body—primarily Buddhist and Daoist—and medical practices and beliefs? To explore this topic I will study primary and secondary materials, participate in meetings with my host university supervisor, Chen Ming with the assistance of Dr. Susan Andrews from […]

The project investigates the practices of contemporary Buddhist Monastics in relation to their interaction and communication with family members. The question to be investigated is: To what extent, if at all, do contemporary monastics maintain relationships with living family members? The research will focus, in particular, on ways that family is understood in this context […]

Under the supervision of Dr. Jean DeBernardi my research explores the connections between traditional Chinese religion, martial arts, and medicine. I did my MA thesis on the modernization of traditional Chinese religion in Taiwan, have been practicing White Crane kung fu since 1999, and worked for the Natural Health Practitioner of Canada. I am examining […]

My dissertation looks into China’s three environmental policy domains, including climate change, biodiversity and biosafety (GMOs), to investigate how China’ environmental diplomacy, economic interest and political concerns of legitimacy and stability intersect to condition public participation and its effectiveness in affecting policy decisions. It seeks to illuminate not only why authoritarian regime embraces deliberation and […]

The spread of Buddhism brought to encounter Indic and Sinitic cultural systems, the two of most disparate civilizations in the world. After hundreds of years of continuous contact and communication, a Buddhist sect that is most characteristically Indian and most alien to the Chinese flourished in China, which came to be known as Esoteric Buddhism […]

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a universal problem. It produces lifelong ill effects. Children should be made aware of it and educated about protecting themselves. They need easy ways to recognize and express attempts of CSA. This project aims to design an educational game that creates awareness in children about CSA. It will be conducted […]

Verbal language is significant in communicating our thoughts for daily living. However, children with autism often have problems with verbal communication. Early intervention is extremely significant to autistic children because it can encourage their verbal language, self-care and social skills. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools based on pictures can benefit autistic children by compensating […]

The development of nature reserves (NRs) in China is occurring simultaneously with the huge economic and social changes in the past 30 years. The rapid changes of economic and society push local people to change their livelihood faster to adapt to it. What’s the effects of all of those changes among society, economic and environment? […]

Why some states publicly announce one type of exchange rate regime but in fact adopt another? Do states try to manipulate their currencies by creating discrepancies between words and deeds? My research intends to provide an ideational explanation to the gaps between de jure and de facto exchange rate regimes. More specifically, I argue that […]

Since low health literacy is associated with poor health outcomes (e.g., poor management of chronic diseases – like HIV), which impacts the cost of healthcare in Canada, the current project aims to mitigate the effects of low health literacy. A recent report released by the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) highlighted that considering health literacy […]

My project will be examining different aspects of Chinese popular religion, including online representations, physical landmarks, and firsthand accounts, and drawing connections between popular religion in China and the self- and community-identities of lay practitioners in Beijing. I will be visiting sites in Beijing, including St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Yonghe Gong, and Baiyun Guan, examining primary […]

Contemporary Daoist leaders in North China often consider their religion was poorly organized and therefore weak: their efforts at institutionalization and modernization are, therefore, described in terms of revitalization in the face of decline. The case of Baiyun guan (White Cloud Abbey) in Peking during the early 20th century, however, shows otherwise. Baiyun guan, initially […]