Academic Prize 2021 laureate, Professor Kishimoto Mio visited Kyushu University Ito Campus in the west ward of Fukuoka City.

Professor Kishimoto Mio gave a lecture entitled, “Modern China from the Perspective of Ming and Qing History: Market, Public Opinion, and National Integration,” to an audience of university undergraduate and graduate students and faculty members. The lecture was also streamed online. Some of the online participants were high school students who were interested in Chinese history. Prof. Kishimoto started with the words, “I hope my research of the 16th and 17th century history will give you some hints for understanding the current situation in China.” Prof. Kishimoto gave a detailed and comprehensive lecture on the economy, social policies, and the integration of multiple ethnic groups during the Ming and Qing dynasties from the perspectives of market, public opinion, and national integration. She used matrices, maps, and paintings from those eras, and concluded by emphasizing the need for dialogue between contemporary Chinese Studies and Historical Studies.

After the lecture, the participants gave comments and questions such as “What was the impact of the Ming and Qing economies on the world economy?” Prof. Kishimoto carefully answered each question. The participants were able to learn about the link between “historical China” and “China today.”