Yan He
@yanhecul.bsky.social
Head of Chinese Section, under Research Collections Directorate at Cambridge University Library. Senior member of Robinson College. Views my own.
「無事是貴人」 (ぶじこれきにん): The truly noble person is one who lives without entanglement or disturbance — one at peace in body and mind.
November 13, 2025 at 6:21 AM
「無事是貴人」 (ぶじこれきにん): The truly noble person is one who lives without entanglement or disturbance — one at peace in body and mind.
My favorite line, in my calligraphy: 貧賤難移、威武不屈（Unshaken in poverty, unbowed by power).
September 27, 2025 at 10:24 PM
My favorite line, in my calligraphy: 貧賤難移、威武不屈（Unshaken in poverty, unbowed by power).
Amazing to see the chained books earlier this week. Many thanks to my librarian colleagues for making it possible.
September 18, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Amazing to see the chained books earlier this week. Many thanks to my librarian colleagues for making it possible.
My essay on the first Chinese book (1632) in Cambridge UL, tracing 17th-c. Chinese books in Europe, was just published. Grateful to Shuwen Cao and Martin Heijdra from Princeton, and Shaun Thompson, Paul Frank, Clarck Drieshen and Liam Sims in @theUL for their guidance & support.
September 7, 2025 at 10:53 AM
My essay on the first Chinese book (1632) in Cambridge UL, tracing 17th-c. Chinese books in Europe, was just published. Grateful to Shuwen Cao and Martin Heijdra from Princeton, and Shaun Thompson, Paul Frank, Clarck Drieshen and Liam Sims in @theUL for their guidance & support.
A timely talk by Professor Klaus Muehlhahn in ShanghaiTech University on 8 September: Beyond the Black Hole: How Humanities and Liberal Arts Can Thrive in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. 上海的小伙伴请考虑参加:-)
September 2, 2025 at 7:52 AM
A timely talk by Professor Klaus Muehlhahn in ShanghaiTech University on 8 September: Beyond the Black Hole: How Humanities and Liberal Arts Can Thrive in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. 上海的小伙伴请考虑参加:-)
Super happy to share the news on behalf of the team for the Sally T. WongAvery Digital Collection of Chinese Materials at Cambridge University Library: our Hopkins Oracle Bones (2D set CUL1–610) and 50 3D images are now freely accessible to the world. cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...
August 17, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Super happy to share the news on behalf of the team for the Sally T. WongAvery Digital Collection of Chinese Materials at Cambridge University Library: our Hopkins Oracle Bones (2D set CUL1–610) and 50 3D images are now freely accessible to the world. cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...
My UCSD colleagues Xi Chen, Shi Deng and I will host two information sessions for Cambridge and UCSD students who have interest on 15 September. Please register first: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
July 28, 2025 at 10:33 AM
My UCSD colleagues Xi Chen, Shi Deng and I will host two information sessions for Cambridge and UCSD students who have interest on 15 September. Please register first: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Cambridge PhD students: please consider this great opportunity to use the Chinese collections at UCSD library for your PhD studies, under the WongAvery Visiting Scholar Exchange Programme. Application deadline: 30 September 2025. For details, please see: library.ucsd.edu/news-events/...
July 28, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Cambridge PhD students: please consider this great opportunity to use the Chinese collections at UCSD library for your PhD studies, under the WongAvery Visiting Scholar Exchange Programme. Application deadline: 30 September 2025. For details, please see: library.ucsd.edu/news-events/...
Big congratulations to our amazing PhD and PhD students at @CambridgeFAMES for launching 劍橋文藝—the very first Chinese-language literary magazine created by our own students! The inaugural issue is just out, with the title calligraphy done by the renowned artist Meilin Han.
May 13, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Big congratulations to our amazing PhD and PhD students at @CambridgeFAMES for launching 劍橋文藝—the very first Chinese-language literary magazine created by our own students! The inaugural issue is just out, with the title calligraphy done by the renowned artist Meilin Han.
My colleague Blazej Mikula will talk about his excellent work on Digitizing Chinese Oracle Bones tomorrow, at a digital humanities workshop in King’s College London. The UL’s digitized oracle bones have been publishing to Cambridge Digital Library: cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...
April 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
My colleague Blazej Mikula will talk about his excellent work on Digitizing Chinese Oracle Bones tomorrow, at a digital humanities workshop in King’s College London. The UL’s digitized oracle bones have been publishing to Cambridge Digital Library: cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...
Tenure-track vacancy University of Cambridge: Assistant Professor in the History of Late Imperial Chinese Art (ca. 1200-ca. 1800). A rare and wonderful opportunity in our History of Art Department (From Prof Sterckx):
jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50574/
jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50574/
March 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Tenure-track vacancy University of Cambridge: Assistant Professor in the History of Late Imperial Chinese Art (ca. 1200-ca. 1800). A rare and wonderful opportunity in our History of Art Department (From Prof Sterckx):
jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50574/
jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50574/
活得简单才能活得自由。Simplicity is the key to freedom.
March 25, 2025 at 6:45 PM
活得简单才能活得自由。Simplicity is the key to freedom.
Cambridge colleges bloom with flowers in every corner.
March 22, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Cambridge colleges bloom with flowers in every corner.
「魚蝦聚處吞清影，鴻雁來時對白頭。」芥子園畫譜[卷三] (Classmark: FH.910.218, Chinese collection, Cambridge University Library)
March 21, 2025 at 8:37 PM
「魚蝦聚處吞清影，鴻雁來時對白頭。」芥子園畫譜[卷三] (Classmark: FH.910.218, Chinese collection, Cambridge University Library)
I discovered a wonderful new way to display book jackets at Whipple Library of the history of Science at lunch time. My librarian colleagues are truly the most creative people in the world!
March 19, 2025 at 10:06 PM
I discovered a wonderful new way to display book jackets at Whipple Library of the history of Science at lunch time. My librarian colleagues are truly the most creative people in the world!
Viewed the Expressions in Blue exhibition, along with the Great Pagoda commissioned by Princess Augusta, mother of King George III, in 1761 at Kew Gardens. Both blue and white pottery and Chinese pagoda were icons of “Chinese Vogue” (or Chinoiserie) in 18th-century Europe.
March 9, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Viewed the Expressions in Blue exhibition, along with the Great Pagoda commissioned by Princess Augusta, mother of King George III, in 1761 at Kew Gardens. Both blue and white pottery and Chinese pagoda were icons of “Chinese Vogue” (or Chinoiserie) in 18th-century Europe.
Following last year’s efforts, we celebrate #InternationalWomensDay once again by showcasing the book covers of two renowned female authors: Florence Chia-ying Yeh 葉嘉瑩, originally from Taiwan and later based in Canada, and Chi Zijian 迟子建 from China.
March 7, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Following last year’s efforts, we celebrate #InternationalWomensDay once again by showcasing the book covers of two renowned female authors: Florence Chia-ying Yeh 葉嘉瑩, originally from Taiwan and later based in Canada, and Chi Zijian 迟子建 from China.
学无止境。剑桥真是藏龙卧虎之地，我的图书馆员同事们各个身怀绝技，不仅精通多种语言，对书籍史、印刷史了若指掌。今天从西文善本书馆员同事那里学到了不少有趣的新知识。
March 5, 2025 at 9:51 PM
学无止境。剑桥真是藏龙卧虎之地，我的图书馆员同事们各个身怀绝技，不仅精通多种语言，对书籍史、印刷史了若指掌。今天从西文善本书馆员同事那里学到了不少有趣的新知识。
Happy St David's Day to those who celebrate.
I just learned that daffodil is Wales' national flower. They are blooming both outside and indoors in Cambridge.
#Cambridge #Wales #StDavidsDay
I just learned that daffodil is Wales' national flower. They are blooming both outside and indoors in Cambridge.
#Cambridge #Wales #StDavidsDay
March 1, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Happy St David's Day to those who celebrate.
I just learned that daffodil is Wales' national flower. They are blooming both outside and indoors in Cambridge.
#Cambridge #Wales #StDavidsDay
I just learned that daffodil is Wales' national flower. They are blooming both outside and indoors in Cambridge.
#Cambridge #Wales #StDavidsDay
春天來了！Spring is coming!
February 25, 2025 at 6:47 PM
春天來了！Spring is coming!
Farewell, beautiful Tangier!
再見，美麗的丹尼爾！
再見，美麗的丹尼爾！
February 23, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Farewell, beautiful Tangier!
再見，美麗的丹尼爾！
再見，美麗的丹尼爾！
Spent half a day at the American Legation Museum in Tangier with my son. We explored the history of diplomatic and cultural relations between Morocco and the U.S., enjoyed a rich collection of artworks, and appreciated the building’s unique architecture and beautiful garden.
February 20, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Spent half a day at the American Legation Museum in Tangier with my son. We explored the history of diplomatic and cultural relations between Morocco and the U.S., enjoyed a rich collection of artworks, and appreciated the building’s unique architecture and beautiful garden.