Peter Smith

I began my studies as a mature student in 2015, taking a BA in Chinese (Modern and Classical) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). I continued in this field at the University of Oxford where I completed an MSt in Traditional China. During this time I developed an interest in the commentaries to the Zhuangzi, a classic of ancient Chinese literature associated with Daoism that has achieved a level of popular interest outside of China. This text, often humorous and subversive, has inspired a range of responses throughout Chinese history. My DPhil thesis will examine a thirteenth century commentary to the Zhuangzi by the scholar Lin Xiyi; it will explore ways in which his exegesis marks a shift in the analysis and interpretation of the text. This study will consider his greater focus on literary analysis, and the ways in which his views were influenced by Neo Confucianism, Chan Buddhism, and the general intellectual climate of the times. I will conduct this research under the supervision of Professor Dirk Meyer and with the generous support of the Baillie Gifford AHRC Scholarship.