Tian Jin
Visiting Researcher in Chinese Studies
Heidelberg University
+49 15228734622
tian.jin@zo.uni-heidelberg.de
Website: www.tianjin.uk
Education
PhD in Comparative Literature, focusing on modern Chinese literature
University of Edinburgh, 2015-2020
MSc in Literature and Society
University of Edinburgh, 2014-2015
Exchange
Universität zu Köln, 2012-2013
BA in English
Sun Yat-sen University, 2010-2014
Employment
Visiting Researcher in Chinese Studies, Heidelberg University, August 2026 – Present
Lecturer in Comparative Literature, Sun Yat-sen University, July 2021 – July 2026
Research Interests
Modern Chinese literature, word and music studies, digital humanities, queer studies
Publications
Book
The Condition of Music and Anglophone Influences in the Poetry of Shao Xunmei. Wilmington, DE: Vernon, 2020. Reviewed by:
Prof. Nick Admussen in Modern Chinese Literature and Culture (September, 2020).
Prof. Paul Manfredi in Prism: Theory and Modern Chinese Literature (March, 2022).
Textbook
Xiao, Mingwen, Liping Wang, and Tian Jin, et al. American Literature: Viewing, Listening, and Speaking (美国文学视听说). Guangzhou: Sun Yat-sen University Press, 2025.
Reference Entries
“Flower-like Evil: A Poetry Collection by Shao Xunmei.” In The Selective Guide to Chinese Literature, 1900–2000, edited by Christopher Rosenmeier, Rossella Ferrari, David Der-wei Wang, Mingwei Song, Charles Laughlin, Victor Vuilleumier, Fan-Ting Cheng, and Kuei-fen Chiu. Brill, in preparation.
“The Night of the Sea God: A Poetry Collection by Chen Dongdong.” In The Selective Guide to Chinese Literature, 1900–2000, edited by Christopher Rosenmeier, Rossella Ferrari, David Der-wei Wang, Mingwei Song, Charles Laughlin, Victor Vuilleumier, Fan-Ting Cheng, and Kuei-fen Chiu. Brill, in preparation.
“Ritualization of the Soul: A Poetry Collection by Yang Lian.” In The Selective Guide to Chinese Literature, 1900–2000, edited by Christopher Rosenmeier, Rossella Ferrari, David Der-wei Wang, Mingwei Song, Charles Laughlin, Victor Vuilleumier, Fan-Ting Cheng, and Kuei-fen Chiu. Brill, in preparation.
Conferences
“Sapphics and Sapphic-sexuality in Shao’s ‘Shafu 莎茀’ and Swinburne’s ‘Sapphics.’” The Fourth Biennial Conference of the Word and Music Association Forum: Music and Sexuality, Arizona State University, Tempe, 2016.
“From Poetic Voice to Artificial Voice: AI and the Afterlife of Qing Zhu’s Art Songs.” The Seventh International Words and Music Conference: Words, Music, and Artificial Intelligence, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia, 2027. Accepted.
“The Literary Salons of Republican Shanghai: An Interactive Game Based on Lu Shaofei’s Tearoom Conversations.” Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference, Boston, 2027. Accepted.
Playable demos:
(English) https://shanghai-salons.pages.dev/
(Chinese) https://shanghai-salons-cn.pages.dev/
Invited Talks
“Symbolist Poetry.” MCLC Video Lecture Series. Modern Chinese Literature and Culture, 2026.
“Queer Intimacies in Modern Chinese Literature.” Queer Space Heidelberg, Germany, Oct 25, 2026.
Work in Progress
Second Book Project
Interart Modernism in China: Music, Poetry, and Transnational Aesthetics.
Teaching
Graduate
- A Survey of World Literature. SYSU.
- Lectures entitled “Introduction to Word and Music Studies” and “Cross-cultural Perspectives in Word and Music Studies”. SYSU.
Undergraduate
- Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Literary Studies. SYSU.
- English for Academic Purposes. SYSU.
- Advanced English Listening and Speaking. SYSU.
Student Advising and Assessment
- Assessed over 10 graduate and undergraduate course papers on topics traversing modern and contemporary Chinese literature. SYSU.
- Assessed over 20 graduate and undergraduate course papers on world literature. SYSU.
- Conducted consultations for students who are especially interested in word and music studies. SYSU.
Academic Service
-Graduate Admissions Examination Committee. SYSU (MA programs interviews).
-Undergraduate Major Allocation Committee. SYSU (interviews).
-Adult Education Examination Committee. SYSU (examination design and assessment).
Professional Memberships
Association for Asian Studies (AAS)
British Association for Chinese Studies (BACS)
Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA)
Deutsche Vereinigung für Chinastudien (DVCS)
European Association for Chinese Studies (EACS)
Languages
Mandarin (native), Cantonese (native), English (near-native), German (intermediate)