Campus Digest

Chang Lecture Series explores the Great Wall of the Liao-Jin period

Monday, 5 December 2022

Professor Gideon Shelach-Lavi shares findings from his research project entitled “Exploring the Great Wall of Liao-Jin Period in China and Mongolia”. Professor Gideon Shelach-Lavi shares findings from his research project entitled “Exploring the Great Wall of Liao-Jin Period in China and Mongolia”.
Professor Gideon Shelach-Lavi shares findings from his research project entitled “Exploring the Great Wall of Liao-Jin Period in China and Mongolia”.

 

The Department of History held the Professor Chang Chuen Memorial Public Lecture Series (2022-23) on 25 November. Professor Gideon Shelach-Lavi, Professor of the Department of Asian Studies at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, delivered a lecture entitled “Exploring the Great Wall of Liao-Jin Period in China and Mongolia”, which is an ongoing project directed by Professor Shelach-Lavi. The event was attended by nearly a hundred HKBU students and faculty members.

Drawing evidence from extensive fieldwork and archaeological relics, Professor Shelach-Lavi and his team have attempted to reconstruct the social functions of the Liao-Jin Great Wall. A variety of methodologies – such as comparing geographical data, the use of satellite imaging and CORONA graphics, and the analysis of animal remains – have been used by the team to improve our understanding of the Great Wall’s construction and usage. Professor Shelach-Lavi’s working hypothesis is that the significance of the wall, during this period, was to manage the flow of the population and resources across the vast realms of the dynasties in medieval China and Mongolia.

The Lecture Series was supported by the endowment fund set up by the family of the late Professor Chang Chuen, Founding Head of the Department of History, and his former students and colleagues, and it aims to recognise Professor Chang’s valuable contributions to the Department.