Fellow
Xiaoyan Ji is pursuing a DPhil in Syriac Studies at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford, under the supervision of Professor David Taylor. Her research explores the spread of Syriac Christianity into Central Asia and its intellectual exchanges with surrounding religious traditions.
Xiaoyan completed her BA in History at Fudan University in Shanghai, where her intellectual interests were nurtured by the rich traditions of Sinology and Buddhist Studies. After studying as an exchange student at the University of Göttingen, she completed an MA in Jewish Studies at University College London (UCL), where her thesis examined the Old Uighur adaptation of the Adoration of the Magi in the context of Buddhist, Manichaean, and Zoroastrian influences. She subsequently read for an MSt in Syriac Studies at the University of Oxford.
With a deep appreciation for the linguistic and cultural diversity of Central Asia, Xiaoyan is committed to advancing public understanding of the region’s history, preserving its cultural heritage as part of humanity’s shared legacy, and fostering interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding.