Student Spotlight: Jingya Guo
March 17, 2025
Jingya Guo is a doctoral candidate in history from Hangzhou, China. She earned her B.A. from Zhejiang Normal University and M.A. in history and museum studies from Tufts University and now studies how historical actors contested and reconfigured the demarcation between pathology and health for female bodies in China under the guidance of TJ Hinrichs at Cornell.
What is your area of research and why is it important?
I study how diverse historical actors—medical practitioners, women, community members, and familial networks—contested and reconfigured the demarcation between pathology and health for female bodies in China from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century. Through examination of the most corporeal and personal dimensions of women’s embodiment—myriad menstruation experiences, monstrous births, and pulses of their hands—I show the attempts to project a fixated notion of a healthy female body onto the past proved futile. I hope my research will inspire people to think creatively about questions regarding ourselves and our bodies. For instance, who determined that the only acceptable menstrual cycle falls within the narrow 28-30 day range?
What are the larger implications of this research?
This research explains the contested territories of medical knowledge through women’s embodied experiences in Chinese history, but it also has implications for contemporary discussions about women’s reproductive rights, the asymmetrical relationship between medical authority and patients, over-treatment, and the state’s control over women’s bodies. Historical narratives of women’s lived experiences, when placed in dialogue with contemporary concerns, reveal that today’s socio-political issues are deeply embedded in their historical-cultural contexts.
What inspired you to choose this field of study?
Charlotte Furth’s book, “A Flourishing Yin,” provided seeds for me to pursue the study of the history of medicine and bodies when I was pursuing my master of arts degree. It was a difficult read for me at that time. The book made me wonder about so many questions: Why did a young lady come to China in the 1980s and decide to devote almost 20 years to studying the history of Chinese medicine? How can we understand the relationship between patriarchy, gender norms, and authority of knowledge in Chinese history? These questions become a source of motivation for me in research and teaching.
What did receiving an Einaudi Center East Asia Program grant allow you to do that you might not have been able to otherwise?
As a recipient of the Diverse Knowledge East Asia Fellowship for the 2024 fall semester, the fellowship allowed me to concentrate on writing my dissertation chapters without teaching obligations. It also gave me time to present my research at conferences such as the 2024 Graduate Conference “Porosity” at the University of Minnesota. I am also able to host and organize translation workshops that help the graduate community of East Asian histories to work on their texts.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of your research or scholarship?
I enjoy cooking, thrift shopping, and exploring local bookstores when I have time. I started to learn swing dance last fall. I consider dancing as a way to explore my own body in a constantly changing relationship with the external world.
Why did you choose Cornell to pursue your degree?
I chose Cornell for several reasons. I have always wanted to work with my advisor, TJ Hinrichs, and my other committee members, Suyoung Son from Asian studies and Kristin Roebuck from history. As professional scholars and genuine human beings, they nourish me and help me in all sorts of ways. Secondly, Cornell has a great intellectual community of graduate students who work on East Asian histories and societies. I’m so grateful to be part of it. Thirdly, Cornell also allows graduate students to get a graduate minor. I’m also able to minor in feminist, gender, and sexuality studies. The program is highly accessible and offers students generous resources and support.