Yurui Zhao is a joint PhD candidate at the Department of Languages and Cultures, Ghent University, and the School of Chinese Classics, Renmin University of China. Her research focuses on the social, religious, and cultural history of China during the 4th–6th centuries. Her doctoral dissertation, Taoism and Social Life in Southern China during the Jin, Song, Qi, and Liang Dynasties, adopts a cultural-historical approach to examine the interaction between Taoist beliefs and social practices in Southern China during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties.
Her project aims to reconsider the realities of Chinese society in this period by tracing the development of Taoism. Her study will extensively use Taoist literature, connecting it to social life to provide insights into the relationship between Taoist rules and social behaviors. Additionally, it will analyze historical records, anecdotal literature, and literary works to explore people’s views on social, moral, and ritual behaviors. Finally, it will utilize archaeological materials, like tomb epitaphs and murals, to reveal how Taoist beliefs influenced daily life and social values.