Staff profile

I am a history PhD candidate, researching late modern British and Chinese history. I completed both a BA (2022), and an MA (2023) (with distinction) in History at Durham University. I also teach at a local charity school.

Current Research

My thesis is a study of the Beiyang Fleet Graves in Newcastle (北洋水师墓), located in Elswick Cemetery. It explores the interaction between the Northeast people and Qing Dynasty individuals in late modern Britain and its impact on the military build-up, social tolerance, and political thought of both the Qing and British Empires. During the three official visits of the Beiyang Fleet to Newcastle, in 1881, 1887, and 1911, the crews - comprised of diverse backgrounds such as Confucian scholars, grassroots sailors, naval officers, and the revolutionaries - actively engaged with the Northeast Communities and local county councils. These interactions are carved in the vicissitudes of Elswick Cemetery. My aim is to achieve a comprehensive study of the Beiyang Fleet's visits by incorporating multilateral perspectives, including Chinese, British, and Japanese viewpoints.

Conferences:

Presenting " 'The Draft History of Qing' (清史稿 Qingshigao) - A Hybrid of Dynastic and 'Modern' History Writings", in Modernities in a Global Context Workshop, in Center for Comparative Modernities, Durham University, Durham. 26th March 2024.

• Beiyang Fleet in Victorian UK
• Death
• Health
• Ships
• Entertainment
• Heritage

Newspaper/Magazine Article

• Yu, J. (2023). Tomb Sweeping Festival Activity: Memorial to the Beiyang Fleet Sailors Cemetery in Newcastle (清明节纽卡斯尔拜祭北洋水师水兵墓). [Chinese Headline New Media-UK（华人头条-英国）]