Welcome to the home page of the Society for Ming Studies. The Society is a scholarly organization that promotes the study of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). It publishes a journal and a book series, as well as sponsoring panels on Ming topics at the annual meeting of the Association for Asian Studies. This site includes both information about the Society and its activities and material of wider interest to scholars of the Ming.
This page is hosted by the Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia, with support from the Department of Asian Studies. The Society is an independent organization not affiliated with or sponsored by UBC.
Latest News
Geiss Hsu Book Prizes in Ming Studies
With the generous support of the James P. Geiss & Margaret Y. Hsu Foundation, the Society for Ming Studies (SMS) has established two book prizes: Best First Book and Best Overall Book. These prizes recognize outstanding English-language monographs on Ming China (1368–1644) and its global connections.
A committee of senior Ming specialists from diverse disciplines evaluates eligible publications from recent years and generally awards one prize in each category every year or every other year. The prizes include a cash award and are presented at the SMS annual meetings, held in conjunction with the Association for Asian Studies annual conference.
Nomination Guidelines
Nominations for the 2026 cycle are now closed. Monographs in English published in 2025 or later will be eligible for future rounds. Nominations are welcome but books that have not been nominated may also be considered. Scholars, publishers, and authors may submit eligible titles. To nominate a book, please email the following information to Guojun Wang (guojun.wang at mcgill.ca), president of the SMS:
- Book title and author(s)
- Publisher and publication date
- Publisher contact information
- Brief author biography (institutional affiliation, title, research areas, etc.)
- Indication of whether the book is the author’s first monograph
For the 2027 cycle, nominations must be received by May 30, 2026.
2026 Prize Committee
- Anne Gerritsen (University of Warwick)
- Yuhang Li (University of Wisconsin–Madison)
- Keith McMahon (University of Kansas)
- David Robinson (Colgate University)
Past Awards
2025 Award
Best Overall Book
- Keith McMahon, Saying All That Can Be Said: The Art of Describing Sex in Jin Ping Mei (Harvard University Asia Center, 2023)
2024 Awards
Best First Book
- Yuhang Li, Becoming Guanyin: Artistic Devotion of Buddhist Women in Late Imperial China (Columbia University Press, 2020)
Best Overall Book
- Lynn Struve, The Dreaming Mind and the End of the Ming World (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2019)
Ming Studies in Five: Graduate Student Symposium at AAS 2026
The Society for Ming Studies (SMS) invites current PhD students to participate in a graduate student symposium at the SMS Annual Meeting, to be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026, in conjunction with the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Conference in Vancouver, Canada. Each participant will give a five-minute presentation and share a research poster during the accompanying poster and social session.
With the generous support of the James P. Geiss and Margaret Y. Hsu Foundation, SMS will provide up to USD $2,000 in travel support for each presenter to help cover expenses related to travel, lodging, and conference registration.
Current PhD students in the dissertation-writing stage, enrolled in accredited higher education institutions worldwide, are welcome to apply. Research topics may address any aspect of Ming China. Applicants need NOT be members of AAS or SMS, and participation in this event does not preclude presenting on a regular AAS panel.
The application should include a brief synopsis of current research, a short CV, and a brief budget explanation (if request funding). Please follow this link to submit application materials. Application deadline is Nov 30, 2025. Notification of selection results will be issued in December 2025. For further inquiries, please contact Guojun Wang at guojun.wang {at} mcgill.ca
Minutes from the Society for Ming Studies Annual Meeting 2025
The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Society for Ming Studies was held on Friday, March 14, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio, from 7 to 9 pm.
7:00-7:10 Welcoming remarks from Tom Kelly (outgoing president)
- Welcome to Wang Guojun, incoming president
7:10–7:20 Reports and updates
- Update on Ming Studies on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, from the editor Ihor Pidhainy
- Downloads have continued to rise
- Reflections on the past five decades in the field: submissions and ideas are welcome, including items showcasing key pieces of scholarship from the journal
- Treasurer’s report by Martin Heijdra
- The Princeton library ran a successful Rare Books School, supported by the Geiss Hsu Foundation
- The Princeton library also has a fund earmarked for visitors to use its collections in Ming-related research
- Reminder of the availability of support from the Geiss Hsu Foundation, by Bruce Rusk
- Researchers may apply for projects (conferences, developing resources, etc.)
- Publishers can apply for publication subventions
7:20–7:30 elections to the board of the Society
- Three new board members were elected unanimously:
- Leigh Jenco (LSE)
- Paola Zamperini (Northwestern)
- Li Xiaorong (UCSB)
7:30–8:30 Roundtable on Global Voices in Ming Studies (funded by the Geiss-Hsu Foundation)
- Leigh Jenco (LSE) 7:30–7:45
- Sean Xiangjun Feng (University of Toronto) 7:45–8:00
- Cheng Sijia (University of Nuremberg) 8:00–8:15
- Audience Q&A and open discussion 8:15–8:30
8:30 Presentation of the Ming Studies book prize for 2025, supported by the Geiss Hsu Foundation
- Sarah Schneewind, Anne Gerritsen; Li Yuhang, and David Robinson formed the award committee, and made the award to one book this year: Keith McMahon, Saying All That Can Be Said: Describing Sex in Jin Ping Mei (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series, 2023). The author received the award in person; he thanked the Foundation, noted that his first publication was in Ming Studies, and recalled his friendship with James Geiss.
- The award ceremony was followed by a reception.
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