From the first two decades of the twentieth century onwards, the use of the European Renaissance as an analogy for the multiple “renascences” in China’s own history became a prominent intellectual trend, particularly following Hu Shi’s famous invocation of the term in reference to the Literary Revolution. Debates surrounding the “Chinese Renaissance” became symptomatic of this critical historical moment, as Chinese intellectuals sought to address the nation’s social crises by engaging with Western intellectual traditions. This paper seeks to examine the various intellectual influences that shaped the conception of the “Chinese Renaissance” in its formative stages. The study focuses on the first two historical accounts of the European Renaissance written by Chinese authors: Jiang Baili’s History of the European Renaissance (1920) and Chen Hengzhe’s A Short History of the Renaissance (1926). By situating these works within the intellectual trajectories of their respective authors, this paper explores how China’s historiography of the European Renaissance was influenced by the works of Jules Michelet, Jacob Burckhardt, and Walter Pater, whose writings provided the foundational and orthodox conceptualization of the Renaissance since the second half of the nineteenth century. Key elements of these Western conceptions of the Renaissance are highlighted in the writings of Jiang and Chen, shedding light on their understanding of China’s own historical position.

The paper closely analyzes the texts and paratexts of these two early Chinese historical works, comparing them thematically with the aforementioned Western historians of the Renaissance. Additionally, it examines early translations, introductory essays, and book reviews of the works of Michelet, Burckhardt, and Pater in Chinese journals during the 1920s and 1930s. Furthermore, the paper investigates the history of reception and the intellectual exchanges that influenced these works, such as Jiang Baili’s and his teacher Liang Qichao’s visit to Europe between 1918 and 1919, including their meeting with Amédée Britch, the director of the Paris University Library, who lectured them on the European Renaissance. The study also considers the educational background of Chen Hengzhe, who studied at Vassar College and the University of Chicago and became the first female professor in China. By examining these different interpretations of the key elements of the European Renaissance, this paper seeks to understand the complex intellectual preoccupations of Chinese scholars as they critically reevaluated China’s classical past and pursued modernity, weighing lessons from the West against their own historical experiences.

The concept of an Iranian renaissance reflects key moments of cultural, intellectual, and political renewal, particularly in modern history. While pre-modern Persia saw cultural revivals, the 19th and 20th centuries introduced transformative movements like the Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911). The Pahlavi era (1925-1979) further advanced modernization through education and women's rights. However, the 1979 Revolution complicated this trajectory, intertwining religion with state power.

Drawing upon a leaked classified state survey conducted in 2023, the paper explores contemporary Iranian attitudes towards the relationship between state and religion, offering new insights into the possibility of an ongoing Iranian renaissance. The survey results provide a fresh perspective on the evolving discourse surrounding modernity, politics, and religion in Iran, revealing how these tensions continue to shape the country's cultural trajectory.

Don Quixote can be seen as a reflection and critique of multiple renaissances. At its core, the novel embodies the central theme of all renaissances—the tension between the old and the new. While Don Quixote attempts to revive a medieval past, Cervantes is keenly aware that such revival, without adaptation, leads to absurdity and failure. This tension is a key feature of every renaissance, where societies must decide how to reconcile their heritage with the demands of the present and future. This presentation examines Don Quixote in the context of the European Renaissance, while drawing connections with other "renaissance" movements, including the Catalan Renaixença, and the Harlem Renaissance, with a focus on how Don Quixote uniquely illuminates the challenges of cultural revival across diverse historical contexts. Ultimately, Cervantes' masterpiece transcends its European Renaissance origins to offer profound insights into the complexities and contradictions inherent in any cultural rebirth.

While the term "renaissance" traditionally evokes a specific Western time period and cultural movement, this panel challenges that narrow interpretation by expanding the concept to include diverse cultural rebirths across the globe. It critiques Eurocentric narratives in renaissance studies, advocating for a more inclusive understanding that recognizes the vibrancy of cultural revitalization in contexts such as the Arab Nahda, the Chinese Renaissance, the Hebrew Renaissance, the Persian Renaissance, the Catalan Renaixença, the Harlem Renaissance, the renaissances in India, and the Maori Renaissance, among others.

By exploring these varied movements, the panel highlights the unique historical trajectories and social dynamics that shape each renaissance, emphasizing the intrinsic cultural forces at play. Moreover, it proposes the establishment of a new field of "global renaissances," spotlighting often-overlooked cultural phenomena and their significance. Ultimately, this panel aims to illuminate the rich tapestry of these movements, encouraging readers to reconsider what a renaissance can signify in our interconnected world.

This Group Session is open to further paper proposals. Any questions should be addressed to Gang Zhou (gzhou@lsu.edu).