Jin Xu
Jane and Leopold Swergold Associate Professor of Chinese Art History, Columbia University
“Faces of Glory on Roof Tiles: Imperial Architecture of the Western Xia Kingdom (1038–1227)”
Friday, October 17
4:10 PM – 6:10 PM
951 Schermerhorn Extension
A Q&A will follow the talk.
This event will be livestreamed and recorded.
Abstract
The Western Xia kingdom (1038–1227), a multiethnic state established by the Tangut people in Northwest China, played a significant role in both Chinese and world history. Its resistance to the Mongol conquest contributed to the death of Genghis Khan, while its promotion of Tibetan Buddhism shaped the religious policies of the Mongol empire and subsequent Chinese dynasties. In July 2025, the Western Xia imperial mausoleums near Yinchuan, Ningxia, were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Focusing on bestial-face decorations on roof tile ends excavated from the mausoleums and nearby temples, this talk will demonstrate some distinctive features of Western Xia architecture in comparison with its Song, Liao, and Jin neighbors. It will also explore the cultural, religious, and ecological conditions that informed the emergence of Tangut architectural forms.
Biography
Jin Xu specializes in pre-modern Chinese art history, with particular interest in art and architecture during the imperial period (221 BCE–1911 CE). His research focuses on the artistic expressions of migrants and their communities, including both non-Chinese immigrants in China and Chinese emigrants in border regions. He seeks to understand how the experience of migration shaped perceptions of art and how art, in turn, helped individuals make sense of their migratory lives and heritage. In his work, he also emphasizes the significance of material properties and technical processes in informing ways of seeing.
Please register on the Columbia Center for Archaeology's webpage.
Please note that campus access is restricted for those not affiliated with Columbia University. Although registration will remain open until the time of the event, unaffiliated visitors are strongly encouraged to register by 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 16 to ensure timely access to campus. A QR code for entry will be sent via email after 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 17. For any questions or concerns, please contact the Center for Archaeology at the address below.
