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Personal Information

Name: Yuan Zhi-hui

Gender: Male

Place of Birth: Baotou, Inner Mongolia, P. R. China

Date of Birth: September 10, 1976

Professional Titles: Professor

Institution (Affiliation): Department of History and Cultures,Tianjin Normal University

E-mail:wishna@163.com

Education

2003-2006 Ph.Dr. Institute of Ancient Civilizations, Northeast Normal University.

Dissertation: “The Great Powers' Diplomacy of the Near East in the Amarna Tablets”.

2000-2003 M. A. Department of Humanities, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities.

Dissertation: “The Relationship between Egypt and the Near East in the Amarna Age”.

1996-2000 B. A. Department of Politics& History, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities.

Dissertation: “Comparative Study of Eastern and Western City-States”.

Honors and Distinctions

2012 Noble Group Fellow in the Albright Institute of Archaeology (Israel), a Branch of the American Oriental Society.

2018 Title of “Young and Middle-aged Key Innovative Talent Training Program of Tianjin Universities”.

Membership in Professional Organizations

Chinese Academy of Ancient history (since 2001)

Chinese Academy of Middle Eastern History (since 2019)

Courses Taught

1. Compulsory Courses for Undergraduates: “Ancient History of the World”, “General History of the World (Ancient and Middle Ages)”, “A Brief History of the World”.

2. Elective Courses for Undergraduates: “Classical Civilization of the World”, “History of Western Culture”.

3. General Courses for Undergraduates: “Special Topics on History of Ancient Egypt”, “Special Topics on History of Ancient Greece”.

4. Elective Courses for Postgraduates:“History of Ancient Egypt”,“Selected Readings of Ancient Near East Diplomatic Texts”.

Research Interest

I am mainly engaged in research of the diplomatic history of theancient Near East, especially in the diplomacy of Amarna. I have made great achievements and put forward a series of academic viewpoints. Firstly, I argued that the Near Eastern diplomacy in the Amarna era showed a distinctive feature of "transition". Three groups of diplomatic relations were formed with Egypt as the center, and the diplomatic relations between countries were uneven and unidirectional. There are three types of diplomacy: that of Egypt, that of Hittite-Assyria, and that of Mitanni-Babylon. Secondly, I am convinced that the Diplomacy of the Near East in the Amarna era inherited the diplomatic model of kinship relations in West Asia. The three diplomatic styles, i.e., gift sex change, royal marriage, and information communication, have been fully developed. The system of envoys, treaties, and alliances has"degraded" significantly. That Egypt has joined the West Asian diplomatic system weaken the system of West Asian diplomatic practices; thirdly,the traditional self-centered concept of the great powers in Near East was inconsistent with the international norms of equality, and diplomatic events such as"chariot event" and "signature dispute" appeared; fourthly,both the diplomatic strategy of great powers and the daily tactics of between great powers showed the "diplomatic rationality" of all countries in judging the situation. It is the first time to generalize the features of the Near East diplomacy in the Amarna era: the Near East great powers’ diplomacy in the Amarna era, with the gifts trade as its core, was characterized by peaceful exchanges and pluralistic harmony, and formed a diplomatic system connectingthe past with the future.

Publications

Articlesin Journals

1. Liu Fenghua, Yuan Zhihui, “The Regional Expansion of Egyptian Vassals in Palestine: Based on the Armarna Letters,” Historical Research and Teaching, No. 5 (2021), pp. 73-80.

2. Yuan Zhihui, “From Illegal Excavation to Interpretation: The Rebirth of the Amarna Tablets,” Popular Archaeology, No. 7(2021), pp. 53-62.

3. Yuan Zhihui, “A Peaceful Rising Power: ATranslation and Commentary of EA 9, 15 and 16,” Middle East Studies, No. 1(2021), pp. 223-236.

4. Yuan Zhihui, “Labayu the Expander Defending Himself Against Accusation: Translation of EA 252-254 with Commentary,” Journal of Foreign Studies, No. 1 (2021), pp. 26-33.

5. Liu Fenghua, Yuan Zhihui, “The Regional Expansion of Egyptian Vassals in Palestine: Based on the Armarna Letters,”Historical Research and Teaching, No. 5 (2021), pp. 73-80.

6. Yuan Zhihui, “From Illegal Excavation to Interpretation: The Rebirth of the Amarna Tablets,”Popular Archaeology,No. 7 (2021), pp. 53-62.

7. Yuan Zhihui, “A Peaceful Rising Power: ATranslation and Commentary of EA 9, 15 and 16,”Middle East Studies, No.1 (2021), pp. 223-236.

8. Yuan Zhihui, “Labayu the Expander DefendingHimself Against Accusation: Translation of EA 252-254 with Commentary,”Journalof Foreign Studies, No. 1 (2021), pp. 26-33.

9. Yuan Zhi-hui, “A Preliminary Study of CustomaryLaw of War in Western Asian during the Mari Period,”Collected Papers of History StudiesNo. 1 (2020), pp. 87-97.

10. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Translation of EA 7 with Commentary,”Foreign History Studies No. 3 (2019), pp. 44-49.

11. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Reconsidering the Late Bronze Age Decline of Southern Canaan: A Perspective from the Amarna Letters,”MiddleEast Studies Sum No. 9, No. 1 (2019), pp. 77-98.

12. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Gift Exchange of Great Powers in Near East during the Amarna Age,”Journal of Northeast Normal University(Philosophy and Social Sciences)Sum No. 298, No. 2 (2019), pp. 90-95.

13. Yuan Zhi-hui, “The Egyptian Pharaoh Complains to the Babylonian King: Translation of EA 1 with Commentary,”Foreign HistoryStudiesVol. 230, No. 4 (2018), pp. 59-65.

14. Yuan Zhi-hui, “The Rise of Amurru in the Amarna Age,”Foreign History Studies Vol. 229, No. 3 (2018), pp. 42-50.

15. Yuan Zhi-hui, “The Characteristics of Diplomatic System in Near East During the Amarna Age,”Journal of Northeast NormalUniversity (Philosophy and Social Sciences)Sum No. 291, No. 1 (2018), pp.119-125.

16. Yuan Zhi-hui, “On Origin of the Hurrians,”Collected Papers of History Studies Sum No. 6 (2016), pp. 40-50.

17. Yuan Zhi-hui, “On Domestic Trade in Ancient Egypt,”Journal of Northeast Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences)Sum No. 281, No. 3 (2016), pp. 166-173.

18. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Egypt’s Domination on Syro-Palestine in Amarna Period,”Journal of Northeast Normal University(Philosophy and Social Sciences) Sum No. 274, No. 2 (2015), pp. 87-91.

19. Yuan Zhi-hui, “The History and Present Situation of the Indigenous Egyptology in Egypt,”The Journal of Ancient Civilizations Vol. 8, No. 4 (2014), pp. 34-44.

20. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Review on the Research of the Great Power Diplomacy of Near East in Amarna Age,”Journal of Northeast University (Social Sciences Edition) Sum No. 37, No. 3 (2011), pp. 180-183.

21. Yuan Zhi-hui, “On the Jewish Community of Ancient Egyptian Elephantie,”The Journal of Ancient Civilizations Vol.5, No. 1 (2011), pp. 7-15.

22. Yuan Zhi-hui, “On Relationship of Great Powersin Near East during Amarna Age,”History Teaching Sum No. 609, No. 20 (2010),pp. 42-46.

23. Yuan Zhi-hui and Xie Zhenling, “On the Influence of the Nile River on Ancient Egyptian Civilization,”Agricultural Archaeology No. 4 (2010), pp. 92-94.

24. Yuan Zhi-hui and Xie Zhen-ling, “On Grapes and Wine in Ancient Egypt”,Agricultural Archaeology No. 1 (2010), pp.111-115.

25. Yuan Zhi-hui, “The Migration of the Sea Peoplesand the Remaking of Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations,”World Ethno-National Studies Sum No. 73, No. 3 (2009), pp. 89-94.

26. Yuan Zhi-hui and Luo Ju-fu, “The Earliest Agricultural Book in the world”,Agricultural ArchaeologyNo. 4 (2009), pp. 324-326.

27. Yuan Zhi-hui, “On Messengers of Near East duringAmarna Age,”History Teaching Sum No. 565, No. 24 (2008), pp. 76-79.

28. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Diplomatic styles of great powers of the ancient Near East in Amarna Tablets,”The Journal of Ancient CivilizationsVol. 2, No. 3 (2008), pp. 30-38.

29. Yuan Zhi-hui, “On the Relations of Egypt and Mitanni in Amarna Period,”Historical Research in Auhui No. 5 (2005),pp. 5-9.

30. Yuan Zhi-hui and Liu Feng-hua, “The Relations Between Egypt and Babylon in the Amarna Period,”Journal of Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities (Social Sciences)Vol. 30, No. 3 (2004), pp.4-8.

31. Yuan Zhi-hui, Amurru's Expansion and Egypt's Response,Journal of Ancient Civilizations Vol. 19 (2004), pp. 21-31.

32. Yuan Zhi-hui, “New Archaeological Discoveries in Abydos Cemetery,”Journal of Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities(Social Sciences)Vol. 27, No. 1 (2001), pp. 8-11.

Articles in New Papers

1. Yuan Zhi-hui, “The Usual Means of Dispose of the defeated in the Ancient Near East,”Chinese Social Science Today, March 11, 2019.

2. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Family Terms shaped the Near East Diplomacy in the Bronze Age,”P Chinese Social Science Today, September 29,2018.

3. Yuan Zhi-hui, “The Evolution and Spread of Glass Technology,”Guangming Daily, December 25, 2017

4. Yuan Zhi-hui, "The Coins in Ancient Egypt Beganbefore the Ptolemy Dynasty",Chinese Social Science Today, October 16, 2017.

5. Yuan Zhi-hui and Cheng Shujun, “Queen Diplomacy inthe Ancient Near East,”Chinese Social Science Today, September 3, 2014.

6. Yuan Zhi-hui, “Menes or Narmer: Who is the first Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt,”Chinese Social Science Today, March 26, 2014.

Translations

1. Yuan Zhi-hui,The Egyptian Myths,Beijing: Democracy and Construction Publishing House, 2018.

2. Yuan Zhi-hui and Liu Feng-hua,The Diffusionof Culture, Shanghai: Truth & Wisdom Publishing House, 2017.

3. Hao Hai-di and Yuan Zhi-hui,The Artand Architecture of the Ancient Orient, Shanghai: Shanghai Joint Publishing House, 2011.

4. Yuan Zhi-hui and Liu Feng-hua, “Why did the Japanese Historians Hide the Truth before the Second World War,”New History Vol. 2 (2004), pp. 182-194.

Contributions to Collections Essays

Yuan Zhi-hui, “Ancient Egyptian History”, in Li Haifeng ed.,Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, Beijing: Science Publishing House, 2014.

Projects

1. 2014-2019 Research of Amarna Tablets, National Social Science Fund Project of the P. R. China.

2. 2009-2014 Diplomacy of Near East during the Amarna Age, Humanities and Social Sciences Project under the Ministry of Education of the P. R. China.

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