US professor shows a class act

The Ming period appealed to him as a time undergoing rapid economic, cultural and social changes, globalization pressures, urbanization and shifts in communication, he says.

"There are echoes of our modern world in theirs," he notes.

When he was working as a research fellow in Taipei, he was invited to give a lecture at Yuelu Academy in 2017.

"At the time, I knew little about the academy's history. But what left a lasting mark on me was a traditional Dragon Boat Festival ceremony," he says, adding that the moment revealed to him that the academy is not only a place for academic pursuit and talent cultivation but a living space of tradition.

The open academic atmosphere and friendly student-faculty relations also left a strong impression on him, which led him to accept a full-time teaching offer in 2018.

He has made a point of drawing parallels between China in the Ming Dynasty and other early modern states.

"I try to help students understand that Chinese history is part of world history. I encourage comparative thinking — for instance, if we're studying the Ming Dynasty, we also look at what was happening in Europe, the Ottoman Empire, or England during the same period," he explains.

Among the overlooked aspects of Chinese history, two themes stand out to Ditmanson.

First, there's the remarkable diversity within the Chinese culture and society during that period.

"Linguistic, cultural and social differences are a very important part of China's rich history that we need to understand better," he says.

Ditmanson is also captivated by what he calls a "revolution in information and communication" that unfolded in the late Ming era.

"The printing (industry) began to have a more significant impact on all aspects of Chinese society," he notes.

As Ditmanson has interacted with more Chinese scholars in his field, he has developed deep admiration for their rigorous textual analysis and internal historical dynamics.

"I work with many different scholars, especially younger ones, and each has a unique perspective and scholarly approach," he observes.

Beyond his teaching duties, Ditmanson has led a team in translating key documents such as the academic regulations and the historical records of Yuelu Academy, with the goal of making this historic institution more accessible to international audiences.

The hardest part of the work, he says, has been conveying the underlying feelings and meanings that are deeply embedded in traditional Chinese culture.

Yu Chuming, a second-year PhD candidate in Chinese history at Yuelu Academy, says Ditmanson first impressed him as "graceful and composed, yet full of vitality".

As he deepens academic exchanges with Ditmanson, the 28-year-old finds his professor has offered him "a new way of seeing".