Minh Khai Mai-Thi

Academic interests

My PhD project explores how emotional suffering was understood and dealt with by a selection of medical thinkers in Late imperial China (Song to Ming dynasty). This is a continuation of my previous research on psychological theories in Chinese medical literature. It is further connected to Prof Halvor Eifring’s larger project ‘Two Thousand Years of Mind Wandering’, which focuses on the cultural history of spontaneous thoughts and emotions in contemplative traditions.

My main academic interests are East Asian medical traditions, Chinese medicine, Chinese medical psychology, psychological theories in East Asian philosophy, emotional theories and terminology, mind-body conceptualizations, philosophy of mind, meditative and contemplative traditions, Asian medical history, literature, and theory.

Courses taught

• Chinese Classics at the Northern College of Acupuncture MSc program in Advanced Oriental Medicine, Research and Practice. 

Background

I have a bachelor’s degree in Chinese studies and a MPhil in East Asian Culture and History, both from IKOS, UiO. My Master thesis analysed the renowned Ming dynasty physician Zhang Jingyue’s elaborations on the ‘Five Spirits’ (wu shen 五神) conceptual model of the mind. From earlier, I also have an education in medical subjects and have worked as an acupuncturist and teacher of East Asian medicine since 1998. Currently, I teach a module in Chinese Classics at a MSc program in England.

Partners

In addition to scholars and colleagues at the University of Oslo, I collaborate with researchers and teaches at the Department of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College in Oslo, and at the Northern College of Acupuncture in York, UK.