Shixin Liang

Research at the intersection of sociology, art history, and visual culture

Currently pursuing a PhD at Heidelberg University, with a dissertation focused on tourism, consumer culture, and Chinese family photography. The research examines how socio-economic and technological shifts since the 1980s have shaped visual narratives and everyday photographic practices in China.

My broader interests include:

19th-century Chinese photo studios and family portraiture

Japanese souvenir albums and post-war photography, with a particular focus on the “Provoke” movement.

Noh theater architecture

Grotesque figurines from the Five Dynasties China

Previously, I contributed to the Echowall project at Heidelberg University, examining China–Europe relations through both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Papers on Art History

"Japanese Geisha" in Nineteenth Century Souvenir Photography from the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

Women Cross Media: East Asian Photography, Prints, and Porcelain from the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2022

The article discusses a collection of 19th-century Japanese souvenir photographs from the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, exploring how these images, particularly one depicting Western men with Japanese women, have contributed to the mislabeling of Japanese women as "geisha." The study highlights the cultural misconceptions and the role of these photographs in shaping Western stereotypes of Japanese femininity

德语国家艺术史研究动态 (2010-2015) [History of Art in German Speaking Countries (2010–2015)]

艺术学界 [Arts Study] 16/2 (2016):166–192

This article reviews the research trends in the field of art history in German-speaking countries from 2010 to 2015. (in Chinese)

Catalogue

2017 Dresden Europe World (English entries)

Residenzschloss, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Germany.

Two entries in the catalogue accompanying the exhibition "Women Cross Media: Photography, Porcelain and Prints from China and Japan," as part of the project "Dresden • Europe • Welt", on display March 3 to June 5, 2017.

2017 Dresden Europa Welt (Deutsche Einträge)

Residenzschloss, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Germany.

Zwei Einträge im Katalog, der die Ausstellung „Women Cross Media: Fotografie, Porzellan und Drucke aus China und Japan“ begleitet, als Teil des Projekts „Dresden • Europa • Welt“, die vom 3. März bis 5. Juni 2017 gezeigt wird.

Echowall Research Papers

Chinese Twiplomacy in the age of COVID-19

Echowall Project, 2021

How effective is China’s twiplomacy in the global social media sphere? Studying the Twitter and Weibo accounts of five Chinese embassies in Europe revealed confusion and few coherent strategies.

What Happened to "Made in China 2025"?

Echowall Project, 2020

China’s grand plan for industrial restructuring caused concern in Europe following its announcement in 2015. Liang Shixin reviews the policy and its development, and notes current signs to look for.