Dear colleagues and friends, Hope you are having a good start to the new semester! Please join me in welcoming a new member to the SSYCDS listserv, Zike Ren. Below please find Zike's self-introduction. Welcome to our community! My name is Zike Ren. I am currently a PhD student in the History Department at the University of Virginia. I obtained my BA and MA at Peking University, where I received rigorous training in textual scholarship, focusing on phonology, exegesis, bibliography, collation, and edition. After an additional two years of training at CU Boulder, I arrived at UVA. My research now centers on the bureaucracy, political culture, and narratives within the central court of the Northern Song, along with the intellectual activities and social networks of its scholar-officials. My goal is to integrate the intellectual, institutional, and political dimensions of the era to present a nuanced understanding of its historical richness and significance. Sincerely, Yiwen Li Secretary, Society for Song, Yuan, and Conquest Dynasties Studies Associate Professor of History, City University of Hong Kong