More joy and understanding.
We believe in the transformative power of intentionally designed conversations and experiences that build bridges and deepen understanding.
Our aim is to bring people together around common values and interests, such as culture, cuisine, history, and more, to build a rich and resilient global community of adventurous optimists.
Xiaokun Song
Sourcians founder
Xiaokun is a lifelong student of the Humanities. She believes in the power of the Humanities to unite people around common interests, celebrate our shared humanity and rich history, and broaden their aesthetic taste and cultural competence.
She holds an M.A. degree in Western Art History and a Ph.D. degree in Chinese Studies.
Meet Kun
Kun grew up in Beijing, China. Her father was a pilot. Every time he came home from traveling, he would bring her back little goodies from around the world. It was rare for a young Chinese girl in the 1980’s to be exposed to foreign cultures. These small surprises unlocked an entire new world of curiosity and interest in Kun’s impressionable mind.
At age 21, she moved to Germany to study Western Art History, where she lived for over a decade. During that time, she grew increasingly interested in her own culture: China. She realized she didn’t understand it as well as she assumed, which led her to seriously study it. During her Ph.D program in Chinese Studies, Kun noticed how both sides often had a limited and stereotypical perception of the other. With her nuanced understanding of both, she realized she was uniquely qualified to bridge the gap.
Today Kun is back in China raising her 1 year old son and creating meaningful moments through Sourcians.
“From home-cooked meals with locals, to behind-the-scenes experiences in museums and teahouses, my friends and I left China in awe.”
— Dominic after his Sourcians tour through Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu & Chongqing.
Get to know us even more
Origin Story
Sourcians was born out of an offhand comment made by one of my favorite professors. On the very first day of freshman Classical Archaeology class, he walked in the classroom and said, “You know, most of you won’t get a job in Classical Archeology, but nevertheless, welcome to the class.” He turned out to be right: almost 10 years later, on the same day that I received my Ph.D. title, I officially became unemployed (as did many of my classmates).
I’m not unique in this case. In fact, I represent the majority of scholars in the Humanities. I personally know plenty of scholars who do great research and are extremely dedicated to their work, but struggle with stability. Many of them have to travel as visiting fellows because they can’t find a permanent position within academia. Often times they’re forced to uproot their families and lug their books around. Instead of focusing on their research and reaching a greater audience, they’re forced to spend their time writing applications year after year.
I believe there are meaningful ways alongside academia for scholars to share their knowledge. With this in mind, I created Sourcians with two main purposes in mind:
Create alternative avenues for scholars to add value to society, and,
Provide the general audience with new ways to see the world.