Welcome
to My Site
Hi! I'm Paris Zhang
Paris Xiwen Zhang
Here’s My Story
I'm currently a high schooler at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania. I was born in Shanghai, China. Since I was five, dance has been a major part of my life and it will continue to be with me. I'm also an avid thinker and enjoy learning about history--not just the facts but real people's stories. Ever since I started learning Latin, I was fascinated with the ancient world--whether it is Eastern or Western. I see the past as puzzle pieces that paint the present and hint at the future.
My Retellings
of Ancient myths, Texts, and Cultures
Narratives empower people. By writing from often overlooked perspectives (like women), I seek to empower them. Inspiration varies from movies like ROMA by Alfonso Cuaron to the Ancient Greek myth of the Trojan War to novels like The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante.
Quick Snippet:
"When I leave, the world will be the same. The bed will be ironed smooth and pristine; not a single teardrop, or blood, or a fragment of bone reminiscent of my body to be found. My face will be wiped from every photo frame and the sink will be clean. It will shine like metal and smell like chlorine."
---What Remains of Me
My First Published Book
Drowned Voices: A Collection of Retellings
Over the summer of '25, I decided that I should publish a book. Why not? I already had a bunch of miscellaneous pieces lying around in the dusty drawer of Google docs; they were the retellings I mentioned above. I refined all the pieces, edited, and my little sister helped me with the cover art and I am so proud of this book!
My Documentary
This is about female migrant domestic workers in Shanghai, my home city. They are a group of hardworking, caring woman who just want what is best for their families, yet they are often overlooked. I asked about their marriage values, injustices encountered at work, and things that are generally invisible to the public. I hope that this documentary will encourage more invisible voices to speak up and more people to stop taking them for granted.
Academic Papers
Prostitutes, Brides, Lovers: the Marginalization and Fetishization of Asian Women Since the 1800s
What Breaks a Community: The Threat of Individualism in Things Fall Apart
How Globalization Ripples Through Our World: Analysis of Eight Data Graphs
Summer Activities
Future Humanities Academy (summer '25)
Rome Trip (summer '25)
Kenyon Online Writing Program (summer '25)
Side Quests
Eating Xinjiang cuisine in Rome with the program
Ready to Connect
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you any questions at all!