Yifan Zhang is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in the Arts and Philosophy Department of the University of Gent. His research project focuses on Jains in contemporary Southeast Asia, specifically Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The experience of his cross-cultural investigations spans the Asia-Pacific region, encompassing diverse areas, where he has engaged with local communities and villages of different cultural and religious backgrounds. His research focuses on diasporic Jain communities, Jain folk religious practices, and South and Southeast Asia ethnography. He also likes to explore local discourses of storytelling and narratives in South and Southeast Asia.