Shau-lan Shelley Chang

Shan-lau Shelley Chang, a devoted scholar, educator, and beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away on December 21, 2025. She was born on September 18, 1934, in Nanning Guanxi, China, to Chun-shan Loh and Huang Ch’ien-yun Loh.

Shelley dedicated her life to the study and teaching of history, with a special focus on pre-modern Chinese history and Chinese literature. An accomplished historian, author, and researcher, she was deeply committed to knowledge and lifelong learning. She met her husband, Chun-shu Chang, at the National Taiwan University. Eventually, they both came to the United States and started graduate studies 1958. Shelley and Chun-shu married in 1959 and made their home in Ann Arbor, Michigan since 1966. Shelley and Chun-shu were devoted to each other for over 66 years, parenting their three children and sharing in their love of history, including writing several books together on pre-modern China and literature.

Shelley pursued graduate studies in Boston, earning a master’s degree in history at Boston University. She served as a research associate at the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan, where she inspired student knowledge, and passion for history. She was an adjunct associate professor of history at Lanzhou University. From 1982 to 1985, she and Chun-shu traveled extensively in China, teaching, lecturing, and performing field research. She also taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin and the University of Michigan, Dearborn. Professionally, she authored as Shelley Hsueh-lun Chang, writing “History and Legend” and co-authored many texts with her husband Chun-shu Chang on the subjects of state, society, and seventeenth century Chinese literature. Their book, “Crisis and Transformation in Seventeenth-Century China: Society, Culture, and Modernity in Li Yü’s World,” was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Throughout her life, Shelley imparted her love of history and literature to her family. She also shared her love for classical music, specifically Beethoven and Chopin with her children. Further, as her children were growing up in Ann Arbor, Shelley contributed to the Great Books Program where she mesmerized middle school students when she read books aloud.

Above all, Shelley was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She is survived by her husband, Chun-shu Chang; her children, Debbie I-ju Chang (Edward Feigen), Jean Chien-ju Chang (David Giandomenico), and Victor Wei-chung Chang (Susan Lord); and her grandchildren, Eric Bo-wen Feigen, Grace Wen-hsueh Chang, Stephen Shih-wen Giandomenico, Marissa Rose Wen-lan Chang, and Kyrielle Wen-su Lord.

Shelley is also survived by her brother, Thomas Loh (Elizabeth Loh), and her younger sister, Hsueh-Fang Loh and her family in China and Taiwan. Shelley was preceded in death by her sisters, Dr. Linnar Teng and Hsueh-Ni Loh.

Shelley will be remembered for her intellect, generosity, empathy, and quiet strength, as well as for the lasting impact she made on her family, her students, and the field of Chinese history.