Chinese History Research Articles

Climate politics in global Hobbesian Jungle.

Climate change, largely triggered by human-induced greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions, seems unstoppable. There was a strong rebound of anthropogenic emissions of CO 2, the preponderant GHG in terms of contribution to global warming, around the world after the COVID-19 lockdown. Also, there is still no widely accepted international treaty on curbing the anthropogenic emissions of CH 4 and N 2O, the second and third predominant GHG, respectively, so far. Thereby, prima facie, in respect to mitigating climate change, currently, humans have no aces up their sleeves. It seems that current temperature rise is not high enough to take alarm until the occurrence of tipping point. Climate-related international treaties, such as 2016 Paris agreement, are compromises among conflicting geopolitical pressures. However, currently, the climate treaties show little mandatory binding force on the signatories who are able to violate and then get off scot-free, thus may end up like a nostrum. Throughout the European history, I find that the only way, if at all, to achieve the peace or obedience of a treaty is via balancing powers, embodied in Bismarck's Realpolitik of Germany and Richelieu's Raison d'état of France. Similarly, the Chinese history in East Asia proved the significance of unadulterated ideological neutrality and Darwinian adaptability in the kaleidoscope of evolving circumstances in maintaining order and enforcement of international treaties through balancing the power of rivalries to constrain ever-recurring challengers for equilibrium. A successful policy needs to make a thorough analysis of all relevant factors to form a long-term strategic notion. Then, statesmen need to distill an array of nebulous, always contradictory options into a tenacious, controllable direction. Thereby, I suggest that, for better curbing global warming, climate agreements or climate club be incorporated into an overall geopolitical framework among the international communities.

Between Wine and Tea: A Discussion Based on Master Taixu’s Use of Dual Imagery

The imagery of wine and tea is important in classical and modern Chinese poetry, with an intricate relationship between the two especially evident in the work of Taixu 太虛 (1890–1947), a prominent poet–monk in 20th-century China. Taixu’s attitude toward wine—a drink that is deeply rooted in Chinese culture—evolves significantly over time, from initial approval to eventual condemnation due to its detrimental effects on both personal health and society. Nevertheless, it continues to feature prominently in his poetry. The same is true of tea, which Taixu often uses to evoke either Buddhist study or his own healthy lifestyle. This article explores this and other complex meanings in Taixu’s poems, such as his association of wine with knights and tea with hermits. It also discusses how he achieves a delicate balance between the two beverages, sometimes employing both types of imagery in a single poem—a literary innovation that helped to establish his reputation as a central figure in modern Chinese poetry.

The Influence of the Truth of the Characters on Chinese Films in the 1990s: A Case Study of Farewell My Concubine

The 1990s represent a unique period in Chinese history, during which the characters real-life experiences have a significant impact on both the audience's perception of the characters and their aesthetics, debate and criticism of social reality, and, to some extent, the long-term trajectory of Chinese cinema. This period coincides with the release of Farewell My Concubine in this decade. Under the special background of the times, it tells the story of Duan Xiaolou and Cheng Dieyi. The story, featuring a diverse cast of characters from various social classes, can be regarded as a compilation of humanistic traditions in the 1990s. It encompasses critiques of feudalism, social turmoil, the struggle for survival, and a compassionate exploration of human nature. Additionally, it establishes a solid cinematic groundwork for future investigations into the social context of this era. This story reveals a concealed crisis of survival within a seemingly peaceful social setting, bringing together protagonists with diverse personalities. This paper employs discourse analysis and audio-visual language analysis research methods to examine the impact of character truths on Chinese films from the 1990s. Using the film Farewell My Concubine as an example, the research reveals the personality truths through each persons unique and profound character truth.

The Influence of the Truth of the Characters on Chinese Films in the 1990s: A Case Study of Farewell My Concubine

The 1990s represent a unique period in Chinese history, during which the characters real-life experiences have a significant impact on both the audience's perception of the characters and their aesthetics, debate and criticism of social reality, and, to some extent, the long-term trajectory of Chinese cinema. This period coincides with the release of Farewell My Concubine in this decade. Under the special background of the times, it tells the story of Duan Xiaolou and Cheng Dieyi. The story, featuring a diverse cast of characters from various social classes, can be regarded as a compilation of humanistic traditions in the 1990s. It encompasses critiques of feudalism, social turmoil, the struggle for survival, and a compassionate exploration of human nature. Additionally, it establishes a solid cinematic groundwork for future investigations into the social context of this era. This story reveals a concealed crisis of survival within a seemingly peaceful social setting, bringing together protagonists with diverse personalities. This paper employs discourse analysis and audio-visual language analysis research methods to examine the impact of character truths on Chinese films from the 1990s. Using the film Farewell My Concubine as an example, the research reveals the personality truths through each persons unique and profound character truth.

Analysis of the Teaching of Ancient Chinese History in the Heritage Conservation Technology Major

Ancient Chinese history is an important part of the curriculum of the Heritage Conservation Technology major. Students can better understand the history of cultural relics and improve their humanistic literacy, which will help them in restoring cultural relics. At present, there are numerous challenges in teaching ancient Chinese history in the Heritage Conservation Technology major. These challenges necessitate the development of effective teaching reform strategies. This paper outlines these challenges and explores effective teaching reform strategies to provide a reference for educators.

Study on the Activation Strategy of Historical and Cultural Blocks from the Perspective of Smart Cultural Tourism—A Case Study of the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys in Fuzhou City, China

In recent years, as living standards have improved, there has been an increasing demand for spiritual fulfillment. New leisure activities such as visiting exhibitions and urban exploration, as well as immersive tourism, are replacing traditional sightseeing tours. As lifestyles change, so do people’s consumption habits. Located in Fuzhou City, Three Lanes and Seven Alleys is known as “Manchu Architecture Museum” and “half of modern Chinese history”. In the digital age, Three Lanes and Seven Alleys keeps up with the wave of smart cultural travel. Through “Cuocuo Youyu” Mini Program, media facilities in the museum, it uses scientific and technological means to achieve multi-connectivity and enhance tourists’ sense of experience and interactive participation in visiting historical blocks. This paper starts with an analysis of the current digital development status and existing challenges faced by Three Lanes and Seven Alleys before delving into a study of strategies for activating this historical area.

Buddhist Translation Practices in Medieval China: The Case of the Buddhacarita by Laura Lettere (review)

Buddhist Translation Practices in Medieval China: The Case of the Buddhacarita by Laura Lettere (review)

More Than Curing the Sick: A Re-Examination of Medicine Buddha Worship in Medieval China

Abstract: The study questions and challenges the dichotomous approach that associates the worship of Medicine Buddha solely with the worldly benefits of the living, thereby neglecting its relevance to the concerns related to the deceased. The research investigates medieval devotees’ religious activities dedicated to this divinity, focusing on the Sui (581–618) and the Tang (618–907) dynasties when such devotion gained increasing popularity in China. It reveals that medieval veneration dedicated to Medicine Buddha transcended the presumed dichotomy, encompassing the well-being of both the living and the dead. This finding underscores the importance of moving beyond the limited perception. Instead of adopting the simplistic label of a “healing divinity,” contextualizing the worship within its broader religious milieu can better capture its full complexity. By extension, the research paves the way for reconsidering the conventional classification that assigns relatively fixed symbolic values to Buddhist deities, which contributes to a more thorough and nuanced understanding of religious practices and beliefs.

The Integration of Anti-Foot-Binding Movement and Feminism: History, Present and Future

This paper delves into the development and significance of the anti-foot-binding movement. By systematically reviewing historical documents and existing research, it provides a comprehensive overview of the historical background, current status, and its embodiment in feminism. The anti-foot-binding movement was a significant social reform in Chinese history. It was not only a resolute resistance against feudal customs but also a crucial manifestation of feminist consciousness awakening and the fight for women’s rights and interests. The research found that the movement embodied women’s pursuit of bodily autonomy, resistance to social injustices, and the redefinition of their own value and social status. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the profound impact of the anti-foot-binding movement on the development of feminism, thereby providing reference and guidance for future research. By studying this historical movement, we can better understand the arduous journey of women’s liberation in China and draw lessons and experiences that can support and enhance the protection of women’s rights today.

The Impact of Urbanization on Industrial Transformation and Upgrading: Evidence from Early 20th Century China

Urbanization is key to advancing national modernization and regional socioeconomic sustainable development. This paper empirically investigates the impact of urbanization on industrial transformation and upgrading in early 20th-century China, based on historical data from the initial stages of China’s economic development. We utilized industrial and commercial data from China spanning 1910 to 1927 to construct a fixed-effect model, incorporating instrumental variables to ascertain the causal relationship between urbanization and industrial transformation and upgrading. Additionally, this study tested the hypotheses concerning the effects of human capital and transportation scale, which are identified as the primary channels influencing this relationship. Our findings reveal that (1) the development of urbanization in modern China has significantly promoted industrial transformation and upgrading, and this conclusion remains valid under various robustness tests and the examination of instrumental variables. (2) The improvement in urbanization levels has a more obvious promoting effect on secondary industry, commercial enterprises, and small and medium-sized enterprises, and the positive effect of urbanization on industrial transformation and upgrading is most prominent in the eastern region. (3) Modern Chinese urbanization promoted industrial transformation and upgrading by improving the level of human capital and expanding the scale of transportation. This paper provides historical empirical evidence to study the current social urbanization and industrial policy formulation.

A Comparative Analysis of Foreign Perspectives on Tang Dynasty Narratives: Examining History of Imperial China and A History of China

History of Imperial China, published by Harvard University Press in the United States, and A History of China, published by Kodansha in Japan, are significant works on Chinese general history abroad. Due to differing perspectives and temporal and spatial contexts, these works exhibit distinct narrative styles and characteristics for the same historical period. This article compares the narrative variances between the Tang History Volume of History of Imperial China and A History of China, aiming to elucidate the underlying reasons for such disparities. Analysis reveals that the primary distinction between these two historical works lies in their overarching focus: while History of Imperial China adopts a global perspective, examining the evolution of China's imperial system, the volume China's Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty (History of Imperial China, Vol. III) delves into the shifts and adaptations of the Chinese imperial system during the Tang Dynasty. Conversely, each volume of A History of China boasts unique attributes, with Brilliant World Empires: The Sui and Tang Dynasties (A History of China, Vol. VI) adopting an East Asian perspective to scrutinize the Tang Dynasty's impact as a global empire. This article posits that the disparities in overall structure and specific content between the two works stem from several factors, including publishing objectives and target audiences, the scholarly traditions of Chinese history research in the United States and Japan, the historical relationship between respective countries and China during the Tang Dynasty, as well as the research fields and propositions of the authors.

The Indigenization Strategies of Catholic Painting in Early 20th Century China

The spread of Christianity to China initiated a process of indigenization, particularly evident in Christian art. This study explores the indigenization of early 20th-century Chinese Christian paintings through literature reviews, case studies, and comparative research. The analysis covers four forms of primary research. First, it explores the indigenization of Christian concepts, tracing their development from the introduction of Nestorian Christianity in the Tang dynasty through the establishment of Fu Jen Catholic University in the Republican era. Matteo Ricci’s implementation of the “Ricci Rule” during the late Ming dynasty, subsequently expanded by Celso Costantini, played a crucial role in the indigenous adaptation of Christian painting in China. The second facet focuses on the Beijing Catholic School of Painting, led by Chen Yuandu, a group that innovated Chinese Christian art by integrating local artistic expressions with traditional depictions of saints, assimilating symbols from Chinese literati painting, and preserving time-honored Chinese painting techniques. The third facet examines the strategy behind Christian painting methods. Fourth, this study discusses how the Fu Jen School faced varied reception and evaluations from domestic and international audiences under the complex social currents of the Republic of China and how the artists reflected the national spirit and artistic responsibility in their narrative paintings. Fundamentally, the practice of Christian painting at the early 20th-century Catholic School is not only an innovative artistic endeavor but also a significant case of cultural exchange between East and West and religious localization.

On the Educational Significance of Historical Textbooks for Adolescents' Ideological Consciousness, and Their Impact on Sino-Japanese Relations — Taking the Changes in Narrations on the War of Resistance against Japan in Chinese and Japanese History Textbooks as an Example

Significant disparities exist in the narratives of the Sino-Japanese War (1931-1945) as presented in Chinese and Japanese history textbooks. Both countries, influenced by their unique political, economic, and cultural stances, have made diverse revisions to their history textbooks at different times. This paper compares narrative changes in the history textbooks of both countries, contending that textbook revisions aim to shape adolescents' ideological consciousness and historical perspectives, influencing their political socialization tendencies and behaviors. As Japan refashions its historical textbooks, it impedes the young generation's ability to glean insights from history, potentially cultivating a cohort characterized by unwarranted arrogance yet lacking a sense of responsibility. The ongoing discourse surrounding historical textbooks consistently rekindles poignant memories among the Chinese populace, instilling fears of Japan repeating the errors of militarism and consequently, fortifying the younger generation's recollection of a humiliating past. China and Japan, not only wielding significant influence on regional security in East Asia but also playing pivotal roles in global peace and stability, should embrace equitable and amicable exchanges. Such exchanges can foster increased mutual trust and reciprocal benefits, representing the appropriate path for China and Japan, nations separated by a narrow body of water with a longstanding history of friendship.

Medical related content in Macao Newsprint in the Late Qing Dynasty

Macao Newsprint, which was an important tool for Lin Zexu to get acquainted with foreign affairs, was the first translated newspaper in Chinese history. The translation and compilation of news information related to Western medicine in Macao Newsprint was an active attempt by Chinese people to open their eyes to Western medicine. The two pieces of news related to Western medicine in Macao Newsprint, which presented the medical ethics, medical skills and doctor-patient relationship in the Western medicine, are precious historical materials on the exchange of Chinese and Western medicine. The expressions in the two pieces of translated news in which the foreigners might have praised their own medicine had a certain influence on the medical views of the late Qing scholars represented by Lin Zexu, and thus had a positive impact on the dissemination of Western medicine in China.

Transliteration in Chinese-to-English Translation from the Perspective of Xuanzang's "Five Principles of Non-Translation"

Xuanzang, a renowned translator of Buddhist scriptures in ancient Chinese history, advocated the use of transliteration in his translation theory, which is primarily reflected in his "Five Principles of Non-Translation". These principles primarily apply to five aspects: mysterious terms, polysemous words, borrowed words, conventionally translated terms, and special Buddhist terminology. This article delves into the transliteration methods employed in translating Chinese to other languages, drawing on the "Five Principles of Non-Translation". It examines the essence of this theory and its contemporary feasibility, highlighting the value of Xuanzang's principles.

Элементы китайской грамматики в современном японском языке

For centuries, Japan existed on the periphery of Chinese civilization, acquiring a substantial arsenal of linguistic tools from Chinese grammar in the process of using of Kambun (漢文) and Sorobun (候文). This article examines the intrinsic properties of Kango (漢語), connecting them to Chinese grammar, the grammatical structure of Kango, their functional-semantic classes, and certain features of proto-Chinese phraseological compounds (成語・四字熟語), which are intimately linked not only with Chinese characters and grammar but also with Chinese aesthetics, history, and culture. In the Japanese language, the constituent elements of Kango retain their original functional-semantic properties; their functioning in modern Japanese generally adheres to the rules of Chinese grammar.

The Studies of the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Cultures of Southern Siberia by Chinese Archaeologists in the First Half of the 20<sup>th</sup> Century

Purpose. The article present the study of the cultures of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages in Southern Siberia by Chinese archaeologists in the first half of the 20th century and gives historiographical review of this study. The date of liberation, namely 1949, is an obvious chronological reference point for Chinese history and for the scientific development of China as well. But as for studying of Siberian cultures of Bronze and Early Iron ages in the 1950s, Chinese archaeologists simply continued previous tendencies. During this decade there was a quantitative increase in publications and even the first direct contacts were made, but external political obstacles prevented the transition of research to a higher level of quality.Results. We can state now that only the materials of Yinxu at Anyang were used by Chinese scholars for comparative analysis with Bronze Age finds from Southern Siberia. Consequently, in our investigation we address the period from 1920s to 1950s as one historiographical stage.Conclusion Nevertheless, it was in the 1950s that the foundation was laid for the subsequent rapid growth of scientific interaction in the field of archeology in general and in the study of the paleometal age of Southern Siberia in particular. The period of active research began in the late 1970s and early 1980s and continues to the present day.

Study on the Development Status and Prospects of Public History in Contemporary China

Public history is a combination of traditional historiography popularization, in which many topics related to social practice may arise. Public history is beneficial for improving the knowledge level of the general public. The United States was the first to begin the study of public history, and then public history was introduced to China. The development of Chinese public history is reflected in various film and television historiography, and has been integrated into the daily lives of the general public. The development of contemporary Chinese public history is also reflected in museum historical architecture and folk genealogy. The main reason for the rise of Chinese historiography is that the general public has increasingly high demands for spiritual nourishment, and there are more and more educated people. Public history has gained a lot of attention in this environment. The dissemination of works that combine many historical themes has aroused strong interest among the public. After two launches of public history in China, public history experienced an outbreak in the second round. The government and the public paid more attention to topics related to public history, which made the development of public history more prosperous.

How culture shapes Chinese teacher’s compassionate love

ABSTRACT Background Love could play a role in motivating teachers to help students and is closely related to students’ achievement and prosocial behaviour. Though influenced by culture, teachers’ love is not adequately studied. Purpose This study explores how Chinese teachers’ compassionate love is expressed and how situational factors such as Chinese culture and history influence or motivate teachers to perceive and express compassionate love for students. Method This study adopted a qualitative approach of narrative study by describing and investigating the experience of a Chinese middle school teacher and two middle school students and their parents during COVID-19 pandemic. Findings Chinese teacher’s compassionate love demonstrates some universal features in terms of emotional response, cognitive understanding and behaviour. Furthermore some Chinese culture-related features are also found: Chinese teachers behave in a caring and supporting way at the cost of sacrificing their own free time and comfort; an enduring long-term teacher-student relationship is valued; the Chinese culture encourages, sustains and motivates Chinese teacher’s compassionate love. Discussion Teacher’s compassionate love is a multi-dimensional concept entailing some universal traits in cognition, emotion and behaviour. The perception and enactment of teacher’s love is subject to situational factors. Some measures for compassionate love could be built into teacher’s education programme.

Study on the Historical Development of Folk Songs in Shanbei

Northern Shanbei folk songs are famous traditional music in China. This study focuses on the origin and historical development of northern Shanbei folk songs, as well as its characteristics and ways of expression. The origin and development of northern Shanbei folk songs have not only incorporated ancient farming culture and theatre traditions, but also combined them with modern music to form a unique musical style and mode of expression. This has made northern Shanbei folk songs retain their ancient characteristics in their inheritance, while also advancing with the times and adapting to the needs of modern society. As an important part of Chinese folk songs, northern Shanbei folk songs are of great significance to the study of Chinese music culture and social history.