Asian Cultures Research Articles

Bungen—An East Asian Philosophy of Culture in Terms of Intercultural Interactions and a Reinterpretation of Watsuji’s Concept of Aidagara

Influenced by Hegel, modern Chinese philosophers (e.g., Mou Zong-San, Lao Sze-Kwang, etc.) and Japanese philosophers (e.g., Nishida Kitaro) were inclined to narrate Chinese or Japanese culture in terms of the Hegelian concept of ‘spirit’. Nevertheless, the Hegelian philosophy of culture assumes the existence of an unchangeable cultural spirit and was therefore criticised by Watsuji Tetsuro. Watsuji denies the existence of an unchangeable cultural spirit and argues that cultures arise from the aidagara (interactions) between Ningen (human society) and Fudo (nature). Yet Watsuji’s narration of culture overemphasised the aidagara between Ningen and Fudo but disregarded that culture may also arise from the aidagara among cultures. Therefore, by reinterpreting Watsuji’s concept of aidagara, this paper proposes the concept of Bungen to explain the formation of cultures in terms of intercultural interactions and therefore highlight the diversity of East Asian cultures.

Unveiling the hidden diversity of Ganoderma (Ganodermataceae, Polyporales) in Sri Lanka: the first report of G. angustisporum, G. ellipsoideum, and G. orbiforme

ABSTRACT The genus Ganoderma holds profound importance in traditional medicine and modern scientific research. It is renowned for its medicinal properties and ecological significance, particularly in East Asian cultures, which have been revered for centuries. This mushroom has garnered significant attention in recent decades due to its ethnomedicinal use. The importance of Ganoderma genus in traditional medicine and scientific research cannot be overstated. Furthermore, extensive research has been conducted worldwide on the taxonomy and nomenclature of this fungus, although it remains controversial. However, research into the diversity and characterisation of Ganoderma species in Sri Lanka has been relatively limited, and the species diversity of Ganoderma is still not well known. Hence, we collected and identified Ganoderma species in the Sabaragamuwa and Western Provinces, Sri Lanka, aiming to increase research interest in this important mushroom genus. The collected specimens were identified based on comprehensive morphological analyses and rDNA-ITS sequence-based phylogeny. Three Ganoderma species, Ganoderma angustisporum J.H. Xing, B.K. Cui & Y.C. Dai, G. ellipsoideum Hapuar., T.C. Wen & K.D. Hyde, and G. orbiforme (Fr.) Ryvarden were identified in Sri Lanka for the first time. Additionally, a fungicolous strain of Trichoderma atroviride P. Karst. associated with the basidiocarps of G. angustisporum was identified for the first time.

Rice and its nutritional significance

Rice is a staple food for millions of populations in the world and originated from a wild grass to a crop. The Asian civilization was built on rice. The rice cultivation changed the lives of hunters into farmers. The domestication of rice in India dates back to the 7th millennium BC. Due to industrialization, the traditional practice of hand pounding was overtaken by rice processing mills, which led to the production of white polished rice, devoid of many nutrients. Studies confirmed that higher consumption of white rice increased the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, high in India. In the current scenario, the disease prevalence is increasing, and customers are in search of nutritious foods with potential health benefits. This paper outlines the origin of rice and its nutritional value.

Morality through the lens of Confucian heritage countries: collective self variations and moral worldviews.

The issue of Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) samples dominating research has been ongoing for decades, and now the emerging trend is to turn to theoretical perspectives from the Majority World. Adopting Western-centric methods based on reductionism can overlook important details and differences between similar cultures, particularly in East Asian cultures, where the Confucian values of relational harmony take many forms. We discuss a novel theoretical perspective on moral constitutions in Confucian heritage cultures. Our central tenet is that divergent moral concepts and ideals are present in Confucian cultures because each culture emphasizes a specific pillar and the self is situated differently in the social relationships that define the scope of interpersonal moral obligations. We consider three Confucian countries: China, Japan, and South Korea as examples. Despite geographical proximity and conventional categorization in cultural psychology, each Confucian country manifests distinct patterns of the self, moral ideals, and behavior in socio-moral contexts. To understand how and why moral worldviews vary within a region, we need to examine how the self in socio-cultural contexts differs and guides interpersonal norms and behaviors across sociocultural contexts. We conclude this paper by offering methodological recommendations for including indigenous moral concepts outside the WEIRD context.

The role of bicultural stress and shame on the well-being of South Asian college students in the United States.

South Asian U.S. college students experience socialization from South Asian cultures they grew up with and White culture outside the South Asian community. The present study considers that the ways of navigating two conflicting cultures and experiences of shame are associated with anxiety and life satisfaction among South Asian U.S. college students. An anonymous survey, distributed to 271 South Asian students (mean age = 22, 38.2% male, 59.2% female, 2.3% nonbinary), quantitively assessed how bicultural stress and shame are related to anxiety and life satisfaction. Open-ended questions asked students to describe experiences of bicultural identity stressors and shame. Survey results indicated bicultural stress and shame as predictors of anxiety and lower life satisfaction. Thematic analysis of open-ended question responses revealed experienced stressors related to academics, finances, family expectations, and fitting in. Shame experiences were tied to bicultural stress and family and self-imposed expectations of participants. There is a need to further investigate the relationships found in the present study and explore ways to support South Asian students experiencing bicultural stress and shame. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparative Approach to Explaining Gender Disparities in Asian American and Asian Canadian Politics

In 2020, Asian Americans were the least descriptively represented at all levels of elected office compared to whites, Blacks, and Latinos (Sedique, Bhojwani, and Lee 2020). In this context, Asian women lagged behind Asian men in holding local-level positions, yet they surpassed Asian men in holding federal and statewide offices, and they led 81% of state- and local-level Asian civil rights organizations (AAPI Power Fund 2020; Reflective Democracy Campaign 2021). Do gender disparities in Asian American political representation arise because Asian women are less likely to run for office than Asian men, or because they are less likely to win elections? Do these disparities vary across levels of office? And are they unique to Asian Americans?

Empowering voices, shaping futures: digital storytelling for sustainable transformation

Digital storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool for advocating sustainability and driving social change, particularly in the diverse and rapidly developing context of Asia. This paper explores the transformative potential of digital storytelling in promoting sustainable practices across the region. By analyzing successful campaigns and case studies, the research examines how various storytelling formats and platforms effectively engage audiences, raise awareness of critical sustainability issues—such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss—and inspire action towards positive change. The study delves into the capacity of digital storytelling to amplify marginalized voices, foster empathy, and mobilize collective action. It investigates the crafting of narratives that resonate with diverse Asian cultures, effectively communicate complex issues, and motivate behavior change. The role of local communities and indigenous knowledge in shaping authentic and relevant narratives is also explored, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and cultural sensitivity. Additionally, the paper addresses ethical considerations and challenges associated with digital storytelling for advocacy. It emphasizes responsible and inclusive storytelling practices that empower communities while safeguarding participants' rights and well-being. By providing insights into effective strategies and ethical guidelines, this research equips communicators and changemakers with the tools to harness the power of digital storytelling for a more sustainable future in Asia.

Revisiting Naomichi Ishige and the development of Asian food culture studies in Japan

Revisiting Naomichi Ishige and the development of Asian food culture studies in Japan

Contextual disparities of “happiness” in Korean and Chinese: A quantitative analysis of “행복” and “幸福”

This study investigates the contextual disparities in the meanings of the Korean Hanja word “행복 [hɛŋbok]” and the Chinese Hanzi word “幸福 [ɕiŋ51 fu35],” both conceptualized similarly to “happiness” in English. Utilizing computational linguistics methodologies, we analyzed 192,249 instances of “행복” from the Modu Corpus and 324,585 instances of “幸福” from the CCL Corpus, employing collocation, bi-gram, and tri-gram techniques. Our analysis reveals that these words embody distinct cultural, social, and political dimensions in their respective contexts. Korean usage of “행복” shows a strong association with community well-being, social infrastructure, and educational development. Frequently co-occurring terms include “가족” (family), “교육” (education), and “사회” (society), reflecting deep-rooted Confucian values. Conversely, Chinese usage of “幸福” emphasizes national prosperity, collective harmony, and individual life quality. Common collocates include “国家” (country), “人民” (people), and “生活” (life), influenced by traditional philosophies and modern political ideologies. The research highlights significant differences in how happiness is conceptualized in relation to government policies. Korean contexts focus on specific quality-of-life improvements, evident in phrases like “행복 주택” (happiness housing) and “행복 도시” (happiness city). Chinese contexts stress the link between national development and individual well-being, as seen in expressions like “人民幸福” (people’s happiness) and “幸福生活” (happy life). These findings underscore the complex interplay between personal fulfillment and social responsibility in East Asian cultures. Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of computational linguistics in analyzing complex cultural concepts, while also revealing limitations in capturing individual subjective experiences. It contributes to contrastive lexicography between Korean and Chinese, offering insights for cross-cultural communication and policymaking in social well-being initiatives.

Can Asian Communicators Think ? Asiacentricity as a Paradigm for Decolonizing the Asian Mind

Asiacentricity is the thought and practice of centering Asians as subjects and agents and Asian cultures as reflective resources in seeing and shaping the Asian world. This article contends that decolonizing the Asian mind is a key for the Asian future, and that the Asiacentric idea can play an important role in this decolonization process. The article divides the definition of Asiacentricity into three parts and then relates each part to the possible future developments of the sadharanikaran model of communication. The article especially sheds light on Asiacentricity as a decoloinal paradigm for intercultural equality and mutuality, which demands that we know our own culture, have the mindset of embracing the best of our culture, and learn how to talk about our culture in relation to another. The present article concludes that to theorize communication is to theorize humanity, while to theorize humanity is to theorize culture.

Postural and spinal stability analysis for different floor sitting styles

In contrast to Western countries, traditional floor-seating cultures are prevalent in Korea, Japan, the Middle East, and Africa, where sitting on the floor in static positions such as squatting, kneeling, or sitting cross-legged is common. Most studies on sitting posture have predominantly focused on chair sitting in Western cultures, resulting in a cultural bias. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different cushion types (floor and traditional cushions of 3-cm, 5-cm, and 8-cm thickness) and seating postures (cross-legged, mother's leg, and kneeling) on measures of postural stability, trunk muscle activity, rotational spinal stability, and subjective postural stability in an Asian population. Forty right-hand and right-foot-dominant volunteers who did not experience activity-limiting back pain in the past 12 months were recruited. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) and ANOVA with a repeated-measures design were employed to assess the within-subject effects of the cushion type and seating posture. An alpha value of 0.05 was set for statistical significance. The results of this study suggest that preventing lordosis posture, seating on the floor, and maintaining a kneeling posture may reduce the loss of balance and trunk muscle fatigue. These results emphasize the need for additional ergonomic studies that focus on the seating traditions of Asian cultures.

DSM-5 BPD and ICD-11 complex PTSD: Co-occurrence and associated factors among treatment seekers in Hong Kong

There is an ongoing debate regarding whether ICD-11 complex PTSD and DSM-5 borderline personality disorder (BPD) are the same syndrome. Little is known about the extent to which these two conditions overlap and whether they exhibit distinct clinical correlates in Asian cultures. This study examined the co-occurrence of ICD-11 complex PTSD and DSM-5 BPD in a sample of treatment seekers in Hong Kong (N = 220). Participants completed validated self-report measures which assessed if they met the respective diagnostic criteria. In this sample, 30.9 % met the ICD-11 criteria for complex PTSD only, 10.0 % met the DSM-5 criteria for BPD only, and 28.2 % met the criteria for both conditions. Complex PTSD symptoms were most strongly associated with depressive symptoms (β =.347, p <.001) and trauma-related maladaptive beliefs (β =.337, p <.001), while BPD symptoms were most strongly associated with dissociative symptoms (β =.281, p <.001). This study is the first to show that ICD-11 complex PTSD and DSM-5 BPD commonly co-occurred but were not the same construct in the Asian context, and their symptoms were associated with different sets of demographic and clinical factors. Future editions of DSM and ICD should not merge the two conditions into a single diagnosis.

Self-Efficacy and Life Satisfaction in Adolescence: Testing the Presumed Role of Individualism–Collectivism

Previous studies suggest a positive association between self-efficacy and subjective well-being. However, these investigations depend on the dichotomy between East Asian and Western cultures, often without directly examining the influence of cultural orientation. This raises questions: How do the psychological benefits of adolescent self-efficacy vary across countries, and to what extent does this variance relate to countries’ cultural orientations? To address these questions, the current study analyzed a sample of 15-year-old students across 66 countries ( N = 427,584) drawn from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data. As expected, we found that higher self-efficacy was related to better life satisfaction among adolescents in every country studied. Notably, the beneficial role of self-efficacy varies based on cultural context: The relationship between self-efficacy and adolescent life satisfaction is stronger in individualistic than collectivistic countries. These findings suggest that cultural environment is important for understanding adolescent social-psychological well-being and potentially offer broader implications for global mental health initiatives.

Different variations from the same origin-- An exploration of contemporary lacquer art creation from the perspective of East Asian culture

Different variations from the same origin-- An exploration of contemporary lacquer art creation from the perspective of East Asian culture

The Fusion and Influence of East Asian and Western Food Culture

In recent decades, the culinary industry has experienced a significant fusion of East Asian and Western culinary cultures, creating innovative dishes that integrate traditional ingredients and cooking techniques from both regions. This cross-cultural exchange is becoming increasingly common in restaurants, homes, and culinary schools around the world, driven by globalization. East Asian cuisine is renowned for its fresh ingredients, balanced flavors, and beautiful displays, attracting Western audiences. The diverse flavors and abundant ingredients of Western cuisine also inspire East Asian chefs. The resulting fusion has led to popular culinary trends. This interaction has also led to new culinary innovations and dining experiences like the integration of food creation. In addition to professional kitchens, this exchange has also influenced home cooking driven by media and food blogs, and has impacted the food industry, with a growing demand for cross-cultural ingredients and products. The integration of East Asian and Western culinary cultures has enriched the global culinary landscape, broadened the tastes of food enthusiasts, and enhanced people's appreciation of diverse culinary traditions, and continued globalization may continue to change these culinary experiences.

Culture-Specific Norms Regarding High-Quality Use of Task Potential for Mathematical Learning—Contrasting Researchers’ Perspectives from Germany and Taiwan

Factors like the potential of tasks to support students’ mathematical learning and its use in instruction are consensually understood to be relevant for instructional quality across cultural contexts. Yet, research has also shown that perspectives on instructional quality may vary between cultural contexts. As an explanation, it is argued that such perspectives depend on instructional norms, which correspond to the expected behavior in instruction within a cultural context. Notably, research contrasting mathematics instruction from East Asian and Western cultures hints at potentially different instructional norms regarding high-quality use of task potential, but systematic evidence is lacking so far. This study addresses this gap and uses three text vignettes of instructional situations to systematically elicit and contrast instructional norms regarding the use of word problems for mathematical learning. Researchers from Germany (N = 17) and Taiwan (N = 19) evaluated the use of tasks in various instructional situations in an online survey, and their answers were qualitatively analyzed to determine possible culture-specific norms based on their reasoning. In two of the three cases, culture-specific norms in line with assumptions could be identified. In the third case, researchers in both countries referred to an interculturally shared instructional norm. Differences between the reasoning in answers from Germany and Taiwan indicate further cultural influences in line with assumptions based on prior research. We discuss the findings and their implications for the validity of intercultural research in mathematics education.

Conversations and confusions: ethnic and racial identity exploration in a high school asian culture club

ABSTRACT This study investigates the identity exploration of Asian American students in an Asian Culture Club (ACC) at a predominantly white high school in Atlanta, Georgia. While past work focuses on similar ethnic student clubs, this study uniquely documents the processes of identity and community construction. Using participant observations and in-depth interviews, I show that student members of ACC explore and co-construct a panethnic Asian identity while downplaying ethnic boundaries. ACC serves as a community and connect student members to the broader Asian American community in the city and beyond. As the club later transitions into Asian Student Union, the students’ shared panethnic attachment and co-constructed community will now serve as the ground for future panethnic solidarity. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

A Pathway to Positive Youth Development: Unpacking the Asian American Youth Paradox and Cultural Orientations among Filipino American and Korean American Youth.

This study used longitudinal survey data of Filipino American and Korean American youth in the Chicago Metropolitan area (N = 786, MAGE = 15.00, SD = 1.91 at Wave 1 in 2014) to examine whether and how a set of organized predictors (i.e., universal predictors of youth outcomes and cultural orientations) independently and collectively explains internalizing and externalizing problems and academic performance. The results were that universal predictors such as youth antisocial beliefs, peer antisocial behaviors, and the quality of parent-child relations, were extensively predictive of youth outcomes in the expected directions. The magnitudes of universal predictors were largely unchanged when bilinear and multidimensional cultural orientation variables were accounted for together. The magnitudes of cultural orientation variables were slightly attenuated in full models but showed independent associations with youth outcomes. Specifically, English and heritage language proficiencies were protective of externalizing and internalizing problems. Behavioral practices in respective cultures increased youth problems. In addition, ethnic identity, although beneficial to mental health, can increase externalizing problems. The findings of this study provide insights into understanding the mixed outcomes among Asian Americans and important empirical evidence that can inform intervention programs to prevent youth problems, ultimately toward a pathway to positive youth development among Asian American youth.

Book Review: Educational Leadership and Asian Culture: Culturally Sensitive Leadership Practice by Peng Liu and Lei Mee Thien

Book Review: <i>Educational Leadership and Asian Culture: Culturally Sensitive Leadership Practice</i> by Peng Liu and Lei Mee Thien

The Ties and Contacts between Ancient Mongolian Nomads and other Asian Civilizations

Abstract History is the study of people– specifically how people existed, lived, thought, and created in the past. It is very interesting to study how our ancestors, the nomadic Mongolians, lived on this land and the origin of our great grandparents for generations. Most of the time, people have been interested in the origin of their ancestors since ancient times, and they have explained it mostly through myths and religious views. The Mongolian plateau has been a home to nomads throughout its history. Mongolia is a heartland of nomadic empires that are famous not only in the steppes of Europe and Asia but also in the world. The large river basins and steppes of Mongolia are ideal areas for nomadic livestock farming, and the nomads who conquered these areas became a dominant force in the Eurasian steppes. Therefore, the history of the ancient states of Mongolia is the history of the empires that dominated the Eurasian plains. Scientists and researchers have proved that many states established by nomads existed on Mongolian territory and left a deep and undeniable trace on the history of Mongolia as well as the history of the world. They have done research on the topic from different perspectives which based on the specific theories. This research is based on the qualitative method. In this article, I will examine how the ancient nomadic civilization of Mongolia connected with some Asian civilizations.