Chinese Books Research Articles

Reading and Writing Research Based on Surname Group

This study examines the influence of surname on academic performance in higher education. It includes an in-depth analysis of comprehensive book circulation data from the library of Nanjing Normal University, covering the period from 2012 to 2023. The study uses Kendall coefficients to assess the consistency in book circulation and renewal among the top 300 surnames of readers, employs multidimensional scaling analysis to identify differences or similarities between categorical variables through direct distance assessment, uses chi-square tests to measure the correlation between surnames above and below the mean line and various categorical variables, and conducts survival analysis to examine circulation activities related to the top 300 surnames. Results are interpreted in the context of female-dominated education and teacher preparation. The results reveal a consistent pattern in the 12-year borrowing and renewal habits of the top 300 surnames of readers. A hierachical mismatch between the reader, book category, and author reflects complex reading interests beyond academic authority. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, readers with surnames above the average have shown less interest in using the book renewal service. The borrowing and renewal activity for the disappeared surnames changed within two years for foreign language books and six years for Chinese books.

Polar Contradictions: China’s Dialectical Thinking About the Arctic

ABSTRACT Using China’s seemingly contradictory positions on the Arctic as a starting point, this article examines China’s official and academic Arctic discourses. This paper proposes that China’s apparently contradictory positions in the Arctic region are the result of the dialectical resolution of discursive tensions. Using an original dataset of over one thousand Chinese academic articles and books, together with China’s official statements, this article presents China’s Arctic policy discourse as a polyphonic landscape where diverse opinions and ideas compete within a discursive field. The research proposes that by utilising dialectical thinking, China is able to seek a middle ground between conflict and cooperation, between the near-Arctic state and stakeholder identities and between resource development and environmental protection. China also aims to preserve the status quo while striving to reform Arctic governance.

An Unexpected Descendant of Benjamin Hobson’s Chinese Treatise on Natural Philosophy: The Bowu Xinbian Tushuo (‘Illustrated Account of Natural Philosophy’, 1898)

Abstract The English medical missionary Benjamin Hobson (1816-1873) published one of his well known Chinese books, the Bowu Xinbian (‘Natural Philosophy’), in Canton in 1854. Over forty years later, Chen Xiutang produced a lesser known book in Shanghai, the Bowu Xinbian Tushuo (‘Illustrated Account of Natural Philosophy’, 1898). Both books contributed to the circulation of Western natural knowledge in Chinese society. Yet their relationship and the content of Chen’s book have never been explored. A comparative analysis of the two books reveals that the third part of Hobson’s book, authored by both Hobson and Chen, provided the basis of Chen’s own book. The removal of Chen’s name from the second edition of Hobson's book probably served as a major cause behind the publication of Chen’s book.

Book cluster: a new approach to explore the evolution of knowledge organization in ancient China

Abstract Chinese ancient book catalogs have persisted for over two millennia, serving as ancient knowledge organization systems and cultural heritage of great academic value. This article introduces the concept of “book cluster,” a novel approach to studying catalog classification evolution, offering a meso-level perspective that bridges books and categories. Drawing from computational methods, we identify clusters of books with similar categorization trajectories, enabling more efficient and intuitive exploration of knowledge organization trends. We review existing research on catalog classification, highlighting the traditional qualitative analysis and emerging computational methods. We then present our data source and processing methods. The concept of book cluster is defined, along with the algorithm for cluster identification and feature extraction. A case study demonstrates the potential of the book cluster concept in analyzing classification changes and knowledge inheritance. Additionally, we introduce an online analytical platform for further exploration. Through computational analysis of book clusters, we gain insights into the evolution of ancient book recording, circulation, and academic contexts. Book clusters offer clues about the content of lost books. This research lays the groundwork for future iterations. By pioneering the study of knowledge organization evolution using book clusters, we enhance our understanding of Chinese history's academic culture and knowledge preservation.

Cataloging and the study of ancient Chinese book classification systems

Cataloging and the study of ancient Chinese book classification systems

Systematic analysis of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions provides new insights into drug combination therapy for pox

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe decline in cross-protection provided by the smallpox vaccine increases the risk of infection from other poxviruses. While drug combinations are a promising management, they remain underdeveloped for poxviruses. Prior to the development of the smallpox vaccine, China had long relied on herbal medicine to combat pox and accumulated a wealth of knowledge regarding different herb combinations and symptoms related to pox. The information was documented in the form of prescriptions. Aim of the studyThe extensive data of prescriptions offer the potential for uncovering commonalities underlying these prescriptions, thereby providing valuable insights into the development of drug combinations against pox. Materials and methodsThe 2344 prescriptions were collected from the LTM-TCM database and 12 traditional Chinese medicine books. Firstly, the relative frequency of citation was utilized to identify the most used herbs among these prescriptions. TCMSP and LTM-TCM databases were employed to gather information about active compounds and their targets. GeneCards and DisGeNET databases were utilized to determine the associated targets for smallpox, cowpox, chickenpox, and mpox. Subsequently, network pharmacology analysis was conducted to investigate potential pathway information related to the most used herbs. A comparison of active compounds from these herbs resulted in the identification of 29 high-frequency compounds. The functions of these compounds were elucidated through gene overlap analysis, docking, and literature review. Finally, we summarized pox-related symptoms and used fidelity levels to distinguish specific herbs for corresponding symptoms. ResultsBased on 2344 traditional pox-related prescriptions, we identified 19 most used herbs and 64 associated bio-functional modules for poxvirus treatment, with the most significant one being immunoregulation primarily involving CD4+ regulation. We also identified 29 leads that possess anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties. These herbs and leads hold the potential for pox treatment. Additionally, docking analysis suggested that these leads could inhibit poxvirus DNA synthesis, RNA capping machinery processes, and mature poxvirus particle formation, as well as immunosuppressors. The clinical features of mpox in 2022 were found to align well with our description of symptoms related to the pox. ConclusionThrough the analysis of 2344 prescriptions for pox treatment, we obtained a comprehensive library of the most used herbs and high-frequency compounds, along with their potential functional spectrum. These libraries served as raw resources for drug combination development, while the identified symptom patterns and specific herbs greatly enhanced our insight into diverse treatments for pox patients.

Fighting as a SOLDIER or Guilty as a SINNER? Metaphorical Insights into Early Career Researchers in Chinese Social Media Platform Little Red Book

Fighting as a SOLDIER or Guilty as a SINNER? Metaphorical Insights into Early Career Researchers in Chinese Social Media Platform Little Red Book

Towards a Chinese Fragmentology

Abstract: By problematizing the specific nature of Chinese book production and particularly the nature of Chinese codices, this essay analyses how Chinese printed texts fragmented. Two crucial elements are highlighted: the inner structure of Chinese books favored separate volumes that could become individual fragments at the same time as the printing blocks were often repaired and restored, undergoing a very different form of fragmentation. This requires a different approach to Chinese printed books fragmentology, one that takes those features under consideration.

Aging time improves adhesive performance of handmade starch paste for restoration of ancient Chinese books and its mechanism of action

In the restoration of ancient Chinese books, handmade starch paste serves as a paper adhesive, distinguished from traditional starch paste preparation methods. It involves special processes such as starch washing and aging, relying entirely on the artisanal expertise throughout the entire process. The study recreates the process of making handmade starch paste for the restoration of traditional ancient books and investigates the effects of aging time on the apparent viscosity, rheological properties, and adhesive performance of the paste. The results indicate that during aging, the pH of the starch paste decreases significantly, but it has a minimal impact on its apparent viscosity, rheological properties, and paper softness. However, it notably enhances the adhesive performance, with the optimal results observed after 3 days of aging. This is attributed to the decrease in residual protein content in the starch, as well as the significant improvement in swelling power and solubility of the starch. The results of infrared spectroscopy and XRD testing reveal that there are no significant changes in the molecular and crystalline structures of starch during the aging process. The acidic environment produced by starch fermentation promotes protein hydrolysis, emerging as the primary reason for the improved adhesive performance of the paste.

How Do Social Media Affect Social Appearance Anxiety of Chinese High School StudentsTake Little Red Book for an Example

As technology popularizes and advances by leaps and bounds, social media has become an increasing part of teenagers lives. Social media use can shape mentality and change people's behavior, which may lead to social appearance anxiety. Adolescents are exposed to messages containing certain characteristics when browsing social networks, such as the tendency of people to show their relatively perfect body image on social media, producing low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence issues. Individuals with social appearance anxiety typically hold negative views of their bodies and appearance, and they often try to hide features or body parts that they dislike. Combining with Social Comparison Theory, people tend to compare themselves to other people, including comparing their looks to those celebrities we see on social media platforms. Such a trend is particularly pronounced and on the rise among adolescent females. Drawing on Self-Objectification Theory, the research examines how social media affects the level of Chinese female high school students' social appearance anxiety, using Little Red Book, a common social media used by the Chinese youth population, as an example. The paper uses online case study of self-reports and online questionnaire survey to analyze the present days social appearance anxiety issue among Chinese high school students in the society. The context of this essay includes the cause and effect of social appearance anxiety due to social media; correlation studies and analyses of appearance concerns are relevant to online activities, especially selfies related that receive through social media.

Blue paper on Alzheimer's disease in China(simplified version)

With the population aging in China, the prevalence and mortality rate of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been rising in China. AD has become one of the major threats to people's health and social sustainable development. In order to support the Healthy China Initiative and promote health in China, "Chinese Alzheimer's Disease Blue Book (Simplified Edition)"(refer to as the Blue Book) was compiled by experts and scholars from the National Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University; the National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; the National Health Commission Capacity Building and Continuing Education Center; and the China Population and Development Research Center. The epidemiological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment status, prevention and treatment management of AD and related cognitive disorders in China were systematically reviewed in the Blue Paper, aiming to provide references for the prevention of AD, provide support for the standardized diagnosis and treatment of the disease, and provide a reference for the government to formulate relevant health policies. Specifically, the Blue Book covers the following topics of AD and related cognitive disorders: (1)epidemiology characteristics; (2)economic burden; (3)influencing factors; (4)China Brain Cognitive Health Index; (5) diagnosis status; (6)treatment status; (7)construction of national center for cognitive disorders;(8)community-based prevention and control; (9) AD patients care; (10)public health resources for prevention and control.

Semantic-enhanced graph neural network for named entity recognition in ancient Chinese books

Named entity recognition (NER) plays a crucial role in the extraction and utilization of knowledge of ancient Chinese books. However, the challenges of ancient Chinese NER not only originate from linguistic features such as the use of single characters and short sentences but are also exacerbated by the scarcity of training data. These factors together limit the capability of deep learning models, like BERT-CRF, in capturing the semantic representation of ancient Chinese characters. In this paper, we explore the semantic enhancement of NER in ancient Chinese books through the utilization of external knowledge. We propose a novel model based on Graph Neural Networks that integrates two different forms of external knowledge: dictionary-level and chapter-level information. Through the Graph Attention Mechanism (GAT), these external knowledge are effectively incorporated into the model’s input context. Our model is evaluated on the C_CLUE dataset, showing an improvement of 3.82% over the baseline BAC-CRF model. It also achieves the best score compared to several state-of-the-art dictionary-augmented models.

Examining the author of She Sheng Yao Yi

She Sheng Yao Yi, a medical book on how to keep fit and healthy in the Ming Dynasty, contained a variety of theoretical ideas for doing so from diverse traditional Chinese medicine physicians and had great influence. However, its author has not been identified because the author of this book in Bibliography of Ancient Books of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Bibliography of Ancient Chinese Books is claimed to be different. The authors dates of birth and death also vary in other relevant reference books. This paper examines and identifies the author of this book based on biographies, historical records, dictionaries and other relevant documents, with a view to contributing to the research of medical history literature.

Integrative analyses of metabolome and transcriptome reveal the dynamic accumulation and regulatory network in rhizomes and fruits of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua

BackgroundAccording to Chinese ancient books, both fruits and rhizomes of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua have medicinal and edible values. Up to now, there is no report about the metabolite profiles and regulatory network in fruits and different year-old rhizomes of P. cyrtonema.ResultsIn this study, we performed integrative analyses of metabolome and transcriptome to reveal the dynamic accumulation and regulatory network of fruits and different year-old rhizomes in P. cyrtonema. The relative content of phenolic acids, lignans and coumarins, flavonoids and alkaloids increased with growth years, while steroids and lipids decreased with it. In addition, the relative content of nucleotides and derivatives, flavonoids, organic acids, steroids and lipids in fruits were higher than rhizomes. Genes that might relate to the biosynthesis of polysaccharides, flavonoids, triterpene saponins and alkaloids biosynthesis were further analyzed by transcriptome analysis, including sacA, GMPP, PMM, CCoAOMT, CHI, ANR, CHS, DXS, GGPS, ZEP, CYP72A219 and so on, for their expressions were positively correlated with the relative content of the metabolites. Additionally, the correlation network in sugar and aromatic amino acids metabolites were constructed to further illustrate the biosynthesis of polysaccharides, flavonoids and alkaloids in P. cyrtonema, and some transcription factors (TFs) were screened, such as C2C2, MYB, bZIP, GRAS and NAC.ConclusionsThis study can deepen our understanding of the accumulation patterns and molecular mechanism of the main compounds in P. cyrtonema, and provide reference for the standardize production of P. cyrtonema.

Investigating the potential mechanism and therapeutic effects of SLXG for cholesterol gallstone treatment

BackgroundShugan Lidan Xiaoshi Granules (SLXG) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation frequently employed to prevent and treat cholesterol gallstones. SLXG is formulated based on the Chaihu Shugan Formula found in an ancient Chinese medical book, a traditional remedy in China for centuries, and has demonstrated successful treatment of numerous patients with gallbladder stones. PurposeThis research sought to clarify the therapeutic impact and molecular mechanisms of SLXG and its active components in the treatment of cholesterol gallbladder stones. MethodsThe study employed network pharmacology, UPLC-HRMS transcriptome sequencing, animal model experiments, molecular docking, and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) to explore the molecular mechanisms of SLXG and its relationship with Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) and potential targets. Furthermore, PPI network analysis, along with GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, were performed to explore the potential mechanisms through which SLXG and its active ingredient, naringenin, prevent and treat cholesterol gallstones. The mechanism of action was further elucidated using an animal model for gallbladder stone formation. ResultsThe study employed a network pharmacology and UPLC-HRMS to investigate the active compounds of SLXG for the treatment of cholesterol gallbladder stones, and subsequently constructed a network of therapeutic targets of SLXG. The results from gene enrichment analyses indicated that SLXG targets the metabolic pathway of bile secretion and the cholesterol metabolism pathway in addressing cholesterol gallbladder stones. The molecular docking results confirmed the interaction between the genes enriched in the pathways and the active ingredients in SLXG. Transcriptome sequencing results demonstrated that SLXG exerts its therapeutic effect on gallstones by regulating cholesterol and bile acid synthesis and metabolism. Furthermore, animal model experiments and SPR provided evidence that SLXG and its active ingredient, naringenin, exert therapeutic effects on cholesterol gallbladder stones by targeting the genes HMGCR, SOAT2, and UGT1A1, and influencing substances associated with cholesterol synthesis and metabolism. ConclusionsUsing systematic network pharmacology methods combined with in vivo validation experiments, we uncovered the fundamental pharmacological effects and potential mechanisms of SLXG and its active ingredient, naringenin, in the treatment of cholesterol gallstones. This research underscores the valuable role that traditional remedies can play in addressing medical challenges and suggests a promising direction for further exploration of natural treatments for the disease.

Changes in Rehmanniae Radix processing and their impact on ovarian hypofunction: potential mechanisms of action.

This study evaluates the research developments concerning Rehmanniae Radix in ovarian hypofunction diseases. It explores the processing methods of Rehmanniae Radix, the variations in its compounds before and after processing, the mechanism of Rehmanniae Radix and its active compounds in improving ovarian function, and the advancements in clinical applications of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound that include Rehmanniae Radix. Comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database, National Science and Technology Library, the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, Pubmed, and the Web of Science Database. The search utilized the following Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and keywords: "Rehmanniae Radix," "Drying Rehmannia Root," "Rehmannia glutinosa," "Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata," "Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing," "Pharmacological Effects," "Ovarian Aging," "Diminished ovarian reserve," "Premature ovarian insufficiency," "Premature Ovarian Failure," "Ovarian hypofunction diseases". The ancient Chinese medical books document various processing techniques for Rehmanniae Radix. Contemporary research has identified changes in its compounds processing and the resultant diverse therapeutic effects. When processed into Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, it is noted for its ability to invigorate the kidney. TCM compound containing Rehmanniae Radix is frequently used to treat ovarian hypofunction diseases, demonstrating significant clinical effectiveness. The key changes in its compounds processing include cyclic dilute ether terpene glycosides, phenylethanol glycosides, sugars, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Its pharmacological action is primarily linked to the improvement of granulosa cell proliferation, antioxidative and anti-aging properties, and modulation of the immune and inflammatory microenvironment. Furthermore, Rehmanniae Radix also offers therapeutic benefits for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, osteoporosis and cognitive dysfunction caused by low estrogen levels. Thereby Rehmanniae Radix mitigates both the short-term and long-term health risks associated with ovarian hypofunction diseases. Processed Rehmanniae Radix has shown potential to improve ovarian function, and its compound prescriptions have a definite effect on ovarian dysfunction diseases. Therefore Rehmanniae Radix was garnering interest for both basic and clinical research, with promising application prospects as a future therapeutic agent for ovarian hypofunction diseases. However, further studies on its toxicology and the design of standardized clinical trials are necessary to fully establish its efficacy and safety.

Lipid Profiling of Oily Skin in Chinese Female aged 22-28 and 29-35 Defined by the Life Rhythm Theory of Huangdi Neijing

Purpose: According to the life rhythm derived from the ancient Chinese medicine book Huangdi Neijing, female growth and development culminates between the age of 22-28, with strong muscles, bones and vigorous hair. To investigate the characteristics of facial lipid profile in oily skin of female at different developmental stages classified based on seven-year rhythm, and to provide the mechanistic insight into the aging theory of Huangdi Neijing.Methods: The facial lipid composition of two groups of healthy women with oily skin (O1 group: age of 22-28; O2 group: age of 29-35) was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS). Differential lipids between O1 and O2 groups were identified using an orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model.Results: No significant difference in skin barrier function was found between the O1 and O2 groups. In contrast, skin elasticity and skin radiance displayed significant changes, with the O2 group showing decreased skin elasticity and dull skin, which is consistent with the description in Huangdi Neijing. In terms of lipid profile, among eight lipid main classes, seven lipid classes [FA], [GL], [GP], [PK], [PR], [SP] and [ST] showed significantly higher relative levels in the O2 group (<i>p</i><0.05). Among the differential lipid species, myriocin, erucamide, phosphatidylserine, flavonoid compounds, and sphinganine were significantly and negatively correlated with skin elasticity (R2) and skin radiance (ITA) (<i>p</i><0.05).Conclusion: The seven lipid species identified are important for targeting markers of skin aging and developing cosmetics that maintain skin elasticity and color.

The Evolution of Traditional Picture Books: A Comparative Analysis Across Three Periods (2000-2005, 2006-2008, 2009-2022)

This research paper examines the evolution of traditional Chinese culture picture books over three distinct periods from 2000 to 2022. Drawing upon a comprehensive literature review and qualitative analysis, this study investigates the significant developments, trends, and changes in the portrayal of Chinese culture within picture books. The methodology involves identifying and analyzing notable works, authors, and techniques characteristic of each period. Through a comparative approach, this paper explores the similar shapes and differences of traditional Chinese cultural picture books over a period of three decades. The findings highlight changes in creative focus, the establishment of awards and institutions, and the activity of creation and publication, emphasising the dynamic nature of traditional Chinese cultural picture books. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of picture books in promoting cultural heritage and fostering intercultural exchange. It also underscores the significance of preserving and promoting traditional Chinese culture through children's literature. The implications of this research extend to educators, scholars, and practitioners interested in multicultural education, children's literature, and cultural studies

Web-based diagnostic platform for microorganism-induced deterioration on paper-based cultural relics with iterative training from human feedback

PurposePaper-based artifacts hold significant cultural and social values. However, paper is intrinsically fragile to microorganisms, such as mold, due to its cellulose composition, which can serve as a microorganisms’ nutrient source. Mold not only can damage papers’ structural integrity and pose significant challenges to conservation works but also may subject individuals attending the contaminated artifacts to health risks. Current approaches for strain identification usually require extensive training, prolonged time for analysis, expensive operation costs, and higher risks of secondary damage due to sampling. Thus, in current conservation practices with mold-contaminated artifacts, little pre-screening or strain identification was performed before mold removal, and the cleaning techniques are usually broad-spectrum rather than strain-specific. With deep learning showing promising applications across various domains, this study investigated the feasibility of using a convolutional neural network (CNN) for fast in-situ recognition and classification of mold on paper.MethodsMolds were first non-invasively sampled from ancient Xuan Paper-based Chinese books from the Qing and Ming dynasties. Strains were identified using molecular biology methods and the four most prevalent strains were inoculated on Xuan paper to create mockups for image collection. Microscopic images of the molds as well as their stains situated on paper were collected using a compound microscope and commercial microscope lens for cell phone cameras, which were then used for training CNN models with a transfer learning scheme to perform the classification of mold. To enable involvement and contribution from the research community, a web interface that actuates the process while providing interactive features for users to learn about the information of the classified strain was constructed. Moreover, a feedback functionality in the web interface was embedded for catching potential classification errors, adding additional training images, or introducing new strains, all to refine the generalizability and robustness of the model.Results & ConclusionIn the study, we have constructed a suite of high-confidence classification CNN models for the diagnostic process for mold contamination in conservation. At the same time, a web interface was constructed that allows recurrently refining the model with human feedback through engaging the research community. Overall, the proposed framework opens new avenues for effective and timely identification of mold, thus enabling proactive and targeted mold remediation strategies in conservation.

Viscosity of Wheat Starch Paste Used in Traditional Chinese Conservation Techniques

Abstract In traditional Chinese conservation of historic books and mounted scrolls, the preparation and use of paste is an important process step. The viscosity of the paste is a key factor to consider, taking into account various parameters such as conservation technique, paper condition, or paper thickness. This study aims to determine the viscosity variation of diluted and thick pastes used in traditional Chinese conservation techniques with a rotary viscometer. During conservation treatment, as the number of restored leaves increases, the viscosity of diluted paste tends to increase significantly. The study highlights the different requirements for viscosity depending on its use either in Chinese books or Chinese hanging scrolls and emphasizes the importance of monitoring and adjusting paste viscosity during the conservation process. The use of a rotary viscometer, along with the traditional finger test method, is a significant step forward in improving the accuracy and efficiency of determining paste viscosity.