Chinese Writers Research Articles

Design and Assessment of Children’s Pencil Holder for Chinese Writing

Incorrect pencil-holding posture is the main cause of children’s handwriting difficulties and significantly impacts their learning and development. Most pencil holders are used to write English letters, which may not be suitable for the Chinese writing environment. Therefore, this study designed a pencil holder suitable for children to write in Chinese. Two experiments were conducted herein: (1) Measurement and design of the new pencil holder and (2) Chinese handwriting efficiency detection. Firstly, 27 children were asked to hold clay to derive the hand curves of pencil holding posture and measure curve data using a contour gauge for designing a new universal pencil holder. Secondly, 30 children wrote seven representative structures of Chinese words using iPad with Apple pencil devices to compare the three types of pencil holders for writing quality assessment. The results of this study can provide a suitable shape design of the pencil holder for children in a Chinese writing environment and provide reference directions for occupational therapists and elementary school teachers to correct children’s pencil holding.

Literature and Modern Japanese Urbanism: Features of the Traditional Worldview in a Modern Space.

This article was aimed to study the demonstration of urban images as topographic or background effects for depicting the social reality of life in large megacities. The research considered four literary works of Japanese and Chinese writers, namely the manga 'Hanzawa Naoki' (2020) by Jun Ikeido, the novel 'Convenience Store Woman' (2016) by Sayaka Murata, the manga 'Tokyo Ghoul' (2011)by Sui Ishida, and the Chinese novel 'Northern Girls' (2004) by Sheng Keyi. It was found that each literary work demonstrated the symbolism of the urban platform, on which specific cultural and social rules were formed (in the Japanese sense, the term 'joshiki' was used). So, there was a certain transformation of the Japanese traditional worldview to a mutually beneficial life activity, which can lead to marginalization. The study results also showed that the folklore images of Japanese yokai have transformed in the fantasy genre as metaphorical social roles that lack a sense of tolerance and liberality in the context of modern society.

Retracted: Construction of College Chinese Writing Practice Teaching Platform under the Background of Information Technology

Retracted: Construction of College Chinese Writing Practice Teaching Platform under the Background of Information Technology

The influence of N. V. Gogol's satire on Sha Yesin's comedy "If I were Real"

The subject of the research in the article is the peculiarities of the influence of N. V. Gogol's satirical comedy "The Inspector" on the work of the Chinese playwright of the XX century Sha Yesin "If I were real". The methods of comparative and structural-semiotic analysis using elements of cultural analysis are used in the work, the method of interpretation of a separate text, the analysis of individual stylistic elements is also used. In this paper, we will be interested in productive reception, which, unlike reproductive reception, is associated with the entry of N. V. Gogol's satirical works as foreign texts into the work of Chinese writers. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the name of the famous Chinese playwright and screenwriter Sha Yesin and his comedy "If I were Real" are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time in the aspect of the reception of N. V. Gogol's satirical traditions. The peculiarities of the influence of N. V. Gogol's satirical traditions on Sha Yesin's comedy "If I were Real" are due to the internal political situation in China in the 1970s of the XX century and the influence of national traditions of Chinese literature. In this regard, Sha Yesin followed the traditions of Gogol's satire to the extent that it was necessary to express the main idea of the comedy of the Chinese playwright, in connection with the trends of the time that coincided with the ideological content of the "Auditor" – exposing the vices of officials. To solve the set artistic task, Sha Yesin consciously followed the plot of Gogol's comedy, which explains the borrowing of plot techniques from the "Inspector" ("the deceiver involuntarily", "double exposure", "incriminating letter"). Comparison of N. V. Gogol's comedy "The Inspector" and Sha Yesin's play suggests that the reception of Gogol's satire allowed Sha Yesin to create an original comedy that enriched Chinese literature.

Traditions of N. V. Gogol in prose by Jia Zhifang

The subject of the research in the article is the features of the reception of the works of N. V. Gogol in the works of the Chinese writer of the XX century Jia Zhifang. The methods of comparative and structural-semiotic analysis using elements of cultural analysis are used in the work, the method of interpretation of a separate text, the analysis of individual stylistic elements is also used. In the era of the formation of a multipolar world, the study of the reception of the work of Russian writers in foreign-language cultures is becoming especially in demand. Russian classics, true to the traditions of preserving eternal values and giving the key to understanding the Russian national character, remains an object of scientific interest for domestic and foreign researchers. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the name of the famous Chinese realist writer Jia Zhifang and a number of his works in their connection with the satirical traditions of N. V. Gogol are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The phenomenon of Jia Zhifang's "gogolization of prose" involves several components. At the level of the plot, these are direct or indirect references to the elements of N. V. Gogol's works (deceptive "demonic night", misleading the hero, ridiculing the "little man", piling up the "vulgarities of life", changing the "mimicry of laughter" to the "mimicry of sorrow"); roll call of details; the use of elements of fiction. At the level of stylistics, Jia Zhifang, in his novels and short stories, retains the techniques of Gogol's grotesque depiction of reality, the basis of which is the opposition of the "living-dead": puppetry in the portrayal of characters; the satirical technique of "reverse comparison"; the satirical technique of "the logic of the reverse". Preserving Gogol's traditions, Jia Zhifang transforms them, forcing them to work on the disclosure of the author's idea. He uses his own artistic techniques, which together with the details of the objective world allows him to represent the historical epoch, relying on the basic formula of Gogol's works "laughter through tears".

Деятельность Общества изучения литературы как фактор формирования реализма в Китае

The article analyzes the activities of the members of the “Society for the Study of Literature”, established in 1921 and up to the mid-30s determined the direction of development of Chinese literature. The Declaration of the Society reflected the views of both Chinese traditionalists, who defended the principles of Confucian literature, and those progressive writers who advocated the transition to new artistic techniques, which should include elements of realism, in particular, in “problem stories” — a new genre of modern Chinese literature. This genre has not yet become the subject of research by Russian sinologists, although Chinese literary critics have noted its role in the formation of modern Chinese literature. The task of identifying innovations in the genre of “problem prose” is solved by analyzing the stories of Bing Xin and Wang Tongzhao, members of the “Society for the Study of Literature”, who for the first time made the object of their attention the unsightly reality of contemporary Chinese society. The heroes of these works come from different social strata, they suffer to varying degrees when faced with the cruelty of the world around them, and find different ways to resist it. In “problem prose” we see a combination of styles of artistic and journalistic narration, strengthening the role of the author, life authenticity. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the gradual accumulation of new artistic elements in prose further contributed to the strengthening of realistic components in the narratives of Chinese writers.

Reception of Alexander Herzen’s ‘My Past and Thoughts’ in China: Problems of Study and Influence

The article delves into the unique reception of Alexander Herzen’s ‘My Past and Thoughts’ in Chinese literary studies. It is noted that this chronicle has received widespread recognition in China and continues to generate significant interest to this day. It analyzes the reasons, characteristics, and aspects of the Russian classic's influence on Chinese literature in different historical periods. It highlights that the reception of ‘My Past and Thoughts’ by Chinese readers and scholars is determined by two factors: the great value of the work itself and the fact that Herzen’s work met the needs of Chinese society in various historical periods. The article shows that the main feature of the reception of Herzen’s works by Chinese researchers has evolved from socio-political domination to cultural-aesthetic dominance. ‘My Past and Thoughts’ has influenced both the theory and practice of modern Chinese literature, and contemporary Chinese writers have created works inspired by Herzen's approach. For instance, Ba Jin wrote ‘Thoughts’ under the influence of Herzen’s work, while Yu Dafu developed a literary theory of memoirs inspired by it. The authors conclude that Herzen studies in China are pertinent and offer extensive prospects for further research.

The functioning of archaisms in Chinese fictional discourse

The article examines the peculiarities of the use of archaisms in the historical works of Chinese writers. In general, obsolete vocabulary is considered, which includes archaisms, historicisms, chen’yus and wenyanisms. The understanding of “discourse” and “text” is examined, also the understanding of “fictional discourse” and Chinese fictional historical discourse is clarified. A classification of archaisms was introduced, such groups of archaisms were seen: lexical archaisms, lexical-phonetic archaisms, semantic archaisms. The grammatical constructions and phraseological units “chen’yus” are examined, which also symbolize the stylistic function of the archaic lexical parts and old grammar. The essence of the archaic lexicon and its interpretation in Chinese philology has been clarified. During the analysis of examples from Chinese-language historical works, the functioning of some groups of archaisms was demonstrated, that is, the implementation of the stylistic function of archaisms – strengthening the connection with the era, adding color to the language, evaluative tonality, emotional relation to the characters of the work. Archaisms as a stylistic phenomenon serve as a tool in the hands of the writer for more accurate detailing of a certain era. As a result of the analysis, it was established that archaic vocabulary plays an important role in the creation of fictional works, especially when it is the writing of the historical novels. It is noted that archaisms become such due to the progress of society, over time they pass to the passive vocabulary of the language, and also acquire new functions in certain types of modern discourse. It has been established that archaic vocabulary plays an important role in Chinese fiction, performs significantly important functions in discourse, enriches the figurative assessment of the realities described in the works, and presents a historical era. In the perspective of further research, the need and expediency of studying the role of obsolete words and their pragmatic functions in modern Chinese journalism, political and official-business discourses, as well as in Chinese historical series is indicated.

An Intercultural Comparison of Authors' Self-mention and Identity Construction in English Agricultural Abstracts by Chinese and International Writers

Introduction: Authors’ self-mention is unavoidably used in research articles; however, there are still controversial views on their use. The current study aims to find out what types of self-mentions are employed by Chinese and non-Chinese writers to construct different authorial identities and what causes the similarities and differences. Methodology: A corpus-based comparative analysis was conducted on agricultural research abstracts written by Chinese and non-Chinese writers to compare three types of entities by using Chi-square and Antconc. Results: It was revealed that abstracts by Chinese writers and non-Chinese ones were significantly different in their use of first-person plural forms and their determiners, research-oriented nouns, and discoursal nouns. Further, it was shown that different authorial identities as a researcher, discourse constructor, and arguer were constructed by human entities and inanimate entities with some preferred main verbs in specific tenses and voices. Conclusion: The present study showed that Chinese writers differed significantly from international writers in using self-mentions and authorial identities due to different views on personal involvement, pragmatic considerations, cultural background, and writing environment. It was also found that personal involvement coexists with the impersonality of the abstract in using self-mentions in abstract writing. The current study can be conducive to abstract writing for novice writers and second language learners in choosing different self-mentions to construct different authorial identities.

The Dissolution of Historical Solemnity in New Historicist Novels from the Perspective of Individual Survival Situation: Taking My Life as Emperor as an Example

Since the 1980s, some Chinese writers have been fascinated by the trend of “New Historicism” have applied it to their novel writing, creating a distinctive literary realm. Instead of narrating history itself, they try to reveal the deep-seated desires and dilemmas of human nature, which in a way dissolves the solemnity of history. Taking Su Tong’s My Life as Emperor as an example, this article analyzes the characters’ living conditions from the aspects of human attitudes, spiritual worlds and identities, and examines the degeneration and redemption of human nature, so as to explore how the texts deconstructs the solemnity of history and reflect on its unique significance.

The metaphorical representation of the concept of “mother” in the epic works by Borys Antonenko-Davydovych, Rou Shi and Vsevolod Ivanov

The research paper highlights the metaphorical representation of the concept of "mother" in the works of fiction by Ukrainian, Chinese and Russian writers. The authors of this paper analyzed the novel "Behind the curtain" by Borys Antonenko-Davydovych, the story "A Slave Mother" ("为奴隶的母亲") by Rou Shi and the story "Polaia Arapiia" by Vsevolod Ivanov. In Borys Antonenko-Davydovych’s novel "Behind the curtain" the metaphor of "Motherland" is represented by the concept of "mother". In the novel this metaphor is defined by the research paper’s authors from the subtext of the work of fiction. The concept of "mother" in the story of Chinese writer is realized through the metaphor of "female slave", that is presented in the title of the work. The metaphor of "hope" represents the concept of "mother" in the story of Russian writer, this metaphor is represented in the name of the main character. This paper proves that the concept of "mother" in the epic works of Ukrainian, Chinese and Russian writers is also represented through the metaphor of "berehynia", which indicates the similarity of these three works. The concept of "mother" in the novel "Behind the curtain" by Borys Antonenko-Davydovych, the story "A Slave Mother" ("为奴隶的母亲") by Rou Shi and the story "Polaia Arapiia" by Vsevolod Ivanov is represented through similar semantic markers: motherly love, humility, self-sacrifice, mental strength over a man, unselfishness, protection, humanity, kindness.

On Cross-Cultural Reception of Contemporary Chinese Literature -- with the Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing as an Example

As an important part of Chinese literature, Chinese contemporary literature is a powerful force to promote Chinese culture to go out. However, in the cross-cultural context, the previous studies on Chinese contemporary literature focus on dissemination rather than acceptance. Domestic promoters are more important than foreign institutions. In view of this, this paper, based on The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing, which is a world public welfare organization for the independent translation and introduction of Chinese contemporary literature, investigates the characteristics and preferences of the research centre in the selection of authors and works in the introduction of Chinese contemporary literature from a macro perspective, and explores the factors affecting the cross-cultural acceptance of these works based on the comments of English readers.

"We may conclude that:" a corpus-based study of stance-taking in conclusion sections of RAs across cultures and disciplines.

Research article conclusions form an important sub-genre in the academic community. This study aims to compare the use of stance markers in English and Chinese research article conclusions and investigate how stance markers may vary in soft and hard sciences. Based on Hyland's stance model, an analysis of stance markers over 20 years was made in two corpora, which were compiled with 180 research article conclusions in each language from four disciplines. It was found that English writers and soft science writers tended to make statements more tentatively by hedges and craft their persona more explicitly through self-mentions. However, Chinese writers and hard science writers made their claims with more certainty by boosters and showed their affective attitude more frequently through attitude markers. The results reveal how writers from different cultural backgrounds construct their stances and also unveil the disciplinary differences involved in stance-taking. It is hoped that this corpus study will inspire future research on stance-taking in the conclusion section and also help cultivate writers' genre awareness.

What Does It Mean to be Chinese? Diasporic Literature Versus Orientalism in an Anglophone Market

In recent years, more and more English-language literature is being published by Asian diaspora writers, mostly in the genres of fantasy and science-fiction. With the focal audience being young adults, such publications are seen by many as a form of escapism. While most of these works stem from the Sinophone diaspora communities, there remains much debate regarding how their stories and the authors themselves should be labeled. In the face of the pervasive nature of Western Orientalism, Chinese writers have struggled with the balance of inclusion and exclusion regarding both Chinese culture in their works and themselves within the Anglophone literature market. By examining the contemporary authors Andrea Stewart and Xiran Jay Zhao alongside their respective debut publications The Bone Shard Daughter (2020) and Iron Widow (2021), it becomes apparent that Sinophone authors and their works are often misinterpreted by Western audiences. This paper demonstrates how the vague and limiting labels of “Chinese Sci-Fi” and “Chinese Fantasy” are a direct result of Orientalism and do not consider the vast diversity the Sinophone diaspora communities contain. To understand this, it is crucial to lay the foundations of both the dynamic concept of the Sinophone diaspora and the record of science-fiction in Chinese history. While the field of Sinophone literary studies continues to expand, much work remains to better incorporate Sinophone diaspora writers into the Anglophone markets without being questioned, what does it mean to be Chinese?

Kul'turnaya adaptaciya pri hudozhestvennom perevode (na primere russkoyazychnogo perevoda romana Cyan' Chzhunshu «Osazhdennaya krepost'»)

Culture plays an important role in the goal that literary translation pursues, namely, aesthetic representation. This article uses the concept of cultural adaptation in the theory of translation adaptation, defines cultural adaptation as a transformation or rewriting at the cultural level of the source text in translation in order to fit the linguistic and cultural situation in the target language, and uses the example of the Russian translation of the novel “Fortress Besieged” by famous Chinese writer Qian Zhongshu to analyze various operations of cultural adaptation in the work in terms of both transformation and rewriting in translation.

Transformation of Yuri Kazakov's Prose translated by Fei Qin into Chinese

The subject of the study is the features of the reception of Yu. P. Kazakov's prose in China. Translations of Kazakov's prose into Chinese have not yet been discussed in science, which determines the novelty of the proposed study. In general, the transformation of the Russian literary text, which takes place when translated into Chinese, has been the subject of active study in recent years, and the relevance of the subject of the article is connected with this.The object of the study is translations of Kazakov's works made by Fei Qin, who most consistently turned to his texts in China. The article draws on the data of Fei Qin's biography, uses historical and literary approaches, as well as elements of linguopoetic analysis to solve comparative problems. Russian writer Fei Qin (1927-1994)'s analysis of the creative path makes it possible to understand the internal reasons for the appeal to this Russian writer of the Chinese writer, who since the 1950s was fond of Russian lyrical prose, the same age as Kazakov. A comparison of Kazakov's story "The Night" and the translation of this story by Fei Qin demonstrates the inevitable differences between them, despite the translator's declared desire to accurately convey the meaning of the original text. Some of the most expressive differences are due to the fact that the Chinese translator, interpreting modern Russian prose written by his peer, includes elements peculiar to classical Chinese poetry (onomatopoeia with doubling of hieroglyphs, some traditional images), introduces personifications that are absent in the original work. It is also shown why the literal translation, which in some cases is resorted to by Fei Qin, does not allow to convey the semantic complexity of the original.

Goddess of Sipsong Panna by Can Xue

Reviewed by: Goddess of Sipsong Panna by Can Xue Laura Xie CAN XUE Goddess of Sipsong Panna Beijing. People's Literature Publishing House. 2022. 211 pages. GODDESS OF SIPSONG PANNA is a collection of thirteen short stories by the much-acclaimed Chinese writer Can Xue (b. 1953). Set across a variety of real or surreal locations, from the tranquil grassland to the enchanting mulberry garden, and from a bleak and desolate coal mine located on the outskirts of a quaint, snow-covered town to the subterranean dugout beneath a tunneled city, each story sheds light on a distinct facet of a particular character's inner world and personal journey. The first of the thirteen stories, "Treasure Land," features Lu Xiaoyuan, a young man from a coal miner's family. He grew up in Snow City, a small town that was once the site of several coal mines. After his parents died in a mining accident, he had to make his own living. One night, Xiaoyuan is lured by a gentleman donning a black felt hat to venture into the long-abandoned mine. As he enters the mining area, he hears the clamor of people talking and shouting all around him, and he sees the burning flames in the stoves. The warmth of the air brings back memories of his deceased parents, particularly of the time when the mine was still in operation. Although the identity of the enigmatic gentleman is never revealed, he acts as a powerful catalyst that compels Xiaoyuan to take a journey of rediscovery. As he revisits both joyous and painful moments of the past, he finds a renewed sense of purpose to continue moving forward into the future. The titular story, "Goddess of Sipsong Panna," is about a man who goes to Sipsong Panna in search of a simpler way of life. However, he cannot tolerate living in the bungalow where ants, snails, and caterpillars crawl over the room and the roses in the front yard bloom profusely, filling the air with a sweet and strong fragrance. He moves to a high-rise apartment, but its concrete frame structure blocks out the living sights and sounds of nature. He is so lonely that he longs to move back to the bungalow, which is now occupied by a woman living with a ferocious black bear. Her presence [End Page 75] piques everyone's interest, spurring them to steal glances at her, but her face remains a mystery, always shrouded from their view. Enveloped in her powerful earthly aura, the young man comes to realize what it takes to live in Sipsong Panna, a land of fertility, growth, and abundance. Can Xue's gift for plunging into her characters' souls and mining the truths about them is evident in other stories of the collection. "The Lion King" charts a path from the early stage of desire and infatuation to a love that transcends physicality and species through the eyes of a woman who decides to make her own life in the grasslands after encountering a handsome male lion. "Death Education" explores the initial encounter with death and its many nuances from the viewpoint of a young girl. In "Old Man and Cat in Fresh Produce Market," readers may also sympathize with Papa Ma, an old man who lives a solitary life and suffers mistreatment at the hands of a similarly unhappy young man. Can Xue is known for her vivid imagination and keen sense of fantasy, with a rapid, feverish ability to proceed from one plot to the next, much like a person traversing a dream or nightmare. Her collection of stories is a mesmerizing journey into the human psyche, with each story serving as an allegory of the self. Navigating the labyrinth of her writing may be challenging, but there is no denying that Can Xue is a singular and unforgettable voice in Chinese literature. Laura Xie Virginia Military Institute Copyright © 2023 World Literature Today and the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma

Interpersonal resources in letter writing of young L2 Chinese learners

Although there has been rich literature examining second language (L2) writers’ use of interpersonal devices to construct authorial identity, express stances, and involve readers in their texts, most studies have focused on adult L2 learners in academic writing contexts. Grounded in the metadiscourse model (Hyland, 2005), the current study investigated how school-age L2 Chinese writers deployed interpersonal resources in letter writing. Both macro-level and micro-level analyses were conducted on a sample of 80 letter texts. Our results suggest that both intermediate and advanced school-age L2 Chinese writers have developed a general awareness of the letter mode by including essential structural elements of a personal letter in their texts. A greater number of or more diversified modal auxiliaries, hedges, directives, and reader markers are associated with higher writing proficiency. Implications for L2 writing pedagogy are discussed.

The mythological element of water in the works of V. P. Astafyev and Zhang Wei

Mythological elements play an important role in Chinese and Russian literature. Both the Russian writer V. P. Astafуev and the Chinese writer Zhang Wei show a great interest in myth in their works. Mythological imagery and associations become an important part of their artistic approach. The mythological element of water is one of the key imagies in the works of Astafуev and Zhang Wei. Through the analysis of the water mythologeme in their works, we have identified similarities and differences in the image of water in Chinese and Russian literature. The subject of this particular comparative study is the symbolic and mythological significance of water as the origin and resurrection of life in V. P. Astafуev’s novel „The King Fish” and Zhang Wei’s novel „The Ancient Ship”.

The creation of Krystian Lupa’s Mo Fei (adapted from Shi Tiesheng’s works): A co-operation of Polish theatre in the Chinese theatre industry

In this article, the author analyzes the dramatic work Mo Fei, adapted from several pieces by the contemporary Chinese writer Shi Tiesheng by Polish director Krystian Lupa in 2017. The analysis pays particular to exploring the creation from the original text to the stage work. Mo Fei has been regarded as a successful adaptation, which brought about metaphysical, spiritual content rarely seen in the contemporary Chinese theatre. Lupa adapted Shi’s works based on existentialist philosophy, using unique theatrical methods and techniques of expression not presented in the original work. As an experienced international director, Lupa’s adaptation reflected his characteristic and preferred aesthetic. His directing methods and artistic taste were reflected in his adaption of Mo Fei, including the practice of laboratory rehearsal and pursuit of inner life (similar to Grotowski). These aspects of Lupa’s work have essential inspirations for the Chinese theatre industry.