History Research Articles

A range of antiquities and sayings in the history book of Yahya bin Maeen by the narration of Abbas Al-Douri - Collection and Study -

A range of antiquities and sayings in the history book of Yahya bin Maeen by the narration of Abbas Al-Douri - Collection and Study -

The Contemporary Transformation of Thematic Connotation and Narrative Mode of Peking Opera from The Jewelry Purse

Artistic creation in any era reflects the collective consciousness in the context of the era in which it is created. From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, Peking Opera has completed its transformation as a systematic performing art in the course of historical changes, while retaining its unique cultural heritage and traditional performance forms. This paper adopts the typical text The Jewelry Purse as the research subject in the review of the history of Peking Opera, conducts an in-depth analysis of the development of Peking Opera. By deconstructing the text of The Jewelry Purse, refines the modernity of The Jewelry Purse as evidence for discussing the changes in the modernity of Peking Opera in terms of themes and narrative modes. Peking Opera intensifies the reflection on the real situation by reinforcing the gap between the ideal and real society in its development process. As one of the excellent examples of Peking Operas self-renewal and transcendence, The Jewelry Purse can be created and expressed through the creators and performers realization of the reality in which they live, and resonate with audiences of different times.

Regional uniqueness of tree species composition and response to forest loss and climate change

The conservation and restoration of forest ecosystems require detailed knowledge of the native plant compositions. Here, we map global forest tree composition and assess the impacts of historical forest cover loss and climate change on trees. The global occupancy of 10,590 tree species reveals complex taxonomic and phylogenetic gradients determining a local signature of tree lineage assembly. Species occupancy analyses indicate that historical forest loss has significantly restricted the potential suitable range of tree species in all forest biomes. Nevertheless, tropical moist and boreal forest biomes display the lowest level of range restriction and harbor extremely large ranged tree species, albeit with a stark contrast in richness and composition. Climate change simulations indicate that forest biomes are projected to differ in their response to climate change, with the highest predicted species loss in tropical dry and Mediterranean ecoregions. Our findings highlight the need for preserving the remaining large forest biomes while regenerating degraded forests in a way that provides resilience against climate change.

A negotiated sovereignty: Surfacing Indigenous geopolitics within settler colonialism

This paper examines Indigeneity within the less-explored settler colonial context of Taiwan in the face of China’s increasing irredentism. I review two processes of Indigenous reconciliation developing in Taiwan and frame them as Indigenous geopolitics – the survey and legislation of traditional territory and the instrumentalization of Indigeneity to assert the island’s autonomy from China. I highlight that Indigenous political struggles that have otherwise often been contained within a stable conception of the settler nation-state can have outward facing effects and suggest that Indigenous rights won can be seen within a spectrum of Indigenous sovereignty in varying degrees, from mere recognition in history books to the extent of making representations to other states. Noting the highly visible process of reconciliation that has thus far yielded limited legislative outcomes in Taiwan, I propose that Indigenous geopolitics should not be considered independent of or in opposition to the settler state. Rather, Indigenous representatives necessarily negotiate their politics within the framework of the settler state in an unequal relationship that nonetheless hold benefits for both sides.

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.

Analysis of communities, with an historical reconstruction from a deep submarine seamount in an oligotrophic area (Valencia Seamount, Balearic Basin, Western Mediterranean)

Seamounts can have strong influence on the dynamics and production of waters surrounding them, sometimes creating a kind of oasis effect. To assess to what depths and under what conditions this effect may persist on seamounts, we analysed the fauna and recent history of the Valencia Seamount (VS), a deep, small seamount (summit depth: 1056 m) from an oligotrophic zone of the Mediterranean Sea. The (living) epibenthic fauna of the VS summit (up to 1300 m) was composed of filter feeders, surface deposit feeders and carnivores (63 species), structured in a trophic chain as indicated by the high positive relationship (r2 0.502) between the δN15and δC13 of the fauna analysed. This trophic linearisation (compared with Catalan and NW Mallorca slope sites at similar depths) may optimise the energy flux reaching the seamount, with rather high %TOC (0.93–1.19%) and C/N (5.0–5.5) in July. The Valencia Seamount can also act as a reservoir zone for fish (grenadiers: Nezumia aequalis, and Hymenocephalus italicus) and shrimps (Plesionika martia), which are distributed at shallower depths on adjacent slopes, where they are exploited. The specimens caught were mainly juveniles, suggesting that these species may rather form pseudopopulations. Tuna and cetaceans were regularly sighted on the surface of VS during a specific period of the year (June–July). Reconstructing the recent history of Valencia Seamount (MC2 sediment core taken at 1151 m in 2021) we evidenced a decline of zooplankton pteropods (primary consumers) since ca. the 1960s (MC2 dating after 210Pb, metals and microplastic analyses), linked to a decline of Si in sediments suggesting a decrease in primary production due to a decrease in rainfall and river runoff. An increase of vorticity (ω+ values), i.e. of cyclonic gyres, and currents after the 1970s over the summit probably increased resuspension of organic matter, which in turn may enhance zooplankton aggegations at VS summit. We hypothesise that this would explain the parallel increase in mesopelagic myctophids in MC2 (from otolith records). Sediments of the Valencia seamount recorded several historical changes. Reconstruction studies carried out in oceanic areas can therefore help to understand the history and improve the management of fragile systems such as seamounts.

Имущественные правоотношения граждан России в браке: исторический аспект

The evolution of property relations within marriages reflects broader societal changes and the evolving understanding of individual rights and responsibilities within the family unit. This article examines the history of property relations of Russian citizens entering into, being in, and having the opportunity to terminate marriage. The analysis of the expired normative acts of the Russian Empire, the USSR and the RSFSR, as well as the current normative legal acts of the Russian Federation, is carried out in order to identify historical changes in this area of law. It is noted that joint property of spouses did not always exist and is an achievement of family legislation of the Soviet period aimed at emphasizing the equality of all citizens, including spouses, among themselves. The pre-revolutionary period was characterized by an emphasis on personal property of participants in family relations, as well as the regulation of inheritance rights. The post-Soviet period of regulation of property relations of Russian citizens in marriage can be considered as continuous with respect to the previous one. A dissonance is introduced into legislative acts by the introduction of the concept of a marriage contract, which implies the fixation of spouses' positions on property even at the stage before entering into marriage. Overall, property relations within the family unit have become increasingly complex over time, allowing for the observation of the dynamism of the development of family legislation in Russia. By tracing the historical development of these relations, we can better understand the dynamics of family law and its impact on individuals and society. Moving forward, it is essential to continue examining and adapting legal frameworks to ensure equity and justice within family relationships.

Computational modeling of interval distributions in tonal space reveals paradigmatic stylistic changes in Western music history

Diachronic stylistic changes in music are to a large extent affected by composers’ different choices, for example regarding the usage of tones, intervals, and harmonies. Analyzing the tonal content of pieces of music and observing them over time is thus informative about large-scale historical changes. In this study, we employ a computational model that formalizes music-theoretic conceptualizations of tonal space, and use it to infer the most likely interval distributions for pieces in a large corpus of music, represented as so-called ‘bags of tonal pitch classes’. Our results show that tonal interval relations become increasingly complex, that the interval of the perfect fifth dominates compositions for centuries, and that one can observe a stark increase in the usage of major and minor thirds during the 19th century, which coincides with the emergence of extended tonality. In complementing prior research on the historical evolution of tonality, our study thus demonstrates how example-based music theory can be informed by quantitative analyses of large corpora and computational models.

Embedded Complexity of Evolutionary Sequences.

Multiple pathways and outcomes are common in evolutionary sequences for biological and other environmental systems due to nonlinear complexity, historical contingency, and disturbances. From any starting point, multiple evolutionary pathways are possible. From an endpoint or observed state, multiple possibilities exist for the sequence of events that created it. However, for any observed historical sequence-e.g., ecological or soil chronosequences, stratigraphic records, or lineages-only one historical sequence actually occurred. Here, a measure of the embedded complexity of historical sequences based on algebraic graph theory is introduced. Sequences are represented as system states S(t), such that S(t - 1) ≠ S(t) ≠ S(t + 1). Each sequence of N states contains nested subgraph sequences of length 2, 3, …, N - 1. The embedded complexity index (which can also be interpreted in terms of embedded information) compares the complexity (based on the spectral radius λ1) of the entire sequence to the cumulative complexity of the constituent subsequences. The spectral radius is closely linked to graph entropy, so the index also reflects information in the sequence. The analysis is also applied to ecological state-and-transition models (STM), which represent observed transitions, along with information on their causes or triggers. As historical sequences are lengthened (by the passage of time and additional transitions or by improved resolutions or new observations of historical changes), the overall complexity asymptotically approaches λ1 = 2, while the embedded complexity increases as N2.6. Four case studies are presented, representing coastal benthic community shifts determined from biostratigraphy, ecological succession on glacial forelands, vegetation community changes in longleaf pine woodlands, and habitat changes in a delta.

Between Freedom and Order: Evolution logic of urban-rural population mobility Policy from the perspective of historical institutionalism

Urban-rural population flow is the key element and important driving force for urban-rural integration development and rural revitalization. The pattern of urban-rural population flow in China is restricted and guided by policies. From the perspective of historical institutionalism, this paper analyzes the evolution context, structural logic and dynamic mechanism of the change of urban and rural population mobility policy. The urban and rural population mobility policy has gone through five historical stages: the order reconstruction period at the beginning of the founding of New China, the political call period after the Great Leap Forward Movement, the free flow period after the reform and opening up, the period of making the best use of the situation under the economic system reform and the accelerated integration period under the background of the new era. The institutional choice under different paths, the institutional evolution under the key nodes and the institutional continuation under the path dependence constitute the structural logic of the policy change of urban-rural population mobility. The situation coupling under the action of exogenous variables, the value coupling promoted by the change of ideas, and the subject coupling under the interaction of actors’ game constitute the dynamic mechanism of policy change, which promotes the historical change and realistic development of policy.

Reasons for alcohol use from 1976 to 2020 in the United States among individuals aged 18 to 30: Historical changes and mediation of cohort effects in binge drinking.

Alcohol use is declining among US adolescents/early young adults and increasing among other adults, with increases in adult binge drinking more concentrated in females than males. Reasons for drinking are historically patterned by age and sex, and if historically variant, could suggest that changes over time could in part explain age- and sex-differential cohort effects. We analyzed longitudinal Monitoring the Future data for individuals born from 1958 to 1990. These individuals were aged 29/30 from 1987 to 2020, and first surveyed at age 18 from 1976 to 2008 (N = 14,190). Five reasons for drinking were analyzed (social, enhancement, avoid problems, relax, boredom). Drinking for social reasons and to relax were most prevalent. Total effects of birth cohort predicting past-2-week binge drinking were estimated with polynomial regression models by age;indirect effects through mediators were estimated. Drinking reasons exhibited dynamic time trends across birth cohort and sex. Notable increases were observed in social reasons: among women aged 29/30, social reasons increased from 53% to 87% from 1987 to 2020. Social reasons to drink had prominent positive indirect effects at adult ages (age 23/24 and above among men; age 19 and above among women), indicating that binge drinking would have increased less were it not for the increase in social reasons for drinking. Social reasons also mediated adult male/female differences, indicating that part of the reason sex differences are diminishing is the more rapid increases in social reasons for drinking among women. Indirect effects were also observed for drinking to relax and for boredom, and limited indirect effects were observed for enhancement and to avoid problems. Changing endorsement of drinking reasons, especially social reasons, among US adult drinkers mediate cohort effects in binge drinking in the US adult population and explain in part why binge drinking is converging by sex.

Tracing the dynamics of Late Holocene Tropical Peatland: A case study from the Bram Itam Peatland Protection Area, Coastal Sumatra, Indonesia

Tropical peatland ecosystems in Southeast Asia offer essential ecological services but face various threats such as sea level alterations, climate change and human activities. However, our understanding of the origins of peatlands and their dynamics is still limited. Reconstruction of historical vegetation and environmental changes is imperative to comprehend tropical peatlands' origins, evolution and responses to natural factors (e.g., precipitation, sea level) and to human influences (e.g., agriculture). This study employed a multi-proxy palaeoecological analysis, encompassing pollen and spore analysis, macro-charcoal examination, and radiocarbon dating, using a sediment core extracted from the Bram Itam Peatland protection area in Tanjung Jabung Barat, Jambi province. The investigation highlights four distinct palynological periods: from ca. 4750 to 1250 cal yr BP, a dominant mangrove forest thrived in the study area during high sea levels; from 1250 to 450 cal yr BP, as sea levels receded, the mangrove forest was replaced by swampy vegetation, and peatland forests developed under the influence of high precipitation, while agricultural activities with possible rice cultivation were conducted remote from the study area; from 450 cal yr BP to 1950 CE, a mature peatland forest developed. There was no evidence of agricultural practice during this period. After 1950, intensive human activities, including logging, oil palm plantation, and rice cultivation, profoundly impacted the peatland vegetation. The presence of cereal pollen dates back to around 1250 cal yr BP and the introduction of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) since roughly 1950 CE may indicate potentially enduring changes in agricultural practices of local people in the study area. This study of peatland vegetation dynamics and environmental changes in the Bram Itam peatlands highlights its change from mangrove forest to a matured peatland forest influenced by climate, sea level and human activities.

Elevation dependent precipitation changes in historical and future times in the Himalayan Upper Ganga Basin, India

This study examines long-term (1991–2092) precipitation trends in the Upper Ganga Basin (UGB) across multiple elevations, using historical data (1991–2022) and future Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) climate model datasets (2022–2092). By identifying the top five best-fit models from 29 climate model datasets, this study assesses historical patterns and project future changes in the Near-Future-Term (NFT) (2023–2056) and Far-Future-Term (FFT) (2061–2092) under moderate and extreme scenarios. Based on the evaluation of 29 CMIP6 climate models precipitation products, five models namely: BCC-CSM2-MR, CMCC-CM2-SR5, INM-CM5–0, KIOST-ESM, and NESM3 were selected as the best models describing precipitation over UGB and future precipitation of these models were bias corrected using linear scaling bias correction approach. Also it was observed that in the UGB region usually the climate models are much more reliable in capturing the precipitation pattern in lower and mid elevation regions as compared to higher-elevation regions. Further analysis of best five climate models' future precipitation indicates a substantial increase in wet spell occurrences in the south-western part of UGB, while the north-western and central regions are expected to see a rise in dry spell counts, although dry spell increase is insignificant. The mid-elevation range from 2200 to 4050 m which historically receives the most precipitation and is expected to continue experiencing the highest volume of precipitation in the future. The lower elevation range (287–1500 m) has anticipated the most substantial increase in future precipitation. Analysis suggests a future rise in low precipitation events (2.5 mm/day to 10 mm/day) at high elevations (4050 m to 7399 m) and an increase in events exceeding 10 mm/day in mid to low elevations (287 m to 4050 m). Although an increase in low precipitation events is expected across the entire UGB, it is particularly noteworthy that the region between 287 m to 4050 m is likely to experience a greater prevalence of these events. Historically, high elevations witnessed most of the years with over 20 days of annual snowfall. However, future scenarios indicate a prominent shift, predominantly anticipating <20 days per year of snowfall, signifying a significant change in snowfall patterns within the UGB. An analysis of snowfall patterns within the UGB indicates that historically, in the elevation range of 1500 m to 2200 m, some years have experienced 3–7 days of snowfall per year, however, under the SSP245 (NFT) scenario, this is projected to decrease to 2–5 days per year. Conversely, in scenarios SSP245 (FFT), SSP585 (NFT), and SSP585 (FFT), it is anticipated that there will be no snowfall in this elevation range in the future.

Modern era and the Third Rome: Complexities of history periodization

The paper explores the history and essence of the modern era concept. It is logical to preserve the original meaning of this term, which developed in Western Europe during the Renaissance and designated the period starting from the 15th century. The flawed approach that shifts the boundaries of the modern era to a later date in the history of other states and equates this milestone with Westernization deserves attention. Both the civilizational specifics and the global nature of the historical changes that occurred in the 15th century are being ignored. In Russian philosophical and theological thought, the author stresses their view that the modern era coincides chronologically with the history of the Third Rome — Russia’s Orthodox world empire and the successor to medieval Byzantium.

(Re)Constructing the Nation in Sunlight on a Broken Column: Hossain's Perspective on the Partition of the Subcontinent

Gellner (1983) defines a nation as a myth whereas nationalism is an ideology through which people (re)invent traditions and culture to construct a nation. Nationalism revives extinct languages and reimagines extinct customs. To strengthen their nation's discourse, South Asian female writers have contributed significantly to the invention of traditions and the reconstruction of their lost culture. By addressing her nation's history and culture in her work, Hosain has also bolstered her national discourse. It is commonly known that history is typically presented through the eyes of men. Even though women have contributed substantially to the national process, their opinions are not included in history books. Since men write history, history favors men by making them the main heroes. This study aims to provide a female viewpoint on the history of the partition of the subcontinent. Thus, the researcher has selected Attia Hossain's novel, Sunlight on a Broken Column, to view her perspective on the nation and the partition of India. The concept of a nation is complex to comprehend. Different theorists have different definitions of the nation. Renan (1883), Hobsbawm and Ranger (1983), and Anderson's (1991) theories related to the nation have been used to construct a theoretical framework for this research. This study investigates factors contributing to the construction of a nation and nation-state by referencing the partition of the sub-continent and the formation of two nation-states, Pakistan and India.

Maskilische Schriften der Graßischen Druckerei in Breslau

Abstract The article focuses on the history of the Graß or Graß and Barth publishing house in Breslau from the eighteenth to the middle of the nineteenth century. In particular, it tackles the role of women in the management and the involvement of the printing house in the dissemination of Haskalah literature, two chapters that are usually underrepresented in book history. In addition, the commitment of a Christian printer to Hebrew printing and his involvement with the Jewish Enlightenment will be addressed. The hitherto under-researched history of the Graßische Druckerei in Breslau will thus be embedded in cultural-historical questions about booklore, the Central European Haskalah and Gender Studies. Additionally, the paper examines the transfer of knowledge between the majority and minority population.

Historical climate change and vicariance events contributed to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of ash species (Fraxinus, Oleaceae)

The Northern Hemisphere temperate forests exhibit a disjunct distributional pattern in Europe, North America, and East Asia. Here, to reveal the promoter of intercontinental disjunct distribution, Fraxinus was used as a model organism to integrate abundant fossil evidence with high-resolution phylogenies in a phytogeographic analysis. We constructed a robust phylogenetic tree using genomic data, reconstructed the geographic ancestral areas, and evaluated the effect of incorporating fossil information on the reconstructed biogeographic history. The phylogenetic relationships of Fraxinus were highly resolved and divided into seven clades. Fraxinus originated in western North America during Eocene, and six intercontinental dispersal events and five intercontinental vicariance events were occured. Results suggest that climate change and vicariance contributed to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of Fraxinus. Moreover, results highlight the necessity of integrating phylogenetic relationship and fossil to improve the reliability of inferred biogeographic events and our understanding of the processes underlying disjunct distributions.

Panarchy to explore land use: a historical case study from the Peruvian Amazon

The overexploitation of natural resources is an important driver of the global environmental crisis. The scientific community engages in an ongoing debate about the most suitable frameworks for analyzing trends in land use. In this paper, we use the conceptual lens of the adaptive cycle and panarchy to explore complex social–ecological dynamics in the Peruvian Amazon. Through an extensive literature review and interviews with key informants, we provide a historical analysis of extractive activities over the last two centuries in the department of Madre de Dios, Peru. We identify periods of growth, conservation, and sometimes release and reorganization for each resource and for the overall social–ecological system. We identify a general trend toward more diversification in extractive activities over time and inter-scale linkages between adaptive cycles of different time and space scales. Based on these results, we explore future development, hypothesize a possible domination of the agricultural sector, and suggest that land-use policies and management interventions should draw from past lessons to design adaptive land planning. Finally, we present new evidence highlighting the relevance of panarchy for understanding historical changes in complex social–ecological systems and demonstrate its utility in exploring both past land use and future development.

Maniculan

The Manicule. Literature’s Guiding HandThe ☛ manicule ☚ or typographical pointer has a unique place in literary history. Originally a reader’s annotation, it became a printer’s mark and an advertiser’s tool-in-trade before making the leap into narrative as a fictional object in its own right. In this essay I trace the manicule’s evolution from the medieval scriptorium to electronic publishing in the late age of print before examining its narrative and aesthetic functions in V. F. Palmblad’s Törnrosens Bok (1840), August Strindberg’s Röda rummet (1879), and Hjalmar Söderberg’s Doktor Glas (1905). In this trio of novels, I argue, the manicule is not just another element of narrative realism but a way to thematize historic changes in the material conditions of literary production. More than visual gimmicks, these pointing hands invite us to reassess the wider significance of these landmark works of Swedish literature.

Scientific Research on Bioethanol in Brazil: History and Prospects for Sustainable Biofuel

Despite the recent need for sustainable energy resources, bioenergy gained its spotlight in the 2000s. Sugarcane is a significant crop in terms of sugar and energy capacity, and it can be an alternative energy source to mitigate the effects of climate change. Bioenergy production from sugarcane in Brazil is one of the most efficient options. This production lends a centrality to biofuels’ importance in confronting climate change effects. The present article reviews the Brazilian history of this crop as a biofuel source, focusing on plants as a biomass. We highlight the historical changes related to scientific, technological, industrial, and environmental advances since the beginning of the 20th century. We describe how creating governmental institutes and disseminating scientific knowledge strengthened public policies that led Brazil to occupy leadership positions in producing, distributing, and using bioenergy throughout the country. The compiled data show the improvements and the new approaches needed to improve ethanol sugarcane use. We performed a bibliometric analysis to evaluate Brazilian science’s contribution to this process compared to other countries. Brazil’s history of science and investment in sugarcane biofuel development for transportation may be divided into two phases: ethanol-only and flex-fuel cars. A third phase is starting, directed to the SAF and ethanol-to-hydrogen era.