Iconic Research Articles

The Interplay of Culture Mixing Aversion and Acculturative Flourishing: An Exploration among Mainland Chinese Sojourners in Hong Kong

This research investigates the impact of disgust towards culture mixing on acculturation and life satisfaction among mainland Chinese sojourners adapting to life in Hong Kong. In Study 1, drawing from previous research, we developed a measurement tool for assessing disgust towards mainland China-Hong Kong culture mixing and validated it in a sample of mainland Chinese students. We then conducted two longitudinal studies (Study 2 and 3) to examine the effects of disgust towards culture mixing on life satisfaction over 3-month and 6-month periods. Consistent with prior findings, our results showed that mainland Chinese sojourners perceived mixed cultural symbols as more disgusting compared to standalone ones. Cross-lagged analyses revealed that disgust towards culture mixing negatively predicted life satisfaction after 3 and 6 months of stay. Our findings indicate that initial disgust reactions towards culture mixing may have a causal influence on subsequent life satisfaction during the acculturation process. In conclusion, our study highlights the negative impact that disgust towards cultural mixing has on the acculturation process for Mainland Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong. The findings underscore the importance of promoting greater cultural awareness, understanding, and inclusiveness for the acculturative well-being of immigrants.

Emoji as a Non-Verbal Language Created for Jinuo Minority, China

The Jinuo community, officially recognized as an ethnic minority in China in June 1979, represents the final of 55 ethnic groups identified apart from the Han Chinese. This small group, notable for its lack of a written language and reliance on oral tradition, possesses distinct cultural traits. However, it currently confronts the challenges of Sinicization and potential cultural extinction. Larry A. Samovar, a renowned scholar in non-verbal expression, observed that in face-to-face interactions, verbal behaviors communicate only about 35% of social meanings, with the remainder conveyed through non-verbal communication (NVC). Additionally, the use of emojis as a form of non-verbal language (NVL) has gained significant global popularity in online communication. This research aims to explore the utilization of NVC in preserving Jinuo culture, particularly focusing on emoji communication. The study's objectives include a detailed analysis of the NVC practices within the Jinuo community, aboriginals' usage of emojis in communication, and the imperative of developing unique emojis as a NVL tailored for the Jinuo. The research initially developed 2 emojis that encapsulate key cultural symbols of the Jinuo, such as the Jinuo Big Drum and Birth Myths. The new design is intended not just for the Jinuo members but also to spark broader outgroup public interest in Jinuo culture, both among ingroupers and outgroupers. This investigation marks the first exploration into emoji creation specifically for the Jinuo, highlighting its potential as a tool for cultural preservation and awareness.

The Application of Qiang Ethnic Culture in Strengthening the Consciousness of the Chinese National Community

The consciousness of the Chinese national community is a shared value consensus among various ethnic groups condensed from historical cultural memory and contemporary cultural forms, playing a role in cohesion and unity among members of the Chinese national community. Taking the Qiang ethnic group as an example, by deeply exploring the historical traces of the consciousness of the Chinese national community and combining the spiritual values of traditional cultural resources, the key symbols of Qiang ethnic culture are reasonably developed and utilized. Starting from reality, the close connection between “cultivating the consciousness of the Chinese national community” and “daily life” is explored, ultimately achieving the application of Qiang culture in strengthening the consciousness of the Chinese national community.

The Writing of the Body in the Kumarajiva from the Imagery of the Sun

Across multiple civilizations, the sun has been for centuries considered an extremely prized cultural symbol with numerous connotations. In "Kumarajiva" by Shi Jincun, the sun is a recurring symbol that plays a significant role in the story's emotional transformation of the protagonist. Therefore, it is interesting to delve deeper into the meaning of this image. This essay aims to analyze the coexistence of the two suns in Kumarajiva, which represent human and buddhist nature, respectively, with their various cultural connotations. It also seeks to uncover the narrative idea of the supremacy of the body in the work by highlighting the rivalry and differences between the two suns. This paper aims to bridge the gap between the study of narrative and literary history by examining the similarities between the concept and the principle of neo-sensationalist creativity. It will also offer textual perspectives on the genre attribution of Shi Zhecun, a case that has garnered significant attention in literary history.

Community Leadership, Development and Broadcast Media

The main purpose of this research work is to find out the place of the mass media and opinion leaders in community development, using a study of Aniocha-North local government area of Delta State as a case in point. The method employed in gathering information for this study is the survey method of data collection using questionnaire and personal interview as primary sources while the use of journals, books, libraries, schools etc formed the secondary source of at collection. It was discovered that information from the mass media gets to members of Aniocha community through opinion leaders. Lazarfied and others said was true in Anicha community as it related to the community development of the town. Finally, since it is believed by the rural dwellers that mass media has not done any thing positive to change lives, the mass media should create the sense of identification through the propagation of common cultural value and symbol and by giving desirable interpretation of event.

The relationship between the world of interior design and the world of linguistic discourse

This paper explores the integration of Arabic language with interior design, focusing on the case study of the Museum of the Future in Dubai. By analyzing the successful blending of these two distinct domains, the study aims to uncover the potential synergies and implications for cultural representation and immersive experiences in architectural spaces. The research adopts a qualitative approach, combining observations, and a thorough literature review. The findings reveal a seamless integration of Arabic language and interior design within the museum, with strategic placement of signage, calligraphy, and quotations. The paper discusses the cultural significance and symbolism associated with the incorporation of Arabic language, highlighting its role in fostering a sense of connection and belonging. Furthermore, it explores the enhanced user experiences resulting from this integration. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the fusion of language and interior design, providing valuable insights for practitioners and opening avenues for future research in this emerging field.

Campus Cultural and Creative Design based on Narrative Concepts

Campus cultural creation marks an essential part of cultural and creative design. Its innovative development is conducive to enhancing the campus brand image, spreading campus culture, and improving the reputation and popularity of universities. Campus cultural creation is a product of the integration of culture and design. Cultural products convey the intrinsic value of culture in the form of design and have dual symbols of culture and emotion. Creating campus cultural products by integrating narrative concepts can better arouse users' emotions, thereby in While giving cultural product design some special symbolic connotation and profound meaning, we can experience the social role and emotional power of design as spiritual culture.

Symbolic and Interpretive Meaning of the ‘Church’ of Jacobites in Kerala and its Role in the Construction of Identity

Abstract Symbolic and interpretive anthropology is a paradigm shift in the theoretical advancement of studies about cultures. The theory focuses on the meanings and interpretations of the symbols in a particular culture. The symbols are encoded by the origin, historical incidents, myths, metaphysical perceptions of the community, indigenous knowledge, faith system, power distribution, among others. The church of the Jacobites of Kerala functioned as a symbol. The church also shapes the habitus and practices of its members, constructing the identity and boundaries of the community. This paper analyses how the church becomes a symbol and explores the meanings it embodies. It also delves into how the church constructs the identity and boundaries of the community.

A semiotic view of symbol and identity in the film Farewell My Concubine

Abstract Adapted by Li Bihua and Lu Wei and directed by Chen Kaige, Farewell My Concubine was first released in mainland China and Hong Kong in 1993. It gained strong momentum and went on to break the box office for mainland Chinese literary films in the USA. Against the background of traditional Peking Opera culture, the film spans nearly half a century and follows the love–hate relationship between Cheng Dieyi, played by Leslie Cheung, and Duan Xiaolou, played by Zhang Fengyi. It shows the changes in human nature and the rise and fall of classical art in the city of Beiping in different eras. Taking “symbols” as the entry point, this paper analyses and explores the characteristics of the cultural symbols and metaphors that accompany the main narrative line of the film so as to further trace and understand the multiple interpretations that “anti-identity construction” brings to the film, as well as the ethical implications reflected in the symbols.

Randomized Pacman maze generation algorithm

Pacman, a cultural icon since its debut in 1980, is celebrated for its captivating static maze design. This research explores innovative algorithms, including an improved version of Sidewinder, in the context of dynamic maze generation for Pacman. Traditional algorithms, constituting the initial focus, serve as counterexamples to highlight their unsuitability in creating Pacman mazes due to their generic design unrelated to the game's unique gameplay. By showcasing these limitations, the study emphasizes the necessity for tailored solutions that align with Pacman's dynamic environment. Subsequently, attention shifts to an innovative algorithm exhibiting promise for Pacman maze generation. An in-depth analysis, using the same rigorous criteria applied to traditional algorithms provides essential insights into its potential for enhancing the Pacman gaming experience.

Under the Background of High-Quality Development, the Influence of Creating the Cultural Symbol of ‘Shaanxi Drama’ on Shaanxi’s Economic Development

As an ancient capital of the thirteen dynasties, Shaanxi Province has been striving to create an “international tourism destination of Chinese ancient capital culture.” In recent years, the development trend is good, and tourism performing arts have made great contributions to this, which has greatly improved Shaanxi Province, especially Xi’an, as a popular tourist destination. As a new business card of Shaanxi, it is of great significance to study what kind of cultural symbol it will create, which will become a new bright spot of Shaanxi tourism and further promote the development of the Shaanxi economy.

REGIONALISM IN ARCHITECTURE: A STUDY OF LOCAL PERCEPTIONS ON PUBLIC STATE BUILDINGS IN WEST KALIMANTAN PROVINCE, INDONESIA

Regionalism in architecture opposes the globalized approach that disregards local identity. Understanding regionalism is crucial for preserving a region's identity through architecture. Public state buildings in Indonesia play a pivotal role in expressing regional independence through distinctive features. The architectural regionalism of West Kalimantan is defined by vertical composition, building shape, mass, spatial layout, and envelope. This research aims to examine regionalism characteristics of public state buildings in West Kalimantan by comparing them with public perception. The research involves a descriptive approach using questionnaires based on variables related to architectural regionalism. Out of the 36 iconic state buildings studied, 21 meet the regionalism criteria in West Kalimantan. These buildings share common features such as the use of local materials, responsive design to the climate, and incorporation of historical and cultural values into spatial meaning. The most influential factors in assessing the identity are roof shape, cultural symbols, and ornamentation.

ANALISIS SINEMATIK DAN NARASI VISUAL FILM ANIMASI “RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON”

Raya and the Last Dragon is an animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios with the storyline of Raya's adventures as the main character in an imaginary country called Kumandra. This animated film has a cultural style and local identity that is identical to Southeast Asian culture, including Indonesian culture. It is these cultural identities and symbols that encourage this research. Through a descriptive analysis method, the meaning of symbols or cultural identities contained in the visual and cinematic narratives of the animated film Raya and the Last Dragon will be explained based on studies using Roland Barthes' semiotic theory. The results obtained from the analysis using two stages of significance, namely the first level of denotational meaning and the second level of connotative meaning, are the messages contained in several excerpts in each scene of the animated film which show the meaning of Southeast Asian cultural symbols, as well as what is visible from the behavior of each character, as well as the visual and cinematic narrative that greatly influences the animated film.

FESTIVAL CIKAR SEBAGAI BUDAYA LOKAL MASYARAKAT KECAMATAN AMBULU KABUPATEN JEMBER TAHUN 1989-2018

This article discusses the Cikar Festival as a Local Culture of the People of Ambulu District, Jember Regency, 1989-2018. The purpose of this paper is to find out the history of the beginning of the Cikar Festival in Ambulu Subdistrict, what efforts have been made by the community and the government to preserve the Cikar Festival, and to know the development of the Cikar Festival in 1989-2018. This research uses historical methods to uncover the problems that are being studied. This festival originated from the habits of the owners of the cikar in Ambulu Subdistrict, who traveled to Watu Ulo Beach, which is held at every Lebaran Ketupat celebration. In 1989 these activities began to be contested by several Ambulu people. This is evidenced by establishing the Margo Rukun Association, as a forum for cikar artisans to preserve these activities to be more coordinated. Cikar itself is a traditional transportation tool in the form of a cart pulled by two adult cows, which some people in Ambulu District still use. The dynamics related to the reduction in the number of cikar participants are due to the decreasing number of cikar owners and the progress of an increasingly modern era. The significant reduction in the number of participants in the Cikar festival in 2018 made the government not remain silent. So that year the Regent of Jember and the Department of Tourism and Culture of Jember Regency (Disparbud) who were present at the festival made an effort to keep the cikar at Ambulu holding this festival every year and strive for the Cikar festival to become one of the cultural icons in Jember.
 Keywords: Transportation; Tradition; Festival

Crow and Raven in Lithuanian and Slavic Phraseology and Ethnic Culture

The aim of the article is to explore whether the image of the crow and raven in Lithuanian phraseology and ethnic culture is similar to that of its Slavic neighbors or exhibits distinctive characteristics. The research material includes phraseological units in Lithuanian, Polish, Belarusian, and Russian with the components crow and raven. The analysis encompasses phraseologisms found in both vernacular and literary sources, applying the theory of conventional figurative language and the comparative method. Special attention is given to the portrayal of crows and ravens in folklore and folk beliefs. The findings reveal a predominantly negative perception of both birds in Lithuanian and Slavic phraseology and ethnic culture. The main features of the image of a crow and raven, which have developed in Lithuanian and Slavic phraseology and ethnic culture, are based on such characteristics as: black feathers, predatory behaviour, an unpleasant voice (the cry is mythologized, and it is associated with misfortunes and death). The image of the crow is often ironic and comical, while the image of the raven is much more negative. The crow is a cultural symbol of foolishness, while the raven is associated with wisdom. However, both Lithuanian and Slavic phraseology have their own peculiar images of the crow and the raven.

The River God Cult and the Reshaping of Political Authority—Reading Inscriptions from the Hezhong Area in Tang China

The River God cult held a significant place in state rituals in imperial China. While scholars have primarily focused on the evolution of the River God sacrificial system, with its interplay of the official granting of noble titles and popular beliefs, this paper offers a further examination of the River God cult. By reading the “Stele of the (Shrine) Temple for the River God honored as the Duke of Numinous Source” (hedushen lingyuangong cimiao bei 河瀆神靈源公祠廟碑), created in the Tang Dynasty, this study explores the interactive relationship between the River God cult and state power in the Hezhong 河中area during that time period. We contend that the traditional River God cult and the participation of both officials and civilians in common rituals throughout past dynasties not only created a concentration of historical memories and reverent emotions but also established a strong social foundation for belief in the River God within the Hezhong region. This cult attracted both state endorsement and popular support. Thus, Guo Ziyi 郭子儀 (697–781), a famous military general in the Tang Dynasty, sought to renovate a temple and erect a monument for the River God. This monument was to serve as a cultural symbol that would strengthen the connection between the state and the local community, and hence ease the social tensions in the Hezhong area after the An Lushan Rebellion. In sum, such a construction would enhance the psychological and cultural identity of the people with both the mandate of heaven and the Tang imperial authority.

Care and Crisis: Making Beds in the National Health Service

Abstract In July 1979, the Sunday Mirror published an article with the headline: “HOSPITALS AT CRISIS POINT: Jobs and beds to go in cash curbs.” In this article we explore the role of hospital beds in such public discussions of “crisis” within the British National Health Service (NHS). In the 1970s, the media and politicians paid increasing attention to bed numbers as an indicator of resource scarcity within the NHS. While this in part reflected a genuine trend, it was also a powerful narrative device. The hospital bed has become a cipher for NHS resourcing and resilience, but throughout the twentieth century, there has been a tension between stories of declining bed numbers as a sign of “crisis,” and declining bed numbers as a marker of more efficient, high-quality healthcare. This article will show that the hospital bed was an extremely important political device because it was imbued with rich social and cultural symbolism, and that stories of declining bed numbers were not as straightforward as they first appear. While discussions in the public sphere tended to focus on bed numbers and waiting times, discussions in the healthcare sector and among policymakers attended to what beds could—and should—do for both patients and staff. Public rhetoric about decline was less about the object itself, and more about the role of the hospital bed as a symbol of care and as a politically pertinent shorthand for the health of the NHS as an institution.

Communicative Behavior of Mass Culture Icon Villain and the Influence on Destructive Behavior in Youth. Joker’s Case

This article examines the potential influence of iconic characters—villains of mass culture—on destructive and aggressive youth behavior. The cultivation of certain societal groups and individual media characters can lead to the normalization of hostility and violence. This study analyzes the communication styles, intelligence, motives, aggression levels, and violent actions of famous villains from films, television, and literature. Particular attention is paid to the Joker’s communicative behavior, dialogues, and language, examining how he psychologically manipulates others and conveys his destructive views through unconventional techniques. Using textual examples from comic books and films, it analyzes how the Joker’s language choices and performative style reflect his background and moral-anarchic worldview. His rhetoric provokes violent reactions from allies and enemies alike, highlighting his ability to destabilize situations. The presented portrait reveals a multi-layered understanding of this legendary creation in different epochs and contexts. The findings indicate certain villain traits that could potentially encourage impressionable youth to engage in harmful behavior. Overall, provocative fiction has a double-edged significance as it can both shape and mislead developing minds. Recommendations are made to reduce the negative effects of glamorizing villains in entertainment media.

Relay interpreting (chongyi) as auspicious rhetoric in discourse on China-bound diplomatic visits

Abstract Interpreting is considered no more than a technical necessity in modern times. Yet millennia ago, China-bound relay interpreting, chongyi 重譯, could symbolize auspiciousness, often foreshadowed via anomalies in plants or astrology. Its subtle ideological associations can be inferred by analyzing related tokens of usage. Drawing on texts and treatises circulated and written before seventh-century China, this article reports, from a close analysis of four texts, a rhetorical pattern on the formulaic references to chongyi. Interestingly, these texts all depict “diplomatic visits to China through chongyi” as an event validating an auspicious sign in nature spotted earlier. My analysis suggests that the documentation of chongyi bears more of a figuratively auspicious, rather than a sheer mediating, connotation. The elevation of a relay interpreting act to a cultural icon or ideological dimension is ubiquitous in the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE) writings, which served to leverage the state-sanctioned Confucian and divination overtones to reinforce the emperor’s mandate. This article aims at examining the epistemology and ideology of classical references to chongyi and identifying a rhetorical pattern denoting the conceptual link between chongyi and auspiciousness in the broader Confucian framework.

Strengthening Islamic Education Values through Kaili Da'a Local Ethnic Cultural Symbol

This research aims to examine the meaning of Kaili ethnic cultural symbols to strengthen the values of Islamic education among the Kaili ethnic community. This research was conducted using a qualitative approach. The data collection technique in this research uses observation, interviews and documentation methods. Data analysis in this research uses single data analysis (individual case analysis), with the data analysis model from Miles and Huberman, through three paths of activities that occur simultaneously. This research found that there are sambulugana symbols and sintuvu symbols in organizing their daily life systems. These symbols are interpreted deeply because they have fundamental values. The sambulugana symbol teaches the concept of gratitude and resignation to God Almighty. Meanwhile, the sintuvu concept teaches the values of ukhuwah or cooperation between people. The sintuvu symbol reminds the Kaili ethnic community of how they live in interdependence with one another. The sintuvu symbol also teaches us not to create distance between relatives. So, as much as possible, maintain kinship relations even in buying and selling (exchanging goods).