China Research Articles

How environmental information is capitalized into the housing market? Evidence from China's National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Previous studies examined the effects of environmental information on people's pollution avoidance behaviors and the housing market. However, they obtained contradictory empirical findings and many of them failed to clearly examine and verify the potential mechanisms of how the disclosed information works in shaping behaviors and the housing market. To address these gaps, this study used a natural experiment design to identify the role of environmental information in housing prices. Exploiting a step-by-step air quality information disclosure program and a comprehensive dataset for housing markets, we found that information disclosure decreased housing prices by around 1.7%. This implies that people underestimated local air pollution in our sample cities before the program. By employing a representative survey of people's subjective perceptions of pollution, our mechanism analyses suggest that information updating serves as a channel through which information influences housing prices. Our analyses also exclude the impact of changes in actual pollution levels after the information disclosure regulation is conducted. These results are unchanged after conducting several robustness checks and excluding some other competing explanations.

Great Powers Struggle: To A Bipolar World Order Again in The 21st Century by The United States of America-People’s Republic Of China Rivalry?

After the pandemic in 2020, “a bipolar international system formed around the United States of America (USA)- People’s Republic of China (PRC) has started to re-emerge” evolutions have increased recently in the Academy. With this article, the hypothesis that “the struggle of these states, the superpowers of our time, will again bring ‘a bipolar world order’ as in the Cold War, as put forward in the global order reshaped by the 2020 pandemic” will be tested. In this context, the conceptual framework of the bipolar world order will be drawn, in the continuation the national power elements of the two countries will be researched within the framework of realist theory, and the international results of their rivalry will be analyzed in the conclusion. In the study, the necessary data were collected using the quantitative research method, and this data were analyzed by content analysis technique. Finally, an evaluation was made by discussing the accuracy of the tested hypothesis.

Cinematic Guerrillas: Propaganda, Projectionists, and Audiences in Socialist China. By Jie Li. New York: Columbia University Press, 2023. 341 pp. $140 (cloth), $35 (paper), $34.99 (ebook). - Revolutionary Becomings: Documentary Media in Twentieth-Century China. By Ying Qian. New York: Columbia University Press, 2024. 305 pp. $140 (cloth), $35 (paper), $34.99 (ebook).

Cinematic Guerrillas: Propaganda, Projectionists, and Audiences in Socialist China. By Jie Li. New York: Columbia University Press, 2023. 341 pp. $140 (cloth), $35 (paper), $34.99 (ebook). - Revolutionary Becomings: Documentary Media in Twentieth-Century China. By Ying Qian. New York: Columbia University Press, 2024. 305 pp. $140 (cloth), $35 (paper), $34.99 (ebook).

Study on the Presentation of China's National Image in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of Hangzhou Asian Games from the Perspective of Semiotics

In the presentation of international image, shaping the country with the help of the language of cultural symbols has also become an important way of cross-cultural communication in today's era. The Hangzhou Asian Games has become a widely acclaimed event both at home and abroad, and one of its essences lies in the fact that it has skillfully borrowed many cultural symbols with consensus, realizing a high state of dialogue in the international communication arena.

No Longer Neutral? Shifts in Russian Policy towards Northeast Asia since 2014

ABSTRACT Russia’s aim to build a role as a neutral, independent player in Northeast Asia (NEA) is now under threat as a result of its regional policy choices since the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Moscow’s evolving position in the region can arguably be better understood in the light of the dynamic of the Sino-Russian partnership. The decline of Russian capacities, its growing partnership with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and NEA developments have exerted a unique impact on Moscow’s relations with regional stakeholders. As a result, Russia’s position as a neutral player in Northeast Asian security issues, including in the case of the Korean peninsula and China-Japan Senkaku/Diaoyu island dispute, is no longer tenable. Despite its weaker status, the declining power (Russia) has a specific strategic value to the rising power (PRC) in the short to medium term, thus requiring a more nuanced understanding of the behaviour and role of such powers in the international system.

Testing the unintended cost effects of health policies for generic substitutions: the case of China's National Volume-Based Procurement (NVBP) policy.

Generic substitutions are globally considered to contain health expenditures. Yet it is uncertain whether the costs would spill over to other medicines or health services. Contextualizing China's National Volume-Based Procurement (NVBP) policy, which promoted generic substitution, this study tests the changes in patients' utilisation of generic medicines and whether the costs shift to other pharmaceutics or health services post-policy. This population-based, matched, cohort study uses claims data from Tianjin, China in 2018-2020. We focus on Amlodipine, the most commonly used calcium channel blocker with the largest volume. We build comparable post-policy cohorts: Non-switchers who kept using originator Amlodipine, Pure-switchers who loyally switched to generic Amlodipine, and Back-switchers who switched back-and-forth; and compare between each matched pair, respectively, of their annual healthcare costs and that broken down by components, and patients' use of and adherence to Amlodipine post-policy. 1185 Pure-switchers, 1398 Back-switchers, and 2330 Non-switchers are identified (mean age: 63.0 years; 58.5% men). For the matched pairs, Pure-switchers (N=772) incurred an annual total medical costs of CNY 9213.5, 12.2% lower than Non-switchers (N=1544, absolute difference CNY -1309.3, 95%CI: [-2645.8, -19.6]). The cost reduction only results from Amlodipine prescriptions in outpatient encounters, and are equally born on health plans and the enrolees. Pure-switchers and Non-switchers are not different in costs from other medicines, nor from other items including tests, surgeries, beds, and medical consumables for hypertension-related encounters/admissions. Pure-switchers had higher daily dosage and better adherence to Amlodipine than Non-switchers as well. The differences between Back-switchers and Non-switchers show similar trends but are less profound. China's NVBP policy is effective to control pharmaceutical costs. No unintended cost effects have yet been identified in the short run. Other countries may learn from China on the comprehensive sets of auxiliary policies, including listing, bidding, purchasing, and reimbursing, to better promote generic substitutions.

Distribution and Co-Enrichment Factors of Arsenic and Fluoride in the Groundwater of the Plain Area of the Aksu River Basin, Xinjiang, PR China

The Aksu River Basin is located in the western region of the middle part of the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the northwestern edge of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, China. High-arsenic (As)/high-fluoride (F) groundwater is widely distributed in this area and is harmful to the life of local residents and to agricultural production. It is of great importance to understand the distribution and causes of As-F co-enrichment in the groundwater in this area. Based on the test results of 138 groundwater samples in the plain area of the Aksu River Basin, the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater and the spatial distribution of As-F co-enrichment groundwater were analyzed under the following conditions: a single-structure phreatic aquifer (SSPA), a phreatic aquifer in a confined groundwater area (PACGA), a shallow confined aquifer (SCA), and a deep confined aquifer (DCA), all in a recharge area, transition area, and an evaporation area. The hydrogeochemical processes affecting the source, migration, and enrichment of As-F in the groundwater were revealed. The results showed that the chemical types of groundwater in the study area were mainly HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg and SO4·Cl-Na·Mg. Horizontally, high-As-F groundwater was mainly distributed in the transition area and evaporation area in the middle and lower reaches of the Aksu River Basin. The area is close to the edge of the desert, where the groundwater runoff is sluggish and in an alkaline-reducing groundwater environment. Vertically, high-As groundwater was mainly distributed in the PACGA at a depth of 10–20 m and in the SCA at a depth of 80–100 m. High-F groundwater was mainly concentrated in the PACGA at a depth of 10–30 m and in the SCA at a depth of 80–100 m, and As-F co-enrichment groundwater was mainly concentrated in the PACGA at a depth of 10–20 m and in the SCA at a depth of 80–100 m. The hydrochemical characteristics of the groundwater in the Aksu River Basin were closely related to geological conditions, hydrogeological conditions, and the hydrochemical environment of the groundwater. As-F co-enriched groundwater was mainly affected by the combination of a small topographic gradient, a shallow groundwater burial depth, a weak reducing alkaline groundwater environment, strong evaporation and concentration, the weathering and dissolution of evaporated salt rock, and the alternating adsorption of cations.

Enhancing science achievement through inquiry activities: the critical role of perceived teacher support

ABSTRACT In science education, scientific inquiry is crucial for developing inquiry skills and constructing scientific knowledge. However, the impact of scientific inquiry activities on student achievement continues to be debated. A number of counterintuitive findings highlight the need to explore the underlying factors influencing the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning. This study employed hierarchical linear models (HLM) to investigate the role of students’ perceived school teacher support in moderating the relationship between inquiry-based science activities and science achievement. The sample used in this study was drawn from Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Guangdong in mainland China (B-S-J-G-China). These four provinces participated in the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) as a collective group. The dataset comprised 9,592 students (4,543 females and 5,049 males) from 261 schools. Results revealed a negative correlation between inquiry-based activities and science achievement, indicating that a higher frequency of inquiry-based activities was associated with lower science achievement. However, this association was positively and significantly moderated by the extent of school teacher support. These findings highlight the pivotal role of students’ perceived school teacher support in enhancing the effectiveness of inquiry-based practices and shed light on optimising inquiry-based educational strategies. This suggests that the effective implementation of inquiry-based activities requires the backing of supportive teachers, with broader implications for curriculum design and teacher development in science education.

Exploring Policy of Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries in China: Evolution, Challenges and Prospects

China plays a significant role in the global fishing industry. The small-scale fisheries (SSFs) operating along its coast have made noteworthy and invaluable contributions in the areas of poverty alleviation, protein provision, social equity, and overall socioeconomic development. Coastal small-scale fishing management is a persistent challenge for all fishing nations, including China. In recent years, China has made significant strides in adopting scientific and refined approaches to fishery management in this sector. This paper provides an overview of the development of China’s coastal fishery management practices, including changes in policies, methods, and modes since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. To address these challenges, this research seeks to enhance the governance system of small-scale coastal fisheries by assessing values from three dimensions: society, economy, and ecology.

Insights into the mechanisms of serplulimab: a distinctive anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with a TIGIT or LAG3 inhibitor in preclinical tumor immunotherapy studies.

With more than 20 anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies currently marketed, anti-PD-1 therapy has become a cornerstone of tumor immunotherapy. These agents, however, exhibit notable disparities in their characteristics and clinical performance. For instance, in the field of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) where the majority of anti-PD-1 antibodies have yielded limited success, serplulimab produced impressive survival improvements and was approved for this indication by China's National Medical Products Administration. Serplulimab's marketing authorization application also received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism underpinning serplulimab's superiority over its competitors remains elusive. We characterized the differences between serplulimab with approved PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (pembrolizumab and nivolumab) in terms of their binding features and functions in vitro and anti-tumor activity in vivo. Cellular pathways underlying the efficacy of serplulimab were also investigated. In comparison to competitors, serplulimab robustly induces PD-1 receptor endocytosis while fostering weaker PD-1-CD28 cis interactions. This phenomenon could mitigate the dephosphorylation of CD28 by SHP2, thereby facilitating sustained and robust T cell activation. While serplulimab and pembrolizumab exhibited similar performance in vitro and in vivo studies, serplulimab consistently demonstrated superior tumor killing efficacy compared to pembrolizumab upon co-administration with anti-TIGIT or anti-LAG3 inhibitors. Mechanistically, the serplulimab combination effectively reduces tumor microenvironment Treg cell populations, augments effector and memory T cell populations, and more potently modulates genes associated with diverse facets of the immune system, surpassing the effects of the pembrolizumab combination. In summary, our data underscore serplulimab as a differentiated PD-1 monoclonal antibody with best-in-class therapeutic potential.

A study on the changes of China's parenting labor system from the perspective of legal culture theory (1949-1957)

In the early years of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Communist Party then referred to as CPC implemented a series of equality policies in favor of women. This type of policy is reflected in the allocation of childcare labor resources, emphasizing the construction of women’s social welfare. However, China’s women’s welfare policies are influenced by overall political decision making and exhibit an unstable state. This study discusses the changes in the CPC’s childcare norms from 1949 to 1957. Using the laws and regulations issued by the CPC government from 1949 to 1957 and the news materials published from 1949 to 1957, this study classifies and discusses these first hand historical materials in different periods using the method of literature analysis. This study uses Friedman’s legal culture theory to analyze the interaction between the internal legal culture of the government representatives of the CPC and the external legal culture of the people’s representatives. This study finds that by exploring the process of the construction of women’s welfare policy of the PRC from 1949 to 1957, it can be clearly seen that under the condition of limited financial capacity, women’s welfare work is easily abolished due to other more important national socio-economic work. From these results, this study finally concludes that women’s liberation become a tool to serve the national construction under the discourse construction of the CPC.

Research on the Mechanism of Establishing National Identity: Based on the Analysis of Taiwan’s History from 1895 to 2000

Taiwan’s autonomy and status in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have always been contentious. The visits of numerous Western officials and Taiwan’s steadfast assertion of its national identity have introduced uncertainties in the security of the Indo-Pacific region. Exploring the development of Taiwan’s self-awareness regarding its national identity is crucial for understanding how Taiwan navigates its position in the PRC, paving the way for a practical approach for the mainland to improve cross-strait relations. With a deep analysis of factors contributing to deteriorating Taiwan’s identity recognition, the article will continue to examine Taiwan’s history from 1895 to 2000 and the evolution of its national identity. It concludes that historical factors significantly shape Taiwan’s identity and considers how the mainland can enhance its relationship with Taiwan’s utilizing mechanisms. To promote a Chinese identity in Taiwan, the article suggests strategies such as fostering economic cooperation under the One-China principle, facilitating youth education exchanges, and acknowledging cultural and national identity.

Roseobacter sinensis sp. nov., a marine bacterium capable to synthesize arachidonic acid.

Strain WL0113T was isolated from surface seawater of the coast of Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, PR China. Strain WL0113T shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Roseobacter insulae YSTF-M11T (98.8%), followed by R. cerasinus AI77T (98.8%), R. ponti MM-7T (98.0%). Strain WL0113T was Gram-stain-negative, cream, aerobic, non-motile and coccoid- to oval-shaped, and able to grow at pH 6.5-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-8.0), at 10-37°C (optimum, 28°C) and in the presence of 1-5% (w/v; optimum, 2.5%) NaCl. Ubiquinone-10 was detected as dominant. The main fatty acids (> 5%) of the strain WL0113T were C16:0, iso-C17:0 3OH, C20:4ω6,9,12,15c (arachidonic acid), and summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c). The major polar lipids include phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, glycophospholipid, unknown aminolipid, unknown phospholipid, and two unknown polar lipids. The ANI and dDDH values between strain WL0113T and Roseobacter cerasinus were 80.4% and 23.0%, respectively. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain WL0113T was 63.1%. Based on these data, it is proposed that strain WL0113T represent novel species of the genus Roseobacter, for which the name Roseobacter sinensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WL0113T (= GDMCC 1.3082T = JCM 35567T).

From Tourism to Propaganda Tactics: Unveiling the PRC’s Influence on Palau’s Electoral Landscape

This article argues that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is leveraging a combination of economic influence, political coercion, and disinformation tactics to sway the outcome of Palau’s 2024 presidential election. With the currently favored candidate reportedly being tied to Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-linked individuals and publicly promoting PRC narratives, it is critical to highlight the PRC’s influence tactics—such as propaganda, censorship, international partnerships, and financial pressures—that are being employed to achieve its goals. The article first offers a brief overview of the PRC’s actions and aims in the Indo-Pacific region, highlighting Palau’s significance to the PRC and the United States. Next, the author summarizes the PRC’s multiple forms of economic influence in the region, such as monopolizing tourism, buying land, engaging in bribery, encouraging illegal activities, and exploiting U.S. missteps. Then, after introducing Palau’s presidential candidates, the article delves into PRC information operations and tactics. It also examines key findings of PRC interference in other recent regional elections, such as in Taiwan and the Philippines, and analyzes what tactics were used, if they were effective, and how these tactics could be adapted to be successfully implemented in Palau. The article concludes with predictive analysis of the PRC’s potential actions in Palau, such as information operations, including amplifying local conflicts, using local media as proxies, and creating artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, as well as listing potential countermeasures that could be implemented in Palau to combat PRC information advances, such as education programs for students and journalists, misinformation debunking campaigns, and implementing legislation to counter misinformation campaigns.

The KMT versus the CCP: Dueling Chinese Nationalisms and the Politics of Colonial Rule During Hong Kong’s 1956 Riots

During October 10–12, 1956, British Hong Kong was engulfed in a downward spiral of violence that pitted Kuomintang (KMT) supporters against men and women affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), forcing the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of China (ROC), and Great Britain to engage in a series of tense diplomatic exchanges that could have escalated into a wider geopolitical conflict. The actions of KMT supporters precipitated the 1956 riots, thereby granting opportunities to the PRC to repeatedly and strongly criticize the colonial government for allegedly failing to protect Chinese who were loyal to Beijing. While the PRC did not intervene militarily to protect its supporters, the 1956 riots revealed to London the precarious nature of colonial rule and underscored the fact that the colony’s very existence was dependent upon the acquiescence of Beijing.

Advancing Knowledge in Forest Water Use Efficiency Under Global Climate Change Through Scientometric Analysis

Forests are critical in regulation of carbon and water cycles and mitigation of climate change. Forest water-use efficiency (WUE) refers to the ratio of biomass produced (or assimilated carbon) to the amount of water used by forests, which indicates how effectively a forest utilizes water to achieve productivity. Climate change and its impact on forest WUE are important research directions that explore the complex relationship between global environmental change and the forest ecosystem dynamics. The global intensification of climate change underscores the need for an inclusive understanding of forest water use and makes it crucial to know how forests balance carbon and water resources, which is essential for effective forest management and predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. This study aims to comprehensively and objectively analyze current research trends and future directions related to the response of forest WUE to climate change. Our database included 1755 research papers from the Web of Science Core Collection, spanning from 2000 to 2023. Our analysis included cooperative networks of countries, authors, and institutions, as well as the most frequently cited journals and articles, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and a keyword burst analysis. The results showed that the top cooperative country, author, and institution is PR China, Prof. Dr. Jesús Julio Camarero from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively. The leading journal in this field is “Global Change Biology”. Critical research hot topics include gas exchange, modeling, altitudinal gradients, tree growth dynamics, net carbon exchange, global change drivers, tropical forests, nitrogen stoichiometry, Northern China plains, and extreme drought conditions. Frontier topics that have emerged in recent years include studies on China’s Loess Plateau, stable isotopes, radial growth, gross primary productivity, and Scots pine. The insights from this analysis are vital for researchers, decision-makers, and forestry professionals aiming to mitigate the impacts of climate change on forest WUE and overall ecosystem health and resilience. This study emphasizes the importance of sustained research efforts and global research collaboration in addressing the intricate challenges posed by climate change to forest ecosystems.

Paracoccus actinidiae sp.nov., a novel bacterium isolated from kiwi tree rhizosphere soil.

Strain M09T was isolated from the rhizoshere of kiwi fruit trees from an orchard located in Fangshan, Beijing, PR China (39° 49' 25.1″ N, 116° 4' 44.5″ E,). It is a short rod-shaped, Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterium that tests positive for both oxidase and catalase. The strain exhibited growth within the temperature range of 15-45 °C (optimal growth at 30 °C) and the pH range of 4.0-10.0 (optimal growth at pH 7.0) and without NaCl. It also grew in a sodium chloride-free nutrient agar (NA) medium. The results of phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that M09T represents a member of the genus Paracoccus and shares high similarity with Paracoccus everestensis S8-55T (98.46%) and Paracoccus aerius 011410T (97.58%). The average nucleotide identity values between M09T and P. everestensis S8-55T, P. aerius 011410T, Paracoccus marinaquae X HP0099T and Paracoccus fontiphilus MVW-1T were 95.56, 84.51, 79.83 and 83.68%, respectively. The digital DNA-DNA hybridisation values between between M09T and P. everestensis S8-55T, P. aerius 011410T, P. marinaquae X HP0099T and P. fontiphilus MVW-1T were 56.40, 29.30, 21.60 and 28.60%, respectively. The major fatty acids identified were C10 : 0 3-OH (51.8%) and C18 : 1ω7c (35.5%). The major respiratory quinone was Q-10, with Q-8 present as a minor component. Polar lipids were mainly comprised of diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Genome sequencing revealed that the strain has a DNA G+C content of 64.31 mol%. On the basis of this comprehensive taxonomic characterisation data, M09T represents a novel species within the genus Paracoccus and has been named Paracoccus actinidiae sp. nov. The type strain is designated as M09T (=GDMCC 1.4157T=KCTC 8143T).

The Impact of Changes in China's Population Structure on Consumption Patterns

Consumer spending is the key engine driving economic growth in China. However, in recent years, the overall consumption pattern in China has been affected by domestic epidemics, leading to an increase in unemployment rates among residents and a decrease in consumer willingness. As a result, the annual changes in final consumption expenditure have tended to stabilize, with almost no upward trend. Consequently, numerous studies have emerged based on the current consumption situation in China, providing recommendations to promote consumption. This paper, using data from the World Bank and China's National Statistical Yearbook, conducts research on the impact of demographic changes on consumption structure and proposes relevant suggestions to boost consumption in China. Researching the development of China's population structure reveals several notable trends. These include a decrease in the working-age population accompanied by a significant aging trend, improvements in population quality due to enhanced human capital, and a noticeable trend towards urbanization and increased population mobility. Therefore, this paper provides a series of recommendations, encourages national policies and corporate innovations that promote consumption, and offers solutions to potential issues arising from changes in population structure.

The Concept of Flexible Learning for Teaching Art Disciplines in Elementary Schools for National Minorities in modern PR China

The concept of flexible learning is increasingly important in contemporary education systems, particularly for teaching art and aesthetic disciplines. In China, this approach is especially relevant in schools serving national minorities, where diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds necessitate a more adaptable and inclusive educational framework. This article aims to explore the implementation of flexible learning for teaching art and aesthetic disciplines in modern elementary schools in China, focusing on the experiences and strategies used to organise the educational process for representatives of national minorities. When writing the article, the methods typical for researching papers in the field of general education and pedagogical comparative studies were used, in particular: literature review, case studies, document analysis, comparative analysis, observation. The article results. Flexible learning refers to educational approaches that provide students with choices regarding how, what, when, and where they learn. It emphasises adaptability to individual learning needs, preferences, and cultural contexts. Implementing flexible learning in art and aesthetic disciplines involves several strategies to accommodate the unique needs of national minority students (such as cultural and artistic integration, use of technology, community involvement and flexible learning environments) and is widely used in PR China in regions with significant populations of national minorities, providing valuable results. However, implementing flexible learning for art and aesthetic disciplines in schools for national minorities comes with challenges, including resource limitations and the need for special programs of teacher training activities including cultural sensitivity, which are the point of constant attention of the Chinese government. The study concludes that the implementation of flexible learning for teaching art and aesthetic disciplines in modern elementary schools in China, particularly for national minorities, demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and adaptability in education. By integrating bilingual education, technology, community involvement, and flexible learning environments, these schools can provide a more personalised and culturally relevant education for their students. Despite the challenges, the benefits of this approach are significant and include promoting cultural preservation, artistic expression, and social cohesion.

Reaffirming Loyalty and Legitimacy: Representations of Hui Multi-Layered Identity in Bai Lian’s “Mountain Pass”

In the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) left many writers severed from their cultural roots. Starting in the 1980s, literary authors sought to address this disconnection by turning their attention to rural communities. This tendency is exemplified by the emergence of two significant trends: root-seeking literature and new fiction from Tibet. Root-seeking authors focused on local customs, marginalized cultures, and minority groups to reinvigorate Chinese literature and fill the perceived cultural void. Around the same time, new fiction from Tibet featured diverse responses to post-Mao changes, with some idealizing Tibet as a repository of “authentic” traditions, while others criticized its perceived backwardness. Both trends have been interpreted in scholarship as responses, often critical, to state policies. The short story “Mountain Pass” (1985) by Hui writer Bai Lian intersects with these movements temporally and thematically. However, unlike them, Bai Lian’s portrayal of rural communities emphasizes the Hui’s historical role in resisting the Qing empire, pivotal to the emergence of the PRC, while also highlighting the group’s Arab and Persian origins. This three-layered identification with the local, national, and transnational enriches our understanding of the 1980s literary landscape, challenging the notion that this era was solely characterized by resistance to the central state.