Chinese Studies Commons^™

Dao Gives Birth To Lots Of Killing: Violence In The Daoist Tradition, Micah Dunwoody

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Violence in Daoism takes on political and/or cosmological significance. The earliest texts, including Daodejing, argue for defensive war that must be conducted appropriately by rulers. Myths and rituals that developed later in the tradition portray gods and spirits subduing demons. The latter are either killed or enlisted into the armies of the gods. Rituals include the role of humans, particularly Daoist priests/ritual specialists who call upon the gods to fight demons who inflict maladies upon people. This paper also examines the role of martial arts and physical violence. Martial arts are often imbued with religious hues in Daoism, as …

A Study Of Selected Vocal Works By Shande Ding: The Mysterious Sound Of Flute And Poems On Western Yunnan, Chuyan Luo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study aims to delve into and interpret “The Mysterious Sound of Flute” and “Poems on Western Yunnan” from a singer’s perspective while also providing guidance and recommendations for other performers. The research encompasses the history of Chinese art songs, a biography of Shande Ding, and an introduction to his compositional style. A comprehensive examination of each song includes background information, song analysis, translation, a Chinese lyric diction guide, and performance suggestions.

Art songs constitute a significant genre in music composition, and Chinese art songs have yielded numerous outstanding composers and captivating works over the years. Among these composers, Shande …

Ripe Spoils, Yan Cynthia Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Chen’s practice primarily focus on sculptures and installation. She explores the interplay between the idea of nature and the constructed environment, by examining how language informs what we know. The central thesis, "Ripe Spoils", employs citrus fruits as symbols for bodily experiences and personal identity, investigating their cultural and historical significance. Her sculptures summon the qualities and embedded meanings in materials like paper pulp and clay, wax and citrus fruits, often resulting in abstracted forms evocative of the human body. This thesis paper and exhibition reflect on themes like mortality and the essence of self.

Chinese-English Dictionary Enable Select Search …

The Moment Of Beijing, Zhang Yue

MA Projects

After a complete COVID-19 lockdown of three years, most Chinese people crave opportunities to replenish their already waned and suffocated needs in the cultural and artistic realm (21st Century Economy, 2023). Seeking this invaluable time to enhance city influence and cultural image, major metropolises, especially Beijing, actively appeal to various exhibitions, shows, and cultural tourism resorts. The scope is almost unprecedented: cultural tourism, music, art, fine art, creative art, and traditional produce harmoniously integrate and captivate thousands of people. People’s need for art and culture is here, and Beijing is ready to make full strides. It is at this critical …

Pearls Of Power: Navigating Empire And Kingship In The Nineteenth Century In Qing Dynasty China And Victorian England, Jinrui Chen

MA Theses

This thesis provides an academic exploration of the socio-cultural and political connotations of pearl jewelry during the Qing Dynasty in China and the Victorian era in England. It examines the symbolic prominence of the Eastern pearl within the Qing Dynasty’s hierarchical and imperial contexts, juxtaposing this with the emotional and personal resonance of pearl jewelry in Victorian England. The study employs an array of primary Chinese sources and insightful case studies to investigate the dynamics of pearl harvesting, consumption, and perception, thereby unveiling the diverse roles pearls played in these distinct societies. This comparative approach addresses a gap in existing …

Chinese Economic Behavior In Southeast Asia: A Historical And Cultural Overview Of The Migration Patterns, Culture, And Business Practices Of The Chinese Diaspora In Southeast Asia, Zachary Szklarz

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

For hundreds of years, ethnic Chinese have set sail in hopes of peace and economic prosperity in Southeast Asia. Over time, these immigrants became paramount to the culture, economies, and politics of their newfound homes. The immense success of these Chinese migrants and their descendants is based on two main factors: maintaining in-group preference in business and social life without explicit discrimination towards outsiders and holding individuals who have achieved wealth through ethical Confucianist means in high esteem. Unique among diaspora groups, the emigrants from China managed to become fully integrated in their adoptive homelands, while still maintaining traditional customs, …

Living In Untranslatability--Performance Art In China And Usa, Ziyun Ma

Masters Theses

This thesis embodies discontinuities in performance art and its non-equivalent Chinese term “行 为艺术” between language and cultural context into a migrating journey. A comparative analysis on the disciplinary history of performance art studies in the US and China laid a foundation in exploring the dynamics of marginality in two contexts. Extracting from the narrative mechanism and body view of Chinese performance art, I demonstrate how the philosophy of living (生) inspired many artistic creation, which also echoes my research journey. And from our mutual living experience, I pose the concept of constructive untranslatability that applies positionality and situated knowledge …

The Near-Synonymous Classifiers In Mandarin Chinese: Etymology, Modern Usage, And Possible Problems In L2 Classroom, Irina Kavokina

Masters Theses

Many Chinese classifiers are nearly synonymic – they can be used with the same head nouns without changing the meaning of the sentence, in other words, such classifiers can be used interchangeably or almost interchangeably. This poses a challenge for Chinese language learners, especially those who lack such a grammatical category in their own native language. Another complication arises from the ambiguous English translations of many classifiers.

In this paper we investigate the collocation behavior of near-synonymous Chinese classifiers, focusing on their semantic nuances and interchangeability. Analyzing 6 pairs of classifiers — 栋 and 幢, 匹 and 头, 批 and …

Assessing The Threat Of Social Media To National Security: Information Operations In The 21st Century, Brendan M. Cullen

Senior Theses

The ubiquity of social media has enabled an unprecedented amount of personal data to be accessible to various entities. Social media platforms leverage this data to optimize algorithmic recommendation systems, persuade users to engage, and promote monetization. The social media ecosystem’s business model demands continuous engagement and the relentless collection of user data to grow and scale. Not only is social media massively popular around the world, but it has integrated heavily into users’ daily lives. This integration is driven by social platforms’ deliberate architectures and affordances. The intentionality of social media can be exploited by state and non-state actors …

Insights Into Chinese Second Language Acquisition: The Relationship Between Glossing And Vocabulary Recall In Reading, Steven S. Devellis

Masters Theses

Reading enhancement strategies are an important tool utilized by foreign language teachers. One of the most common types of during-reading assistance is the marginal gloss, which provides first language (L1) translations of selected foreign language (L2) terms in the margins of a text.

Glossing is an inherently individual approach to reading. It is predominantly motivation-driven, and provides as much assistance to the learner as he or she is willing to use it. Studies to this point have been largely inconsistent in regards to the exact usefulness of glossing, analyzing many variables such as the size, scope, and type of gloss, …

Voices Against An Era: Alternative Voices, Cultural Heroics, And The Impact Of He Yong And Zhang Chu On Chinese Rock Music, Peter J. Moncur

Masters Theses

The music of He Yong and Zhang Chu, two of the Three Heroes of Magic Stone, has played an integral part in the development of Chinese rock. Often relegated to footnotes in the music’s history, this thesis aims to prove their cultural and musical significance during the late-eighties and early-nineties of China’s Reform and Opening period. The term “voices against an era” was chosen to define He Yong and Zhang Chu’s role as rock musicians with alternative voices during this historical period, with an investigation of the term’s role in creating an alternate dialogue. To do this, I first define …

Princess Chives, Yuxuan An

Masters Theses

Princess Chives is the greatest contemporary ruler of Chiveism. Princess Chives brilliantly, comprehensively, and resourcefully promoted and developed Chivesism, taking it to a whole new level.

Princess Chives ideology is a powerful ideological weapon against everything, and it serves as the foundation for all of the work of the entire party, army, and country.

We must always raise the great flag of Princess Chives’ ideology, to fortify the minds of the people of the country with Princess Chives’ ideology, and adhere to the use of Princess Chives’ ideology in all work. To militarize the mind is the fundamental mission of …

Food, Drink, Time, New Year And Cloth, Jian Li

Masters Theses

My project uses traditional Chinese calligraphy culture and my own family stories to create five daily use products to help my user find a sense of belonging to Chinese culture and also introduce my culture and stories to all audiences.

As an international student who came to the US, I have often struggled with a lack of cultural identity and belonging. This is a common issue faced by many who choose to leave their homes and venture to new places. However, I believe that we can overcome this by creating products that generate an emotional connection with their users.

One More Time, I Love You —— 我有所念人，隔在远远乡, Jingjing Yang

Masters Theses

"One More Time, I Love You ——我有所念人，隔在远远乡" is a thesis project that delves into the profound nature of "obsession," which surpasses the boundaries of life and death, as well as the mortal world and the underworld. The interpretation of this type of obsession varies among individuals, and my understanding of it originates from the traditional Chinese myth concerning the afterlife journey. According to this myth, upon departing from the mortal realm, the deceased traverse the Bridge of Helplessness, cross the Forgotten River, peruse their past, present, and future lives on a Three Lives Stone, and then partake in the Soup …

Patriotism And The Mass Line: Ccp Ideology From Mao To Xi, Anne Elizabeth Weston

Senior Theses

China’s modern ideology and political environment have shifted over time, as lessons learned from various mass movements and policies have been incorporated into its ideological construction. Analyzing these elements and their impact on modern CCP ideology is key to understanding CCP ideology and the role it plays in Chinese politics. This paper will construct a timeline of significant movements and policies throughout modern Chinese history and examine how CCP ideology was shaped by these events.. The CCP’s ideology combines Maoist ideas, such as the mass line, with ideas of patriotism and nationalism to create governmental compliance within China. It attempts …

Chinese Political Rhetoric And Ideology: Tension And Pretension, Israel Paredes

Honors Theses

This changing nature of the Chinese government’s ideology leads one to believe that its core beliefs are not dogmatic, despite the foundation for their ideology being rooted in specific societal and economic theories. Starting with Mao Zedong to modern day, the Chinese government officials will continue to support the original tenets (and, no doubt, future presidents’ additions to the tenets). However, the interpretation of their ideology over time is fluid and is used to support policies and actions during a political cycle. Chinese political leaders are unlikely to disagree with a past leaders, and will rather use their own interpretation …

“The Product Of That Finer Mould”: The Role Of Chinese Porcelain In The Making Of Early American Images Of China, Emily Meryn Hospodor

Honors Theses

This thesis asserts that Chinese material culture, specifically porcelain, was instrumental in the development of American perceptions of China in the colonial period through the late 19th century. The first chapter examines how the quality, durability, and uniqueness of Chinese export porcelain led Europeans, and by extension American colonists, to view China as an advanced and abundant civilization populated with ingenious craftsmen. The second chapter addresses the emergence of negative views of China among American traders and scholars after the establishment of direct contact with China during the Old China Trade (1784-1844). In contrast, the third chapter demonstrates that Americans …

Qing Dynasty Religious Manipulation Of Tibet, Hannah Nancy Lee

East Asian Studies Honors Papers

Here I report that part of the Manchu gaining control of Tibet was their use of religious manipulation. Through the line of Manchu leaders, there are trends of the Manchu focusing on securing their rule and using culture to gain compliance. The trend of securing power is set by early Qing leaders, and this trend becomes religious manipulation in later emperors.

U.S.-China Trade War: Phase One Agreement And Self-Enforcing Contracts, Hameedullah Hassani

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Sino-American bilateral trade relations have increased significantly in the past four decades since China started its economic reforms in 1978. The bilateral expansion in trade has been accompanied by increased complexity and tensions, which emerged in the form of a trade war during the President Trump administration. After a series of tit-for-tat tariff increases, in an attempt to address concerns through negotiations, both sides reached a Phase One agreement. However, the commitments made in the agreement were not delivered. In my thesis, I use the “self-enforcing contracts” theory to analyze the status of Phase One deal. The examination indicates that …

'Taiwanization' In The Strait Conflict: Public Opinion's Effect On Peace Vs Conflict, Grant Smith

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the election of Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwan Strait Conflict has been rising in tension. Many scholars state that interdependence leads to peace; however, Taiwan and China extensively trade with one another, and peace has not occurred. To understand why the Taiwan Strait continuously suffers from conflict, one must explore mechanisms that can alter the effect of commercial interdependence on peace. In a democracy, this power would reside with the voting public. To understand why Taiwan’s trade relations have not led to peace, we must examine the Taiwanese public opinion. Most believe that peace has not come about because Taiwan …

Decolonizing Chinese Literary And Cultural Studies In “World Literature”: Decolonial Translation And Magical-Traumatic Realism In Can Xue, Deanna Ren

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study takes a genealogical and historicized approach to Mandarin-to-English translations, including my own, of Can Xue through neoliberal discourses of “world literature.” I ground these Anglophone discourses in the legacies of Sinology, area studies and post-Cold War historiography. Arguing for the necessity of a decolonial translation practice in Mandarin-to-English translation, I propose magical-traumatic realism (an intersection of magical realism and traumatic realism) as an alternative lens with which to contextualize, decolonize and re-embody Can Xue’s works in both source and “world” contexts.

Between Verb And Preposition: Diachronic Stages Of Coverbs In Mandarin Chinese, Glynis Jones

Masters Theses

Mandarin Chinese has long been known to possess a category of words known as ‘coverbs’ in the literature, which sit in the gray area between verb and preposition. Li and Thompson (1974) describe the historical origins of Mandarin coverbs to be full transitive verbs, despite their modern state being decidedly less verbal. They also note that coverbs are a non-homogenous class. This thesis works to establish categories of coverbs in Mandarin Chinese and their distance from true verbhood in order to understand the diachronic shift that coverbs are currently undergoing before our very eyes. I will draw on the work …

從意象分析秋瑾詞風的轉變, Hoi Yan Lee

Dissertations from all years

秋瑾是晚清著名的革命家及詞人，共著有詞39首。秋瑾多變的人生經歷影響她的創作，她年少時居於湖南，婚後遷往北京，後來赴日留學，而秋瑾的詞風亦從前期的婉約轉變為後期的尚武。前人一般以秋瑾赴日為分界線，把她的詞作分為前後二期，本文則稍作改變，將分界線提前，將其居於北京的時期劃歸為後期，來探討秋瑾詞風的轉變。

秋瑾前期詞的創作，主題皆圍繞大自然及少女情懷，多為兒女私情。遷到北京後的經歷燃起秋瑾的救國思想，認清國家正處於危亡之際，她藉詞表達自己救國的決心。秋瑾的救國情緒在赴日後更為熱熾，決心親身上戰場殺敵，最終為國捐軀，英勇就義時年僅33歲。

曾有學者指出秋瑾前後期詞的差異極大，令人難以相信是由同一詞人創作。但本文認為情況並不如此，本文從其詞作所使用的意象入手，來分析前後期詞的差異及一致性，藉以證明其一致性是主要的，仍屬同一詞人的創作。

「強強互攻」設定下中國網絡耽美小説中的性別形象與關係想像——以巫哲《三伏》為例, Wing Mui Chow

Dissertations from all years

攻受是中國網絡耽美文學的核心設定之一，攻受的劃分基於戀愛雙方的性愛體位，插入方為攻，被插入方為受。中國網絡耽美文學中的攻受更代表着作者及讀者對角色形象、以至相處模式的期望。攻受明確的中國網絡耽美文學相當常見，但亦存在部分例外，如「互攻」。本文以巫哲《三伏》為研究對象，分析在「強強互攻」的設定下，小說所呈現的性别形象及關係想像。

文章分作三部分，第一部分探討強強互攻的意義，第二部分分析《三伏》中的性別形象想像，第三部分從性與事業兩方面探索《三伏》中的性別關係想像。筆者認為，《三伏》通過「強強互攻」的設定模糊攻受身份的邊界，以消解角色間的權力關係及對立，並重塑了性别形象的想像。

Li Zhichang’S Propaganda Of The Conversion Of The Barbarians): The Cause Of Decline Of Quanzhen Daoism In The Yuan Period, Jian Liang

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

In 1281, under the order of Kublai Khan, the Daoist Canon and some other Daoist texts compiled by the Quanzhen Daoist sect were burned. Since Qiu Chuji’s meeting with Genghis Khan in 1221, the Quanzhen Sect enjoyed sixty-years of prosperity and its leaders been appointed as leaders of all Daoist and Buddhist sects under the Yuan Mongol dynasty. During this period, Quanzhen Sect experienced a turning point from prosperity to decline. Li Zhichang, the seventh-generation leader of the Quanzhen Sect, spread the huahu (Conversion of the Barbarians) discourse in order to suppress Buddhism. This directly affected the Mongols’ attitude towards …

試析宋永祿本張麟之《韻鏡》中陰陽文, Chun Fung Leung

Dissertations from all years

張麟之《韻鏡》是現存最古的韻圖，對研究古漢語音韻具有重要的地位。《韻鏡》於中國經久失傳，自流傳至日本後，日人熱衷於研究《韻鏡》，湧現大量著作。《韻鏡》回歸故國後，國人的研究亦開始，陸續有校勘、研究和通論等專著，然而《韻鏡》的研究仍有不少空白之處。永祿本《韻鏡》有使用陰陽文，但學人仍未有對之進行研究，本文將以此為研究對象，嘗試填補這塊空白。

本論文先概述研究背景，即《韻鏡》的源流，分述日本及中國對《韻鏡》的研究，提出永祿本陰陽文的問題，並從不同方面分析《韻鏡》使用陰陽文的原因，再深入分析其中較大線索，據《磨光韻鏡》對《韻鏡》陰文作一解釋，冀能發前人之未發，為《韻鏡》的研究帶來新思路。

乾隆皇帝詩論與私人情感詩的離合, Hudi Yang

Dissertations from all years

清代官方對於文治的重視，使得皇帝必須同時兼領文壇，到乾隆時期這種趨勢體現得最為明顯。乾隆帝的詩論，歷來雖研究者不少，其詩論在清代詩學史中的影響主要體現於固化「詩言志」的詩教屬性，連接情真與詩教的方面。或因御製詩給人普遍印象較為迂腐，研究者往往類推而忽略詩論中論情的部分，很多論調都認為這些只是政治家兼涉文學的虛言，但仔細觀察研究和分析乾隆帝的詩論和詩作就可以發現，這些詩論確實在御製詩的創作和其情感論得以實踐，并且二者有一分合的過程。乾隆帝詩論將「詩言志」和「言情」統一，排斥「綺靡」元素，並將這一重新賦予概念的「情真」整合於詩教風化的目標之下，具有很强的現實意味。

本文將總括、略解乾隆帝詩論中對於文學本身、創作和闡釋的觀點。從情感論出發，再以這一情真而富政教意味的情感論為背景，分析御製詩中一個較為特別的類型，即從乾隆戊辰年開始逐漸成形的，充滿私人情感的悼亡詩。在這類詩創作過程中，作為詩人，乾隆帝用關鍵典故串聯悼亡詩的寫作特色變化過程。一方面繼承六朝的「詩緣情」傳統，使用前人悼亡慣用的意象，也根據生活自創典故，表達「頓失內位」的隱痛；另一方面，在寫作私人情感的詩時，經過一段情感爆發的時期後，他在悼亡詩中也繼續堅持將改動的「詩言志」詩教觀放入悼亡敘事。這一離合的過程，可以説在實際創作中實踐了情真又暗透言志，為天下樹立倫理典範的詩學觀，在客觀上將趨向於綺靡務虛而為遺民群體珍愛的悼亡詩，拉回了盛世元音、中正平和的教化軌道。

科幻．時空．後九七：以「時空」角度論譚劍《人形軟件》的本土回應, Ka Chun Siu

Dissertations from all years

譚劍是香港中最重要的科幻作家之一，尤其在倪匡封筆後的科幻邊緣中，他以富有時代意識的科幻寫作，展現後倪匡科幻的獨特面貌。本文分析的《人形軟件》寫就於後九七，除通俗娛樂之外，藉由「空間」與「時間」的切入點，也可見其書寫涉及對香港當時「本土／全球」處境的各種未來想像，當中「本土」並非固定不變，而是能與「全球」的外來文化結合，有著再生成的可能。譚劍就以此賽博龐克科幻，作為未來的預言回應著後九七。

本文可分為四個部分，首個部分先介紹作家，並從香港科幻的邊緣處境開始論述，定位譚劍於香港科幻的位置以及研究意義；第二部分探討在後九七語境下，《人形軟件》以賽博朋克科幻回應香港的方法，以及貼合賽博朋克類型的切入點；第三部分承接上章，以「時空」角度切入文本，從「虛擬香港」、「銅鑼灣911」、「村上病毒」和「來記麵家」四點，看其中對後九七「本土／全球」的想像與預言；第四章為結論，總結全文重點。

創傷・敘事・語言：論電影《Drive My Car》的創傷敘事, Qi Xiang Soo

Dissertations from all years

濱口龍介近年在國際間嶄露頭角。例如為《間諜之妻》（2020）編寫劇本並獲銀獅獎、執導《偶然與想像》（2021）並獲銀熊獎、《Drive My Car》（2021）獲奧斯卡最佳國際影片及康城影展最佳劇本等。

「創傷」常出現在他的電影。近年全球籠罩在疫情的創傷中，加上日本的特殊創傷語境，兩者的對話是觀看濱口電影的切入點。創傷在日本、亞洲及世界，有不同的意義。而《Drive My Car》的「亞洲性」開拓了個新的空間去詮釋創傷。

本文將以齊澤克的「後創傷主體」及創傷敘事理論為基，配上文本細讀，解構《Drive My Car》中創傷與治癒的關係。最後將視覺拉回現實，討論電影中創傷與日本、亞洲、以至世界的關係。

湧浪, Wai Yee Leung

Dissertations from all years

「也許人生就是不斷在選擇、懊悔和痛苦中循環。」

一步錯、步步錯，我們在人生這局巨大的棋盤中，曾有幾何做過後悔終生的事？棋局無數，而人生卻只得匆匆一場。落子一錯，往後的棋路皆亂了陣數，回首卻是非岸，只好偏執了思想繼續在湧浪中上掙扎人生的路向，在無垠的苦海中猛烈游盪。

本作的主角，在上個世紀出生的同性戀者——許文德的人生即是如此。
然而，到底是逢一出生就注定的悲劇，抑或是個人選擇所導致的窮途末路？在這個可憐可悲可憎的人物中所探討的，是有關人生結局的哲理思想：人之所以達至今天的局面，到底是身不由己，還是自作自受？路向的選擇權，到底是緊握在手，或是從來沒有？