Chinese Studies Commons^™

A Lifetime Of Stress: Analysis And Treatment Of An Inlaid Chinese Box, Katherine Mcfarlin

Art Conservation Master's Projects

Inlaid wooden objects are complex and intricate mixed media assemblages that can provide significant challenges to the conservator, as the properties of the individual materials can conflict and complicate treatment options. For example, traditional inlay materials such as ivory and mother-of-pearl are particularly susceptible to shifts in moisture and acidity, and the hygroscopic nature of historic proteinaceous adhesives can exacerbate dimensional changes in the surrounding wood. This paper describes the research and subsequent treatment to stabilize and restore a Qing dynasty wooden tabletop chest inlaid with ivory, mother-of-pearl, and various siliceous minerals. A combination of adhesive failure along multiple joints …

Up The Social Ladder: How Chinese Merchants Excelled Under The New Values Of Ming-Qing China, James B. Townsend

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

Ming China was a socially volatile period of Chinese history. Social distinctions were blurred as the merchant class rose to power to challenge old Confucian ideals in a commerce-based society. This paper examines what paved the road for the merchant class to rise, and how the non-elite empowerment shifted China's attitudes towards consumption and commerce.

Reflections On The Development Of A Chinese-American Literature Course, Ling Ma

Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology

Chinese-American literature are an important part of Chinese literature and a literary genre of great cultural and social significance. Chinese-American literary works not only showcase international perspectives and the development of social and cultural issues, but also provide profound reflections on current international situations, social conditions, and human emotions, thereby enhancing readers' understanding and in-depth knowledge of the Chinese-American community. However, the reality is that American students have little knowledge of Chinese-American literature and are unaware of how to explore it. The author attempts to incorporate Chinese-American literature into Chinese language teaching curriculum to help students develop a preliminary understanding …

Modernity And The Water Calligraphy Experience, Maddie Oprica

Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology

This article explores how Chinese calligraphy has evolved in the modern world, utilizing one particular focus: water calligraphy. Water calligraphy is a fascinating, non-invasive, and communal form of street art. It recontextualizes traditional calligraphy and offers insight into modern Chinese society and the concepts of art and creation. The simple trade of ink and paper for water and the ground has produced one highly intriguing practice. The following article will go through water calligraphy's link to modernity, its general appeal, and my own personal experience attempting it.

Fullchinese At Mit: A Non-Disruptive Integration Of Technology For Intermediate Students, Emmanuel Roche, Tong Chen

Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology

We describe here ten years of development of a Chinese learning technology and five years of practical experience in integrating this technology in MIT classrooms for intermediate-high and advanced-low students. Key results are as follows:

• There is no need to disrupt the classroom experience (both for the teacher and the students);
• Technology provides a sharp increase in learning efficiency and motivation, as confirmed by students; and
• This overall improvement in learning is achieved by focusing on the efficiency of personal study time.

The most salient type of feedback from students falls into two categories: “I wouldn’t have been able to …

Differences In Code-Switching Between Chinese Heritage And Non-Heritage Learners In Computer-Mediated Communication, Feng Xiao, Cecilia Wade

Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology

In the fields of bilingualism and second language (L2) acquisition, growing attention has been paid to code-switching in Chinese heritage learners , as they show how early linguistic and cultural influence affects language use. Most existing studies focused on balanced bilinguals but little has been done to understand the differences in code-switching between Chinese heritage and non-heritage learners. Moreover, no studies have focused on L2 code-switching in computer-mediated communication which has become a daily routine of many L2 learners after the COVID pandemic. To fill these gaps, the present study compared differences in code-switching instances between five Chinese heritage and …

Table Of Contents

Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology

Table of Contents for Volume 6, Issue 1 of Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology

Zhuang Zi And The “Greatest Joyousness”: Wang Fuzhi’S Approach, John R. Williams

Comparative Philosophy

The present article presents Wang Fuzhi 王夫之 (1619-1692 C.E.)’s reading of the eighteenth chapter of the Zhuang-Zi 莊子 (ZZ) by looking at his entry from Zhuang-Zi-Tong 莊子通 and other key glosses from Zhuang-Zi-Jie 莊子解. The philosophical upshot, I aim to show, is that Wang takes ZZ as presenting the consummation of “the greatest joyousness” (zhi-le 至樂) as requiring getting rid of joyousness as one’s desideratum. Using Derek Parfit’s work as a point of reference, I aim to show that this is not paradoxical or even inconsistent or even (directly or indirectly) self-defeating but is instead an interesting instance of …

Han-Nationalism Throughout The Ages, Weiying Wu

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal

Beginning in the 1980s, a trend of traditional studies known as “guo xue,” (国学) meaning national studies, proliferated in the wake of socioeconomic changes in China. In particular, it encompassed the revival of Confucianism, giving rise to related activity such as the establishment of “national studies institutes” (国学院) and “Han study centers”. Yet despite its popularity, the legitimacy of “national studies” came under the critical scrutiny of historians who argue that that contemporary “national studies” have either consciously or subconsciously co-opted Han traditions and practices over other ethnic cultures that made up the social fabric of past and present China, …

Theological Implications Of The Symbols And Signs In The Sacrament Of Matrimony Of The Syro-Malabar Church, Nelson Mathew O. Carm.

Journal of Global Catholicism

This article discusses the significance of the signs and symbols used in the sacrament of the marriage of the Syro-Malabar Church and the adaptations from different cultures, particularly the Hindu culture of India. It concentrates on the specific elements found in the marriage celebration of the St. Thomas Christians. The rituals that are unique to the Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malabar Church, mainly expressed through symbols and signs, remain a significant contribution to the liturgy, spirituality, and theology of the Sacrament of Matrimony, and to the theology of inculturation. In the Syro-Malabar liturgy, marriage rituals, and signs and symbols …

The Unintended Consequences Of China’S One-Child Policy, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

In 1968, Paul Ehrlich published a book entitled The Population Bomb in which he argued that rapid population growth would overwhelm the world’s capacity to feed, house, and otherwise care for the coming millions of people. At that time, the world population was about 3.5 billion growing at an average annual rate of 2.06 percent (World Bank 2023). At that rate of growth, the world’s population would have been expected to double to 7.0 billion by 2001. In fact, population growth rates fell after the 1960s and world population reached only 6.2 billion in that year. Fears of a population …

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 …

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.

兩漢入繼帝王追尊私親述論, Zhan Huang

嶺南學報 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies

兩漢皇帝沒有子嗣的情況頻繁發生，皇位繼承人多從宗親藩王中擇選。外藩入繼不僅關係到禮法的依據和施行，還牽動著當朝的政治神經。由於漢初禮法多未定型，有關外藩入繼以及入繼者如何尊封本生父母，沒有明確固定的禮法規範。在入繼皇帝的尊親問題上，論者各執一詞，引發數次禮制論爭，甚至造成政治動盪，西漢政權的覆亡亦與此有所關聯；外藩入繼的禮法規範在光武帝劉秀的處理中才形成範式，在東漢後期逐漸定型。本文將就兩漢外藩入繼的情況加以論述，並聯繫政治角力和禮法爭議兩方面，就兩漢歷次外藩入繼事件的前因後果和複雜情況加以分析。

When Han-dyansty emperors deceased without any male offspring, a regnant-monarch was chosen as the heir to the throne. Adopting a regnant-monarch into the royalty bore association with the implementation of rituals and affected court politics. However, there were no institutionalized rituals for adopting a vassal king or conferring honorific titles to his biological parents in the early Han dynasty, which resulted in many debates over the ritual appropriateness. The confusion had led to political turmoil insofar as it contributed to the fall of the Western Han regime to a certain extent. Liu Xiu (Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han …

《梁書·劉勰傳》“家貧不婚娶”問題新探, Yunfeng Chen

嶺南學報 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies

關於《梁書·劉勰傳》所載“家貧不婚娶”問題，已有不少學者發表過頗有見地的意見。不過，如果重新細緻地研讀《梁書·劉勰傳》“家貧不婚娶”一段文字，並聯繫相關史料，類比旁推，似尚有值得進一步辨析、闡釋之餘地。譬如，從文義關係的角度出發，將《梁書·劉勰傳》所載劉勰“家貧不婚娶”一事與前後文句聯繫起來，或可得出新的認識——“家貧”問題與“勰早孤”相關聯；“不婚娶”以及“依沙門僧祐”問題則跟“篤志好學”一句相呼應，並最終落實於“遂博通經論”這一結果上。如此闡釋，“篤志好學”之說與“遂博通經論”之間，方顯得義脈貫暢，而“家貧不婚娶”問題亦可得更為合理之解釋。

Many have discussed the issue of jiaping bu quqi (the family is too poor [for him] to marry a woman) in the “Biography of Liu Xie” in the History of Liang. However, this paper re-reads it in association with relevant historical records, which suggests room for further analysis and deeper interpretation. For example, reading jiaping bu quqi with its syntactical context yields a new understanding. Xie zao gu (Xie was orphaned at an early age [by his father death]) resulted in his family’s poverty. Bu quqi and yi shamen Sengyou (attachment to Buddhist monk Sengyou) echo duzhi haoxue …

自有風味 : 淺談散曲雅俗有致的本質, Patricia Sieber, Xuezhao Li

嶺南學報 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies

本文提出一種新的散曲分類法，橫截面式地討論分析了散曲一方面是如何處理不同的語域，另一方面又是如何將現有的主題和媒介再語境化。具體地說，文章聚焦三類散曲：重點呈現日常生活片段的歌曲，爲朝廷節日慶典助興的歌曲，以及回顧中國歷史上包括文學史、宗教史上的模範人物的歌曲。本文表明：日常歌曲和朝廷主導的歌曲尊奉即時性美學，而某些雅俗有致的歌曲則更爲清晰地呈現出具有不同導向的超媒介特徵。

This article proposes a new typology of the sanqu corpus. The discussion analyzes a cross section of sanqu songs in terms of how they engaged with language registers, on the one hand, and how they recontextualized existing motifs and media, on the other. Specifically, the article focuses on three subsets of songs: songs that foreground everyday vignettes, songs that celebrate festive occasions at court, and songs that revisit the exemplars of Chinese literature, history, and religion. The article suggests that everyday songs and court-oriented songs prized the aesthetic of immediacy, while certain mixed-register songs more explicitly exhibited differently oriented …

論惠儋時期蘇軾以尺牘參政, Yujie Liao

嶺南學報 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies

蘇軾（1037–1101）被貶至惠州、儋州，再被詔北還，即自紹聖元年（1094）南遷至建中靖國元年（1101）七月這一段時間被視為惠儋時期。蘇軾在惠儋時期創作的參政尺牘是北宋士大夫私人書信與政務溝通的絕佳案例。本文著眼於以下幾個問題：蘇軾在惠儋時期的參政尺牘有何獨特之處？蘇軾利用尺牘討論政事、抒發政見，是寫作習慣還是刻意為之？公書寫作對蘇軾的參政尺牘有何影響？在這一時期，他創作了約65封參政尺牘，以尺牘感慨時政、推薦人才、參與政務。蘇軾的參政尺牘大多寫於惠州，至儋州數量減少，這一變化與蘇軾在惠州、儋州的生存境遇變化有關。在這一時期，蘇軾任散官，無職事，幾乎沒有寫作公文，而他的參政尺牘部分卻呈現出公書寫作的格式與習慣，一方面體現了公書寫作對私書寫作的影響，另一方面也是蘇軾面對處境刻意為之的選擇。

Su Shi’s (1037–1101) was banished southward to Huizhou and Danzhou from 1094 (the first year of the Shaosheng era) to July of 1101 (the first year of the Jianzhong jingguo era) when he was summoned back north, which has been known as his Hui-Dan period. Su Shi’s canzheng chidu (personal letters that discuss politics) written during this period became examples of Northern Song dynasty literati getting involved in political affairs through personal correspondence. This article tries to answer the following questions. (1) How were Su Shi’s canzheng chidu special? (2) Was Su Shi’s canzheng chidu merely his writing habit …

俞樾《諸子平議‧管子》補正, Pang Fei Kwok, Ting Choi

嶺南學報 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies

德清俞樾（1821－1907）， 字蔭甫，號曲園，晚清樸學大家，徐世昌（1855－1939）《清儒學案‧曲園學案》曰：“曲園之學，以高郵王氏爲宗。發明故訓，是正文字而務爲廣博，旁及百家，著述閎富，同、光之間，蔚然爲東南大師。” 《諸子平議》一書，是俞樾的代表作，可說是子學訓釋的鉅著。此書仿效王念孫（1744－1832）《讀書雜志》而補其未及，識力之精，涉獵之廣，爲《雜志》之後，從事子學者不可或缺的典籍。然而，智者千慮，容或有失，今就俞氏《諸子平議‧管子》十四則，詳加探討，審視俞說之瑕瑜，並作補正，祈能為其中問題提供較為清晰的解說。

Yu Yue (1821–1907), courtesy name Yinfu, hao Quyuan, was a prominent philologist in the late Qing dynasty. His representative work Zhuzi pingyi (Commentaries on Pre-Qin Masters) is a masterpiece of Chinese philology. This paper investigates his commentaries in “Guanzi” in Zhuzi pingyi by discussing fourteen examples in detail and rectifies specific existing philological issues therein.

劇作家角色之扮演 : 賈仲明增補《錄鬼簿》“凌波仙”散曲挽詞研究, Wenbo Chang

嶺南學報 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies

通過分析賈仲明增補《錄鬼簿》“凌波仙”散曲挽詞，本文旨在研究散曲如何對文學創作隱含的社會契約引起變化，尤其文本如何成為作者概念與社會身份之間互相協調的結果。長期以來，學界把賈仲明增補的挽詞當做研究劇作家個人生平的可靠信息來源，本文對這一做法提出質疑，認為這些挽詞整體來看其實寫的是賈仲明為劇作家社會角色建構出的一系列人格。作家概念在高雅文學體裁中佔據中心地位，可在賈仲明的散曲挽詞裡，雖然一個個都標註好了關漢卿、王實甫等姓名，卻降格為面目模糊並且可以輕易替換的人體模型。賈仲明這麼做的目的是為了凸顯在他的視角下設計出的劇作家社會角色。他構建出的劇作家角色既帶有都市商業劇場的痕跡，也反映了國家和精英價值的影響。因此，本文認為，賈仲明增補散曲輓詞的真正價值在於幫助我們更好地了解他所處的時代背景下劇作家的生存狀況。此外，恰當地解讀賈仲明輓詞也有助於我們進一步理解散曲文體的表演性。

This paper investigates the issue of how sanqu composition modifies the social contract of poetic composition in how a text mediated between authorship and social identity through a close analysis of Jia Zhongming’s 賈仲明 (fl. 1343–1422) sanqu songs written in the supplement to The Register of Ghosts (Lu gui bu 錄鬼簿). This paper challenges the conventional reading of Jia’s songs as reliable sources of biographical information on individual playwright to whom those songs are dedicated. It argues instead that they, if read together as a whole, represent a catalogue of various personae Jia constructs for the social role …