East Asian Languages and Societies Commons^™

Reinterpreting The Concept Of Human In The Pre-Qin Classics Of Literary Theory, Jianzhong Li

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

In the pre-Qin classics of literary theory, "human" is one of the most important and fundamental concepts. First, the significance of human in the pre-Qin era is diverse. While Confucianism interconnects "human" and "benevolence" and emphasizes the kindhearted dimension of humanity, Taoism, under the slogan that "Man conforms to nature," stresses the unfettered nature of humankind. As an alternative voice, Mohism devalues music and underlines the principle of abstinence. Secondly, the pre-Qin philosophers consider language to be the specialty that distinguishes human beings from other animals. Specifically, Confucians advocate "to achieve glory by writing," "to pass down the classics," and …

Terminological Transformation Of “Literature”: Establishing A New Literature In Modern China, Xinjian Xu

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Since the transitional period between the Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, literature has been regarded as an efficient instrument to arouse public awareness, to revitalize citizens, and to remold the country in the context of "Western learning spreading to the East." Back then, various reformists and revolutionaries, as well as pioneers of the New Culture Movement, devoted themselves to the enterprise of literature. As a result, literature became a key concept frequently appearing in the Chinese society, followed by a massive occurrence of literary practice throughout the country. As a conceptual product of "Western learning spreading to the …

The "Expropriated" Subject: A Case Study Of The Negative Character Qian Shouwei In "Model Plays", Yihan Chen

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

There are a few scholarly interpretations of negative characters in the eight "model plays". Generally, existing scholarship is mainly dominated by two research methodologies: first, the binary of "literature and art" and "politics", "ideology" and "Utopia", and second, the formation of "subject" from the perspective of modernity. The first methodology leads to the conclusion that due to political constraint, the creative characteristic of literature has not caught due attention; while in terms of the second, "the other" becomes a sign in the subject's self-construction. By introducing Agamben's idea of biopolitics, this article re-examines the situation of Qian Shouwei and restores …

The Creation And Performance Of Traditional Chinese Theatre With Modern Themes: Significance, Problems, And Developmental Trajectory, Hengfu Zhu

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Traditional Chinese theatre with modern themes stems not only from the aesthetic change of the new era but also from the development of Chinese theatre arts, given that modern themes may be more popularly accepted. This paper proposes three suggestions to improve the creation and performance of traditional Chinese theatre with modern themes: to broaden the concept of the mainstream work to cover any scripts that reflect contemporary patriotism and traditional value of Chinese nation with modern aesthetic pursuits; to modernize the theatre expression with poetic lines and lyrics, visualized stage performance through body and expressions, and contemporary style of …

The Ethics Of Memory In Adorno's Aesthetic Utopia And Its Transform, Wenjun Ding

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Regarding how art exists after Auschwitz, Adorno argues that the legitimacy of post-war art is based on representing the memory of accumulated intergenerational suffering, which reflects on and criticizes Auschwitz and its roots in modernity with reference to Walter Benjamin's methodology of theological redemption. Memories of sufferings exist in artworks in a constellation-like structure, causing explosive production of meaning and breaking the monopoly of meaning and value by the identity system. With remembrance as the means, art presents the memory of suffering concerning Auschwitz, and offers a new understanding of the development of contemporary capitalism and possibilities for imagining a …

The Historical Genesis And Contemporary Development Of The Theory "Chinese Artistic Spirit" During The Twentieth Century, Shuiping Tao

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The theory "Chinese artistic spirit" in this article is an important aesthetic trend and literary tradition, which has been lasting over the past hundred years in the study of Chinese aesthetics and literary theory. It has become frequently discussed by scholars in recent years. Considering the fact that existing scholarship is always limited to one of the different aspects, this article aims to promote the study of Chinese art and aesthetic spirit through a holistic theoretical description and illustration of the academic genealogy, historical context, philosophical basis, theoretical connotation, characteristics and value, and the contemporary development of the aesthetic trend …

The Research Style And Original Achievements Of Xu Zhongyu's Theories On Literature And Art, Xishan Zhou

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The 104-year-old Xu Zhongyu, whose academic career of over sixty years has been in tandem with the development of the PRC, has established his distinct style in the theoretical studies of literature and art, namely the combination of theory and practice, of the ancient and the modern, and of inheritance and innovation. His original achievements include initiating the methodology of comprehensively collecting and categorically compiling the materials of ancient Chinese literary theory, raising a series of original and significant academic viewpoints on ancient Chinese literary theory, advocating an interdisciplinary research on the theories of literature and art, envisioning a modern …

The Theoretical Misconceptions And Realistic Choices Of Modern Xiqu Creation: Additionally On The Historical Significance Of Zhang Manjun's New Opera Of Song And Dance, Wei Li

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

There are at least three theoretical misconceptions on the creation of modern xiqu: to consider conventionalization essential to xiqu, to consider typification of roles essential to xiqu, and to consider "xiquness," whose meaning is rather vague, as the creative goal and artistic criterion of xiqu. However, these misconceptions fail to hinder the practical development of modern xiqu creation. Directors like Zhang Manjun have created an innovative genre known as "new opera of song and dance." This maneuver, in fact, signifies a return to the comprehensiveness of traditional xiqu, which, centering on music, features a trinity of poetry, song, and dance. …

Unveiling Aestheticism: Reflections On The Dissemination Of Western Aestheticism In China, Chengyong Jiang, Xiang Ma

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

For over a hundred years, nineteenth-century Aestheticism's dissemination in China has been insufficiently examined, which leaves the intension and extension of Aestheticism still unclarified even to date. The key to defining Aestheticism is the concept's inherent link to aesthetics, that is, the self-awareness of sensibility, which explains why numerous forms of perceptual knowledge can be intuitively grasped from the works of Western Aestheticism. However, under the influence of natural sciences as well as the industrial and commercial civilization, the target of perceptual knowledge shifted from natural to artificial objects. Through manifesting the diverse forms of perceptual knowledge, Aestheticism conveys the …

Evolution Of Student Movements In South Korea And Their Impact On The Formation Of Korean Democracy, Paige Danielle Bryan

Senior Theses

The impact of protest on South Korean democracy has been documented for many decades. Scholars have focused primarily on the Kwangju Uprising and mass protests that swept the nation. They have viewed these movements in relation to topics like labor or North Korea. This thesis asks: how have college-aged student-led protests impacted the shape and formation of Korean democracy? Previous scholarship has viewed the protests in one of two lights: either destructive for South Korean society, or a guiding force championing democratic freedoms. This thesis makes the claim that the student protests acted as both a destructive and transformative force. …

When A Woman Betrays The Nation: An Analysis Of Moto Hagio’S The Heart Of Thomas, Kaoru Tamura

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses The Heart of Thomas (1974), the representative shōjo manga (girl’s comic) of Moto Hagio, who is often called “The Magnificent Mother of shōjo manga” or “The Goddess of shōjo manga” and was the first shōjo manga creator to win a Meadal of Honor for artistic achievement from the Japanese government. Although The Heart is highly regarded, even worshiped, by fans of manga, scholars have been slow to give it due consideration as an important document of social history, especially of women’s social history. The following study takes a personal approach, attempting to analyze The Heart in the …

The Fine Line Of Determination: Supporting The Agency Of Filipina Sex Trafficking Survivors, Jessica Taylor

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper examines the economic, geographic and cultural factors that perpetuate sex trafficking in the Philippines along with the impact of the dominant victim narrative on affected Philippine women. Along with analyzing this complex problem, the research evaluates and critiques current trends of policy support and law in the Philippines, and their level of efficacy in resolving the issue of sex trafficking and promoting agency and survivorship for the women involved. Current solutions and support from both legal and non-governmental organizations’ (NGO)are, to a large extent, rendered ineffective due to a simplified narrative of loss and victimization that is perpetuated …

"The Chinese Animation Industry: From The Mao Era To The Digital Age", Stephanie Jones

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the 1950’s the Chinese Animation industry has been trying to create a unique national style for China. The national style of the 1950’s and early 1960’s was one of freedom, fantasy, and creativity. With the success of “Heroic Little Sisters of the Grassland”/草原英雄小姐妹(1965), the government administration, namely Jiang Qing of the “Gang of Four”, demanded that all animation should follow specific guidelines based on Social Realism guidelines. This in turn, ushered in a new national style of animation during the Cultural Revolution(1966-1976). During this ten-year period government policies imposed strict restrictions on animators and cause a drain of creative …

Cultural, Social And Family Shadows: Finding A Place In The Rainbow, Lingfeng Xu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Due to Chinese traditions, certain living environments are not friendly towards the LGBT community in China, who experience immense pressure to keep silent in society. They often are discriminated against, and in the case of most, their families do not support them. It is difficult to have healthy self-identification for sexual minorities. Besides cultural and family pressure, and representation in media, the current legal framework and society are unfriendly to this community. There is no legislation on homosexuality in China at present, and China does not make any clear provisions on homosexual marriage.

In this environment, most LGBT people are …

Fresh Blood In The Labor Market: Challenges And Rewards Of China's Returning Millennial Generation, Xinyu Li

Master's Projects and Capstones

In recent years, fresh blood has begun to emerge in China’s workplace: Chinese millennials who have gone abroad to study and received an overseas education. This special experience has brought many obstacles for them when they return to the Chinese workplace, whether it is the lack of synchronization between recruitment and graduation periods in the early stage of job seeking, or the pressure they encounter later. However, this experience also creates a set of unique advantages for them. Accepting international higher education makes their resumes more attractive, brings them a global perspective, and cultivates their ability to learn new skills …

Igniting A New Legacy: 
The Olympics And Sustainable Development At The Tokyo Olympic Games, Alena Ulrichova

Master's Projects and Capstones

With a decreasing number of cities bidding to host and organize the Olympic Games, we see that various places find the prospect of embarking on this mega-event project less appealing and lucrative then in the past. Moreover, in looking at the history of the Games, we recognize a troubling pattern: money is often spent irresponsibly and does not bring any benefits to citizens even though their tax payments and state lottery contribution are used as main source for funding the Olympics. In order to shift this trend, the movement towards the global call for sustainability—as presented mainly by the United …

The Battle Of The Powers: Newly Obtained Benefits From The Revitilised Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Scott Halsted

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement would have been the most sizeable free trade agreement in history. The agreement was set up by the Obama administration as an economic benefactor plus geopolitical tool to maintain the balance of power in the Asia Pacific region, rivaling the power of China. However, numerous politicians within the Trump administration, plus multiple political opposers including Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, were major advocates for the U.S. removal after realistically adjusted estimates of the TPP showed economic benefits not equating to original estimates. However, the United States withdrawal raises significant successes that can be …

The Rise And Fall Of The Fighters: Colonial Korean Exiles In China, Minseung Kim

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis mainly aims to examine colonial masculinity, especially focusing on the national fighters for Korean independence during the Japanese colonial period. As China was a place that Korean exiles moved to, through an examination of Korean short stories by Chu Yosŏp, Sim Hun, and Kim Kwangju, this thesis traces back to the rise and fall of Korean exiles in China who participated in political movements during the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1920s, male intellectual characters in stories by Chu Yosŏp, and Sim Hun expressed their pride as national fighters while participating in Korean exile groups in Shanghai. The …

Winter Is Still: An Analysis Of The Chinese Game Industry, Jiahui Sheng

Master's Projects and Capstones

This capstone essay aims to analyze the current situation of the game industry in China. Most of the data has been collected from databases, newspapers, interviews, journals and governments reports. This essay especially addresses China’s current game industry strengths and limitations to position it for the future. This essay clarifies the challenges of game industry in innovation based on the scale of companies. My perspective also considers the continuous development of China’s game industry as well as the conflict between the teenagers and government restriction towards games. Meanwhile, the opportunities of the game industry are based on two unique aspects …

Shakespeare And Shamanism, Grace Friend

Honors Projects

Shakespeare is a hallmark of English literature and the focus for many adaptations. From children’s books to teenage romantic comedies, Western culture is filled with proliferating versions of his plays. Shakespeare adaption is not limited to the west though as other cultures have also taken up his works. South Korea is one such place and gaining attention too through director Yang Jung-Ung. Yang is notable for including shamanistic images in his plays, but why reference the oldest spiritual practice of Korea in a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s plays? Examining Yang Jung-Ung’s Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the role …

Universal Design And Accessibility In Taipei City: Definitions, Design, And The Disability Rights Movement, Hannah Goulette

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Abstract

In Taiwan, the disability rights advocacy movement has existed since the 1980s. The lift of Martial law in 1987 allowed multiple social movements to flourish. Specifically, the disability rights movement adopted language developed by other global social movements, such as Universal Design. This social movement worked closely with the government to make effectual infrastructural change to institute accessibility in Taipei, the capital city. However, a close review of government objectives and initiatives in published works, and the goals and initiatives of disability advocate groups, reveals that there has been a shift in the definition of accessibility in the advocacy …

In The Shadow Of Shuri Castle: The Battle Of Okinawa In Memory, Blake Altenberg

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

The memory of the battle of Okinawa was shaped by politics. The memory of the battle for Okinawans emphasizes war crimes committed against them and the devastating impact that was inflicted upon their peaceful island. Their emphasis on sole victimization led to other Okinawan narratives being either downplayed or outright denied. To remove American bases off their island, gain recognition for Japanese atrocities plus reparations, the Okinawans portrayed themselves as a peaceful people that were the sole victims of the battle of Okinawa. The United States glossed over the crimes committed by the Japanese on Okinawa and Asia to use …

Du Fu And Chinese Poetic Expression: How Politics, Nature, And Self Become One, Binhnam Nguyen

Young Historians Conference

The Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu introduced a new style of writing to Chinese poetry with his new interpretation of how to write poetry and for what purpose it can serve. Living in the midst of political turmoil, Du drew inspiration from the instability and used poetry as a means of expressing his anguish, but nationalist sentiments that wished for the prosperity of China. His different stylistic approach to poetry personalized the art of poetic writing and changed its language to express something more lyrical and with feeling. Du’s role in changing the course of Chinese poetic expression can be …

The Tale Of The Tokugawa Artifacts: Japanese Funerary Lanterns At The Penn Museum, Yoko Nishimura

East Asian Studies Faculty Publications

That previously stood at the back of the quiet inner courtyard of the Penn Museum waited many years for its significance to be rediscovered. It is one of the Tokugawa lanterns that long illuminated the shogunate family’s grand mausoleums during the Edo period (1603–1868 CE) in the Zōjōji temple in Tokyo, Japan. Photographs taken around 1930 show the lanterns flanking the Museum entrance in the Stoner Courtyard. The prominent placement of these objects suggests that, in those days, the Museum acknowledged the significance of the lanterns. One of the lanterns was subsequently moved to Museum storage after suffering damage from …

The Casualties Of U.S. Grand Strategy: Korean Exclusion From The San Francisco Peace Treaty And The Pacific Pact, Syrus Jin

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

From August 1945 to September 1951, the United States had a unique opportunity to define and frame how it would approach its foreign relations in the Asia-Pacific region. As the dominant power in the Pacific after World War II and claiming direct authority over vanquished Japan, the United States had the liberty to design its own post-war vision for the entire region. Until 1951, American State Department diplomats and government planners, attempted—ultimately unsuccessfully—to harmonize the competing motivations of lingering World War II multilateralist idealism and Cold War geopolitics in a postcolonial, postwar world. This thesis examines U.S.-Korean relations in context …

Persecutor’S Remorse: Mimetic Desire, Institutions, And Shūsaku Endō’S Loving Gaze On Persecutors, Jirayu Smitthimedhin

Masters Theses

Building on Mark Williams’ thesis that Endō’s characters often reconcile with an unconscious Other within themselves, I will argue that Endō’s “weak” characters are trapped by mimetic desire and are drawn toward acts of persecution; their status as persecutors depends on their relationships—whom they wish to imitate or whom they imitated in their past. While Williams and other Endō scholars often focus on the psychology and existential choices facing Endō’s characters, I point out how contextualizing Endō within the postwar Daisan no shinjin writers reveals Endō’s criticism of institutional powers, particularly because institutions can become “centers of desire.” Drawing on …

Culture Of Mobile Phone Novels In Japan: A Comparison Of Cultural Particularities Of Mobile Phone Novels And Service Providers, Sarah Trinh

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Honor thesis on the Culture of Mobile Phone Novels in Japan: A Comparison of Cultural Particularities of Mobile Phone Novels and Service Providers.

Food Culture And National Identity: Japan And The International Whaling Commission, Emma Fahey

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This research project focuses on the contentious issue of whaling in the 21^st century and attempts to make sense of Japan’s whaling policy in terms of food culture and national identity. Using a constructivist theoretical framework, I analyze the impact of the whaling issue on Japan’s bilateral relations with other nations, in both the East Asian subregion and the larger global community. The results of this paper indicate that whale meat carries a deep symbolism in Japanese national identity and that the general issue of whaling has little effect of Japan’s bilateral relations with other nations. Much of the …

1999 Aaa Jrpg Quality And How A 2019 Indie-Game Developer Can Meet It, Kailynn Haskell-Harbert

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper is a delve into 1999 JRPG AAA video games and how small developers can make something of similar quality with contemporary technology. This is explored by using Final Fantasy VIII and Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete as a 1999 AAA standard, then comparing that standard to modern indie-games as well as my own experience in indie-game development. The ultimate goal of the paper is to prove that small indie-game studios can create 1999 AAA quality JRPGs with relatively minimal investment.

From Inspiration To Aspiration: Emerging Diversity In Digital Portfolios In The Beginning Japanese Courses | インスピレーションからアスピレーションへ：初級学習者の日本語デジタルポートフォリオに現れる日本語学習についての多様性を考える, Atsuko Takahashi

East Asian Languages & Cultures: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.