East Asian Languages and Societies Commons^™

Is "Place" Ended: Dialectical Thoughts On Space Theory, Jun Zhu

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Globalization has reshaped our sense of place and this reshaping has profound impact on human aesthetic experience. Modern transportation, media, mass culture and theme — parkization of cities accelerate the proliferation of the aesthetics of placelessness. Facing the crisis of “the end of Place”, Marxist theorists on space believe that “place” has become increasingly important due to its multiple deformations. Place not only reshapes the structure of senses but also reconstructs urban situation and social structure. This paper claims that there is at present a need to discard the narrow understanding of place while retaining the aesthetic appreciation of particularity …

Reportage As A Non-Fictional Narrative Mode, Xiaoyuan Ding

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Reportage is a literary genre emerged out of modern journalism, featuring its blending of news, literature, and political commentary. With the changing of time, particularly due to the advent of the "Age of Omnimedia", its function to report news has significantly declined. Writers of reportage begin to develop its non-fictional narrative aesthetics, in order to accommodate themselves to the reader-objects and rising reader expectation. Reportage, as it stands, has shifted from its original style of reporting to a new genre of "literary reportage", a non-fictional narrative mode with distinctive features such as non-fiction, narrativity, and literariness.

The Characteristics Of Chinese Creative Culture And Its Form Of Existence , Xuan Wu

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Chinese creative culture intersects with modern Western culture in the following aspects. First, Fuxi's xiantian bagua (Prenatal Eight Trigrams Numbers), "creating symbols of humanity via nature," and the idea of "respecting Confucianism while creating philosophy of individualism" discussed in the Records of the Grand Historian and The Yi Commentary of Su Shi all represent the Chinese-style implicit creative experience of "respecting and transforming reality." Such experience — "creation of the individual within the whole" — is distinguished from creation out of binary opposition in the West. Second, the worship of vitality and the cherishing of life in ancient times, which …

The Emergence And Development Of Poetic Treatises During The Ming Dynasty, Miaomiao Zheng

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Among literature on poetry during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) there was poetic treatise, which focuses on theoretical and systematic expounding on the basics of poetics. This type of writing evolved through three stages of emergence, improvement and maturation. Li Dongyang's Poetry Commentaries from the Foothill Studio and Xu Zhenqing's On the Art of Poetry were two key works in the first stage. Li's work presented a gradually strengthened emphasis on the systematicity of poetry criticism, while Xu's work substantially centered on poetry criticism, marking the formation of poetic treatise. In the second stage, Wang Shizhen's Rambles in the Garden of …

The Political Dimension Of Vernacular Fictions During The Ming Dynasty As Exemplified By Fictions On Major Historical Events, Qingchuan Wan

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The deterioration of political ecology during the Ming dynasty led to intense conflicts among various political powers and interest groups. Due to the development of publishing technology and Dibao Gazette, lower classes of the society were increasingly involved in political activities. The varying degrees of involvement of different social classes in political struggles influenced related writers' fiction writing and dissemination. In this sense, fiction, especially those based on major political events and historical figures, gradually became an auxiliary vehicle for political struggle. Through the selection and (re)interpretation of historical materials, authors expressed their political views and appeals, attempting to influence …

The Postmodern Or The Present: Time As The End, Yaojun Zhang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The postmodern is not a concept with definite historical times, but is still related to time, especially to the present. There are two different concepts of the postmodern in Lyotard's writings, which correspond to the present of two different kinds. One is the finished status of modernity, which embodies an eternal present that leads to the "inhuman" depressions on humans. The other is an instantaneous moment that has burst out emotionally, which not only reflects on the former kind of the postmodern, but also forms a particular style of postmodern existence.

A Synopsis Of "Symposium On The Review And Prospect Of Chinese Literary Theory Over The Past Seventy Years & The Founding Of The Phenomenological Literary Theory And Aesthetics Branch Of Chinese Association Of Literary And Art Theory", Xinxin Cui

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

No abstract provided.

Erasure And Whitewash: A Critical Analysis Of Two Non-Ecological Rhetorical Functions Of Environmental Discourse, Kuiying Zhao

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

A critical analysis of environmental discourse from the perspective of "ecological rhetorical discourse criticism" reveals that the non-ecological rhetorical function of environmental discourse is mainly demonstrated in "erasure" and "whitewash". Erasure in environmental discourse works in two directions: one is the erasure of the natural existence, while the other is the erasure of the agent. The two main rhetorical strategies to erase the agent are "passive voice" and complicated "nominalization". The rhetoric strategy to erase the natural world is mainly manifested in "objectification" and "personification", and the use of "hypernym" and "hyponym", etc. The rhetoric of whitewash is mainly euphemism, …

From Hades To Heimat: Quo Usque Tandem? — The Travels And Travails Of Critical Theory, Weber Samuel

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

In their book, Dialectics of Enlightenment, written during the Second World War in their exile in the U.S., Adorno and Horkheimer portray Ulysses in the Odyssey as the exemplary Western figure. Focusing on an event that occurs as he takes his revenge not just upon the suitors but upon the women who collaborated with them, the authors raise the question of just what a return home can mean in the Western tradition. They emphasize the violence involved in reclaiming one's "property," as Ulysses' son, Telemachus, executes the women in the most brutal fashion. This allows the author to discuss the …

Political Polyphony And Folk Carnival: Historical Symptoms Of The Theory Of Peasant Literature In The 1930s, Bo Feng

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The discussion on "peasant literature" among different parties and people around the 1930s was actually a continuation of the petty bourgeois issue in the 1920s Chinese revolution. This is because after the Communist-Kuomingtang spirit, the proletarian party could only reaffirm its political subjectivity when the petty bourgeoisie were distinguished from the peasants. Besides, Nonpartisan intellectuals also needed to highlight the unique significance of enlightening the more popular peasants, because they were different from the petty bourgeoisie, who, to a certain extent, was more directed at the intellectual class. However, the reception of theoretical resources from Soviet Russia and Japan inevitably …

The Disappearance Of Aura And The Formation Of Dialectical Images: A Discussion Focused On Walter Benjamin's Concept Of Technology, Peijie Chang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The transition from "aura" to "dialectical image" is a key to trace the trajectory of Walter Benjamin's aesthetic thoughts. Benjamin repeatedly specified the connotations, the prerequisites for emergence and the reasons for the disappearance of "aura." As far as artistic problems are concerned, the appearance of aura is closely related to "the semblance of beauty", trance experience and authenticity of things, and the key to this is that the aforementioned factors could ensure the essential distance between the aesthetic subject and the aesthetic object. However, these conditions do not stand under mechanical reproduction technology and aura is destroyed and disappears. …

A Critique Of Su Manshu From The Perspective Of Modern Buddhist Literature, Guilin Tan

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

After the New Culture and May Fourth movements, three major strands were present in the field of Su Manshu study: the coterie of the Southern Society, writers of the "New Literature", and authors on the new Buddhist literature. Among them, authors on the new Buddhist literature primarily focused on such dimensions as (1) Su Manshu's character projection as a Buddhist, (2) Su's contribution to the development of Buddhism, (3) the affinity between Su's personalities and his art, and (4) Su's literary appeal to young Buddhist, etc. The significance of their research was several-folded. They argued for Su Manshu's due position …

A Parody Of The Romance Of The West Chamber In The Plum In A Golden Vase, Yuanyuan Feng

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The parody of The West Chamber runs through the narrative of The Plum in the Golden Vase. This parody is demonstrated in the words and actions of characters, as well as in the descriptions of specific scenes and plot. The so-called "parody" is not only a degradation, de-coronation and desecration of the original text, but also a subversion of the narrative of gifted scholars and beauties, with characteristics of "deconstructionism" and "irony". The aesthetic style thus formed shows exactly the real symptoms of the time-carnival of the body and disappearance of taboo.

Confucianism, Ancient-Style Prose And Current Affairs: The History Of Chinese Ancient-Style Prose From The Perspective Of Japanese Sinology, Weizhao Chen

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

From the Tang dynasty onwards, ancient Chinese literature and literary theories have influenced the Sinophone cultural sphere, especially in East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. During the Edo and Meiji periods, conceptions of Chinese ancient style prose were also incorporated into the framework of Japan's intellectual and cultural constructions. Yet, Japanese writers acceptance of and rejection to the paradigms in ancient style prose were closely related to their current affairs in socio political, economic, and cultural dimensions. Remolded by Japanese culture, Chinese literary theories became localized and started to influence the literary creations and theories in Japan. …

Distanciation And Artistic Practice: How The Concept Of Masses Was Constructed In Althusser's Literary Criticism, Ju Huo

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

One of Louis Pierre Althusser's contributions to Marxism was to clarify the concept of the political "masses", affirming that the masses of all classes united in struggle functioned as both the departure of action and the end of theory. He thus loomed as a unique presence in the intellectual development of Western Marxism. From the perspective of literary criticism, this paper focuses on Althusser's re-positioning of issues such as author, form and defamiliarization in contemporary critical theory, and on his using the distanciation theory to explicate howideological practice surrounding mass movement intervenes reality and functions in it. The paper tries …

Innovation In Temporal And Spatial Narration Of The Plum In The Golden Vase And Its Significance To The History Of Fiction, Jinju Wang, Zhiwei Du

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Although The Plum in the Golden Vase is a derivation of the episode “Wu Song kills his sister-in-law” in The Water Margin, its temporal and spatial narration breaks through the restrictions of the original text. In terms of historical background, The Plum in the Golden Vase intentionally blends the Song and the Ming dynasty, which sets a precedent for profound reflection of the times in popular novels. The coherent chronological narrative and the continuous festival writing in this work also demonstrates the ups and downs as well as the prosperity and decline through the comparison of before and after. The …

Liveness And Mediatization: Theater In The Age Of Media, Qian Li

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

This paper focuses on the transformation of discourses on liveness and mediatization in theatre studies and theatrical productions, and tries to describe their historical contexts, intellectual backgrounds and social implications. It attempts to clarify the historical context in which the discourse of liveness is constructed, and claims that, for the theatre in an age of media, liveness and mediatization have shared theoretical constructs, and together they bring forth the richness of theatrical performances. In the current age of media, not only had liveness been drastically changed by media but also the live experience has been mediated, while the tension between …

On The Theory Of Literary "Craftsmanship" During The Six Dynasties, Dongxiao Yang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The literary theories during the Six Dynasties often compared writers to "craftsmen", who were proficient in handicraft. Referring to the well developed art theory during this period, the connotation of "craftsman" can be considered in four dimensions: (1) a close adherence to the norm of literary styles, (2) an emphasis on language skills, (3) a balance between expressions of literary talents and emotions, and (4) a combination of conformance to rules and spirit of change. The theory of literary "craftsmanship" not only demonstrated an emphasis on writing techniques, but also disclosed its interactions with the lyrical and aesthetic functions of …

T. J. Clark's Modernist Art Theory, Yi Zhuge

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Sticking to Marxism, art historian T.J. Clark analyzes modern art from perspectives of politics and society. Through comparative analysis, this article extracts his theory on modernist art. According to Clark, modernism arose, developed and declined in the historical coordinate system which consisted of the bourgeoisie, technological reason, the society of spectacle and socialist movement. As a response to modernity, modernist art was a structural model to examine the representation of modernity by visual form, which also explored and embodied the origin of the experience of modernity. Modernist art intended to signify the social reality in the crisis of representation, and …

The Ideal Qualities And Their Value In Niu Yunzhen's Historical Criticism, Zhouyin Huang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Early Qing historian Niu Yunzhen concluded that grave elegance of style, sophisticated maturity of expression and inspired originality of appeal were three foremost qualities of the history-writing genre, through his reading of Han historian Sima Qian's exemplary work Records of the Grand Historian. With these qualities as criteria for historical criticism, Niu Yunzhen not only reinforced the status of Records of the Grand Historian as a classic, but also attached importance on emotion as an intrinsic attribute of historical writing. As a result, the expression of personal feelings was gradually legitimized and eventually became equally important to narrative method and …

Through The Lens Of Koreans: The Influence Of Media On Perceptions Of Feminism, Neha Cariappa

Master's Projects and Capstones

Regardless of country and culture, the media has the power to influence the opinions and perceptions of its viewers. This project evaluates specific Korean movies—and the reactions of South Koreans to gender representations in films that are considered “feminist”—along with the variety show genre, which also tends to reinforce gender stereotypes and imbalances. With these media representations as a framework, this research explores the impact of the internet in forwarding feminist views along with unearthing the reactions of Koreans. Given the anonymity of the internet and social media, these platforms allow for honest expression and counterpoints to sexist views and …

Acue Effective Teaching Practices: Module Reflections, Makiko Amaya

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

This is a collection of reflection journals assigned by ACUE’s (Association of Colleges and University Educators) online “Course in Effective Teaching Practices.” This course is designed for college educators to gain a foundation in evidence-based teaching practices that increase student motivation, engagement, and learning.

This collection includes eight “Instructional Practice” reflection journals and two “Plan to Implement” reflection journals.

The journals include reflections from the following ACUE modules:

Connecting with Students (Module 2C)

Teaching Powerful Note Taking Skills (Module 4C)

Leading the First Day of Class: (Module 2 A)

Planning and Effective Class Session (Module 1E)

Delivering and Effective …

Reflecting Domestic Genre Paintings: Chinese Reverse Paintings On Glass In Museum Volkenkunde, Xiaosong Gao

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Making Opportunity Out Of Chaos: The Misconceptions And Realities Of Republican-Era Warlord Governance, Zachary Clark

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chinese history has largely been defined by a transition of power from one major imperial dynasty to another, separated by notable times of division such as the Warring States (475 BC-221 BC) and Three Kingdoms (220-280) periods. The early twentieth-century collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1912 is no exception to this historical trend and gave way to a twelve-year period termed the “Warlord Era.” Dating back to the 1960s, Western scholarly discourse argued that these warlords lacked the ideologies or visons to implement any changes outside of their own personal and political interests. This research contends that warlords were …

Pyeongchang V Pyongyang: The Endless Game Of Inter-Korean Sports, Jack Anderson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since their division, North and South Korea have fluctuated between a peaceful and chaotic relationship. This project explores the role of athletics within inter-Korean relations, using a multidimensional conceptual framework. In particular, this research examines the significant role sports play within each country’s political affairs, how this phenomenon has evolved, and the impact of sports on how South Koreans view their neighbors and the idea of reunification. Through in-depth historical and quantitative analysis, we see that sports can be understood as a political tool that has matured over time. Initially emerging as a means to gauge the status of affiliation …

Bl And Danmei The Similarities And Differences Between Male X Male Content And Its Fans In Japan And China, Emily Williams

Honors Projects

BL and danmei, two terms meaning male x male fiction in Japan and China respectively, are popular genres for young women in East Asia. This paper compares BL and danmei, which are connected by history and definition, but have a few key differences. Namely, differences that are due to Chinese censorship and Japan's relative lack thereof and differences in distribution. These differences leading to China's danmei fandom being more insular and almost entirely online in contrast to Japan's slightly more public BL fandom.

Tracing The Past, Drawing The Present, Sixue Yang

Graduate School of Art Theses

The group of work, Rising Water, Floating Islands is inspired by traditional Chinese scroll landscape paintings. Such landscape paintings combine meticulous technique, compositional complexity, and tension between representation and abstraction to reveal an alternative universe that waits discovery amid our mundane existence. In “Rising Water, Floating Islands,” I explore the political and social ramifications of the ongoing cultural conflict between traditional and emergent contemporary values. By combining traditional Chinese elements and techniques with my own markings and gestural adaptation in my painting, I give the audience the opportunity to contemplate the implications of our present digital condition through traditional esthetic …

"Army, I'M Home!": Digital Community And Mediated Intimacy In K-Pop Fandom, Olivia George

Honors Theses

In this paper, I argue that we should turn our attention to the affective labor in the pop culture industry in South Korea. Using the House of BTS event as a case study of K- Pop fandom, I will address the affective labor practices and its impacts in K-Pop fandom. Idol group BTS (방탄소년단) and their company Big Hit Entertainment are a particularly apt study for this choice because they deliberately adopt mediated intimacy as a marketing tactic, creating content outside of music and across social networking platforms that cater to fans’ desire to “know” and adore BTS members. In …

Savoring The Moon: Japanese Prints Of The Floating World, Madison B. Dalton

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Guided by the Director of the Madison Art Collection and Lisanby Museum, Virginia Soenksen,I served as the Curatorial Assistant for the Lisanby Museum’s forthcoming exhibition Savoring the Moon: Japanese Prints of the Floating World. The exhibition will highlight the Madison ArtCollection’s impressive Japanese woodblock prints in the ukiyo-e style. Ukiyo-e translates to“pictures of the floating world.” This style proliferated in Japan during the Edo period (1603 - 1868) and Meiji period (1868 - 1912), with visual themes that ranged from flora and fauna, Japanese ceremonies, kabuki actors, mythology, courtesans, and cultural pastimes. The estate of Charles Alvin Lisanby gifted over …

Clarifying The Conceptualization Of Empire: Is China's Belt And Road Initiative An Attempt At Empire?, Olivia Melvin

Honors Theses

Is 21st century China building an empire through the Belt and Road Initiative? Where do modern imperialist trends fit into the post-colonial world? This study explores different conceptualizations of empire used in previous academic studies and explores how the Belt and Road Initiative fits in this narrative of empire. Clarifying the discourse surrounding modern expansionist and imperialist behavior is a necessary first step in comparing phenomena that occur in very different historical periods. For example, when comparing former imperial dynasties of China to modern Chinese expansionist behavior, over 500 years of development divide these two historical periods. Newer terms such …