East Asian Languages and Societies Commons^™

Play And Liminality In Chinese Cinema: Star Studies In The Perspective Of Performance Theory, Yingjin Zhang, Qianliang Yi

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Star studies sees film stars as "structured polysemy" and anticipates a salient system of meaning for us to decode and appreciate. Performance theory treats meaning as "conjunctural" rather than "structured" and privileges coincident, improvisation and juxtaposition. Approaching star studies through performance theory helps explore a wealth of filmic techniques and performance tactics. This article focuses on Tony Leung Chiu-Wai's "self-effacing" performance of repetition and examines special cases of play and liminality as well presence and absence in Chinese cinema. These cases challenge our conventional habit of thought and cognition and reveal an unlimited potential of alternative and alteration vis-à-vis history …

On The Methodological Evolution And Its Limitation Of Literature Anthropology, Daqiao Wang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

This paper is a critical survey of literary anthropology in Chinese context. In the early 20th century in China, the main areas of investigation of literary anthropology are myths and ballads; during the Post-Mao Period, literary studies from the anthological perspective expand to literary texts and cultural texts, due to the influence of experimental ethnography and postmodernism. Practices in the above two periods show a consistent interest of research in the approaches of literary anthropology which evolves into the methods of cross-cultural comparison, primitivism, contextualism and field study etc. The paper concludes with the reflection on the potentialities and limits …

Life, Art And Potentialities: Agamben's Concept Of Poetics-Politics, Xingkun Wang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Human life in the context of modernity, according to Giorgio Agamben, has become a "bare life" and human being is reduced to homo sacer, while the political paradigm has transformed from public space to camp. When taking this into consideration, however, it may not be said that humanism should be resorted as the source for humanist thought. Agamben, following Heidegger, believes that humanism is a degradation of human dignity instead of emancipating and upgrading of the human being. The paper tries to answer how human being's integrity can be recovered to open up new space of politics. This paper focuses …

Gender As Cultural Production: The Cultural Critique In Contemporary Western Marxist Feminism, Rui Ma

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The uncovering of the sociality of gender and the reshaping of the consciousness of women are fundamental cultural appeals of feminism, and these appeals may rely on theoretical support from both classical Marxist dialectical analysis of the relationship between society and consciousness and Western Marxist illuminations of the subjectivity and cultural materialism, although the latter may take on more weight for feminist criticism. Since 1970s, Marxist feminism has absorbed the theory of cultural production, developed on Althusser's theory of ideology and British cultural studies, in its analysis of patriarchy, capitalism and gender system, and gender is thus disclosed as the …

The Evolution Of Literary Image Of Peasant Migrant Workers In Urbanization From The Burden-Bearing To The Weightless Existence, Lixin Zhang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Literary image of the peasant migrant workers in China is closely related with the process of urbanization in contemporary China, and during the process, the image of peasant migrant workers has undergone significant transformation with the drastic change of literary ecology. When peasant migrant workers as characters entered the mainstream literature at the beginning of China's reform period, they appeared to be the "new character" that embodied the social ideal and life expectation of the intellectuals. The image changed, however, around the turn of the century when peasant workers became the strugglers of survival who had degraded to the concerns …

"Redefining Literature And Art": Strategies For Reconstructing The Political Dimensions Of Literature, Chuanlan Yin, Fengjie Liu

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Since the mid 1990s, critics and theorists have begun to "re-visit" the relationship between literature and politics in an attempt to reconstruct the political dimensions in literature, which, as this paper maintains, marks the emergence of the trend of "redefining literature and art." The core theoretical strategy behind the re-politicalization of literature is to emphasize the inseparability of literature from social context or social relationships, but during the process, literary heterogeneity in terms of politics is not scrutinized with sufficient attention. The paper maintains that the relationship between man and literature may be both a reflection of and a choice …

Is Wang Guowei's Theory Of The Poetic State Focused On Feelings: A Discussion With Mdm. Ye Jiaying, Zhi Geng

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

In her book Wang Guowei and His Literary Criticism, Mdm. Ye Jiaying describes the theory of poetic state as "a vivid expression in the work [… of] the feelings of the author." If Ye's interpretation of the theory is interpreted within the context of the book, however, it may be found that Ye's interpretation is insufficiently supported by the theoretical discourse and practice. The problem in Ye's interpretation include the following. Firstly, her interpretation of the essence of the theory dissolves not only the intrinsic characteristic of "the emotion" and "the scene" but also the poet's conscious artistic pursuit and …

Inaesthetics And Art As Procedure Of Truth: An Introduction To Badiou's Art Thought, Jiang Lan

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

For Alain Badiou, art and its creation do not need a preconceived idea to direct or guide, as art itself is one of conditions for philosophy. In light of this, Badiou replaces the aesthetics that subordinates art to the will of philosophy with an inaesthetics that induces truth out of art. Inaesthetics no longer tries to pursue the idea or notion that governs the works of art, but focuses on how artistic creations penetrate the consistent presentations of everyday discourse and tease out truth from the smoothed discourse. This way to artistic creations is like a journey through darkness, with …

An Investigation On The Antenarrative In Ancient Chinese Novels, Runbao Wan

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The antenarrative takes many forms in ancient Chinese novels with varied functions, and religions and folklore are among the main source of influences on its formations. The religion-influenced antenarratives may be classified into explicit, implicit, undetermined and multiple antenarratives in terms of their function. The antenarrative plays an important role in the overall design, the narrative schema, and the setup of suspense in the ancient novels, and suggests a unique national characteristic of Chinese classical novels. The folklore-influenced antenarrative takes the form of "the entry to the story (ru hua)," "the head to chapters (tou hui)," the comments of the …

The Cultural Theme In Terry Eagleton's Critical Theory, Hailiang Mai

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

This essay explores the content and exceptionality of Terry Eagleton's idea of culture and its significance for contemporary thinking on culture, and it posits the exploration in the context of current academic heat on culture, the intellectual history of English cultural theory and the tradition of Western Marxism. The paper maintains that Eagleton's proposition of cultural crisis not only reveals the intrinsic contradiction of the cultural heat but also helps for the understanding of the fundamental logic of modern cultural theory. Cultural crisis has been in existence along the modern era and it has intensified into contemporary culture wars. It …

On The Stylistic Origins And Literary Forms Of Ci And Fu, Zhixi Qian

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The paper argues that ci (poetic prose) and fu (rhymed prose) were two different genres, each originated from its oral tradition. Ci, a form of poetic prose, originated from various stylistic writings such as ritual presentation on sacrifice and historical events and ambassadors' orations, while Encountering Sorrow by Qu Yuan (343-278 BC) and Nine Songs from the Songs of the South from were related with them. Ci and Fu became merged into one genre at the hands of Song Yu (ca. 298-222 BC), Tang Le (ca. 290-223 BC) and Jia Yi (200-168 BC), and to the time of the Han …

Periodizing Postmodernism, Mchale Brian

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Looking back over the postmodern decades from the perspective of the twenty-first century, we are now in a position to begin distinguishing internal breaks and discontinuities, as well as continuities, within the period itself. The present paper undertakes to sketch out three phases internal to the postmodern period: first, an onset phase in the Euro-American sphere in the mid-sixties; next, the major phase of "peak postmodernism" in the seventies and eighties; finally, a late-postmodernist or transitional period in the nineties, widely experienced as a pause or lull, a kind of interregnum between postmodernism and whatever comes next. The consensus view …

Two Main Routes Of The Construction Of Western Marxist Literary Theory, Xianguang Feng

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

The paper starts with the observation that unique thoughts and routes distinguish various kinds of Marxism literary theories when they were constructed. The constructive differences lie in both the so-called "orthodox" and the later Western Marxist literary theories, and different developing routes and modes were developed especially in the later during its early and later periods. After an analysis of the periodization and the different features of Western Marxist literary theory, the paper concludes with the significance of the analysis to the construction of a Chinese Marxist literary theory.

Japanese Kawaii Culture (かわいい文化), Kaileigh Nicklas

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

No abstract provided.

Comparing Dietary Patterns Of College Students When Eating In America Versus Eating In China: Impact On Nutrition Intake, Body Weight And Waist Circumference, Maoxinyu (Daisy) Wu

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

No abstract provided.

Martin Luther: Vater Einer Allgemeinen Sprache? Martin Luther: Father Of A Common Language?, Annika Ewaldz, Adam Woodis, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Martin Luther is well known for his 95 Theses, in which he rejects the Catholic practice of selling indulgences; but it was his groundbreaking translation of the Bible into German that instigated the standardization of the German language. After his excommunication, Luther was in hiding in the Wartburg Castle, where he translated his Bible into a vernacular and cohesive form of the German language. Many different dialects were spoken throughout Germany at the time making communication between regions difficult. Luther’s translation soon became the most influential Bible in Germany and was disseminated quickly due to the recently invented printing …

The Confucius Institute At Umass Boston, Baifeng Sun

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

One of the 500 Confucius Institutes in 104 countries worldwide and the only one in Massachusetts. Facilitates rich cultural exchanges between the U.S. and China in collaboration with our educational counterparts in Beijing, China.

[Sabbatical Report], Joon Sung

Sabbatical Reports

The primary purpose of this sabbatical project was to film. edit and produce short video pieces based on the footage collected in Tokyo, Japan.

Imagined Communities: Changing Markets And The Implications For 21st Century Mali China Migration, Mamasa Camara

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over the last decade there has been a huge increase in engagement between China and Africa across all fronts of foreign relations especially in the realms of trade, finance and migration. As China continues to push into Africa in pursuit of economic resources and diplomatic relations, many Africans are migrating to China and specifically Guangzhou in search of economic opportunity backed by cheap labor markets and the prospects for “low end globalization.”As the contemporary African presence in China is a relatively new phenomenon, so are the discourses surrounding its presence, discourses often relegated to the spheres of economics, boasting China …

Innovation In Nō: Matsui Akira Continues A Tradition Of Change, Mariko Anno, Judy Halebsky

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Within the practice of Japanese nō theatre, there are tensions between preserving the art and allowing change. However, innovation through performance has been central to nō throughout its long history, from the variant nō of the Edo era (1603–1868) to the more recent emergence of revival nō and new nō. The long career of nō master Matsui Akira (1946–) offers an individual perspective on the history of change in the tradition of nō. Based on a series of interviews with Matsui and research conducted at the Kita School of Nō and the Hōsei Nō Research Institute, this article examines Matsui’s …

Course Syllabus (Sp14) Coli 211 Literature & Psychology: "The Sublime, The Uncanny, And The Imagination", Christopher Southward

Comparative Literature Faculty and Student Scholarship

Course Description:

In a world in which what counts as knowledge is predominantly restricted to the measurable and the calculable, those elements of human experience which elude and exceed these parameters are often ignored and discounted. In this course, we will examine questions of the sublime, the uncanny, and the speculative as treated in literature, psychoanalysis, and philosophy in order to think and write critically about them. Here, we will consider the possible extent to which an openness to such experiences can enrich our lives.

Introduction To Against Harmony: Radical Buddhism In Thought And Practice, James Mark Shields

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Zen And The Art Of Treason: Radical Buddhism In Meiji Era (1868–1912) Japan, James Mark Shields

Faculty Journal Articles

In the early decades of the twentieth century, as Japanese society became engulfed in war and increasing nationalism, the majority of Buddhist leaders and institutions capitulated to the status quo. At the same time, there was a stream of ‘resistance’ among a few Buddhist figures, both priests and laity. These instances of progressive and ‘radical Buddhism’ had roots in late Edo-period peasant revolts, the lingering discourse of early Meiji period liberalism, trends within Buddhist reform and modernisation and the emergence in the first decade of the twentieth century of radical political thought, including various forms of socialism and anarchism. This …

聲音與意義 - 古典詩歌新探國際研討會 : 在嶺南大學召開, Fei Li

《嶺南學報》復刊學術會議之二：「經學之傳承與開拓」國際學術會議暨「聲音與意義 - 古典詩歌新探」國際研討會 Conference on The Study of Confucian Classics & Chinese Poetic Art

No abstract provided.

蜚語 (第十期), 嶺南文社

嶺南文社 : 蜚語

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Laughter And The Cosmopolitan Aesthetic In Lao She's 二马 (Mr. Ma And Son), Jeffrey Mather

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Laughter and the Cosmopolitan Aesthetic in Lao She's 二马 (Mr. Ma and Son)" Jeffrey Mather discusses Lao She's (pseudonym for Qingchun Shu 1899-1966) texts and their naturalist portrayals of social life in China during a tumultuous period. Lao She's most celebrated works include the 1937 novel 骆驼祥子 (Rickshaw Boy) and the 1958 play 茶馆 (Teahouse), both of which were made into films in China. Rickshaw Boy was translated into English in 1945 and became an international bestseller, making Lao She one of the first modern Chinese writers known in the West. …

Hiroshima. At The Intersection Of Sciences, History, And Personal Narratives. A Personal Reflection., Gloria R. Montebruno Saller

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

In the city of Hiroshima, Japan, sciences, history, and personal narratives meet. Atomic bomb survivors became the keepers of this town’s history and one of the most tragic chapters in the history of humankind; and as their voices fade to old age and death, there is a sense of urgency to keep their narratives alive. These are my personal reflections.

Live Confucian: The Newsletter Of The Confucius Institute Of Pace University February 2014, Confucius Institute Pace University

Live Confucian

A newsletter of the Confucius Institute, Pace University.

The Confucius Institute at Pace Universi­ty is dedicated to providing Chinese lan­guage and cultural education, resources,and services to meet the needs of people from all backgrounds.

興藝樂學 : 台灣交流文集, 嶺南大學社區學院語文提升組

LIFE Publications

自2009 年起，嶺南大學社區學院推行「語文提升計劃」，旨在透過多元化的活動讓學生在課餘活學活用兩文三語，與正規課程相輔相成，彰顯嶺南大學的博雅教育特色。其後「語文提升計劃」擴展至持續進修學院，嘉惠兩院莘莘學子。

暑期境外交流和學習是本計劃的重點活動，繼「暑期天津普通話學習團」後，2013 年增辦「暑期台灣中文研習團」，選派學生到台中市東海大學研習中文，以提升閱讀和寫作能力。該校教師指導學生閱讀古今文學作品，然後讓他們實踐所學，在課餘創作，並提交作品。

或許有人會問：「在家也可寫作，為何要遠赴寶島學習寫作呢？」我想，在異地寫作，心境不同於家鄉，文思頓生，學生可從心靈出發，寫出感情真摯的文章，學習自然事半功倍。此外，學生到外地交流，可以擺脫傳統思路的羈絆，心靈受到觸動，有助建立正面的人生觀，這就是全人教育的理想。

五十六名社區學院和持續進修學院的副學士和高級文憑課程學生參加了是次研習團，在本文集中記錄了兩週的美好回憶。

嶺南大學持續教育及社區學院院長 吳凱文博士

Report On My Fall 2013 Sabbatical Leave, Haiwang Yuan

DLPS Faculty Publications

Haiwang Yuan, Professor of Department of Library Public Services of WKU, received his 2012-2013 Research & Creative Activities Program (RCAP) grant from WKU Research Office and a book contract from a U.S. publisher ABC-CLIO to write a book on Tibetan folktales. He then applied for and was awarded the fall 2013 sabbatical leave. With the grant and the leave, he made his research field trip to Tibet and some other Tibetan communities in China. This is the report he has given to his dean and WKU Academic Affairs Office as required. He has now submitted the manuscripts of his book.