Asian Culture and History, Issue: Vol.17, No.2

The Musical Expression of “san zu liang er”: New Explorations of Interval and Sonata Form in “鼎”

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 13:16:35 +0000

Yao Henglu is one of the most distinguished contemporary Chinese composers and educators. His work for Free Bass Accordion, “鼎”, Ding, (TRIPOD, Sonata No.1 for Free Bass Accordion), is a unique solo repertoire for the instrument. Yao Henglu employs a culturally informed approach to defining musical structures and organizes musical ideas through innovative Interval concepts. This piece reflects the composer’s integration of Chinese cultural elements into the framework of Western sonata form and explores innovations in interval relationships. This article examines “鼎” from three perspectives: an overview of the composer and the work, the “san zu liang er” (三足两耳) in sonata form, and an analysis of interval innovation. Through this exploration, the connection and fusion between Western modern compositional techniques and Chinese cultural traditions were revealed, highlighting Yao Henglu’s contributions and the uniqueness of “鼎”.

Kunqu Opera Training be Beneficial to Contemporary Actor

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 15:05:14 +0000

The ancient Chinese theatre system was described in Xian Qing Ou Ji by Li Yu (1611-1680), and can be translated as ‘Speaking honestly, if an actor wants to perform a role, it means that the actor speaks instead of the inside thought, so the actor must put their heart into the role to be real during the performance. Actors need to be in the scene personally and there should be true feeling in it.’ The actor should convey their emotions to the audience and must put their whole heart into the character’s background to show their imagination on the stage; this is also an important theory by Stanislavski. From ancient to contemporary theatre theory, and from Chinese theatre to the European theatre, both imagination and physical techniques are crucial to performance. Kunqu opera’s performance convention and formula also may improve actors’ performance techniques. This research integrated Chinese theatre and Europe theatre practice for further expansion and development. Actors’ skills relate to their imagination and physical movement. This research has enriched existing universal performance training methods, and the significance proves the Kunqu opera training be beneficial to contemporary actor’s physical.

A Review and Reflection on the Spirit of Populus euphratica (Hu Yang) 2000-2020: An Analysis Using Cite Space Software

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 06:53:18 +0000

The spirit of Populus euphratica embodies the spirit of hard struggle, self-improvement, and dedication rooted in the border regions. This paper focuses on the spirit of Populus euphratica, collecting research literature as the subject of study and using Cite Space software as an analytical tool to organize, summarize, and analyze relevant literature from academic journals published between 2000 and 2020. It aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the achievements and shortcomings in the study of the spirit of Populus euphratica. Currently, related research primarily explores issues such as the formation process, connotation, core content, theme value, and contemporary value. These studies typically use three narrative frameworks: connotation formation, significance interpretation, and experiential enlightenment. Commonly used frameworks include educational research, value research, ideological and political research, and communication research. However, there are issues such as theoretical misalignment and lack of interdisciplinary cooperation. To address these issues, it is necessary to strengthen collaboration among different disciplines and the connection between academia and industry. The latest theoretical resources should be reasonably utilized.

Political Space and Loyalism in Ancient China: A Case Study of Li Si

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 06:55:56 +0000

This study adopts a historical-sociological perspective to examine the interplay between political space and the discourse of loyalty in ancient Chinese historical narratives. Focusing on the biography of Li Si in Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), it analyses the socio-political functions of key spatial settings, such as Shangcai (his hometown), Xianyang (the imperial capital), and the prison, as sites where power relations, institutional control, and moral judgment are enacted. The research argues that spatial arrangements are not merely narrative backdrops but constitute concrete manifestations of political order and mechanisms for shaping individual agency and political identity. Through moral principles, it is socially constructed and dynamically negotiated within shifting political spaces. Li Si’s spatial trajectory, from a local scholar to a central power figure and finally to a subject of state punishment, reflects the complex tension between Confucian ethics, Legalist institutions, and imperial authority. By employing spatial narrative strategies, Sima Qian constructs loyalty as a contingent and contested concept, thereby expressing deeper concerns about legitimacy, moral accountability, and historical justice. This research not only enriches the understanding of the Shiji’s narrative structure and political logic but also contributes to the sociological interpretation of ancient political culture, particularly the spatial articulation of power and ethical norms.

Research on the Behavioral Mechanism of Community Conflict in Tourism Development

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:15:42 +0000

Against the backdrop of rapid tourism development, conflicts between community residents and foreign tourism investors and local governments are becoming increasingly prominent. This paper focuses on the conflict behaviours of community residents and based on relative deprivation theory, institutional trust theory, and public service perception theory, constructs a theoretical model that includes variables such as institutional fairness, sense of participation, psychological belonging, and perception of benefit distribution. Residents of a popular tourist destination in East China were collected through a questionnaire survey, and the structural equation modelling (SEM) method was used to empirically test the relevant path relationships. The study found that: (1) relative deprivation has a significant positive impact on conflict behaviour; (2) institutional trust plays a partial mediating role between public service satisfaction and conflict behaviour; (3) improving residents’ sense of participation and psychological belonging can effectively alleviate conflict tendencies; and (4) a fair benefit distribution mechanism and environmental governance performance are also key factors influencing residents’ attitudes. Finally, this paper proposes policy recommendations for enhancing institutional trust, optimizing resource allocation, and strengthening community participation.

The Historical and Philosophical Evolution of Xīnxué: From Confucius to Wáng Yángmíng and Beyond

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:17:31 +0000

Xīnxué, or “the learning of the heart-mind,” is a defining strand of Neo-Confucian thought, with Wáng Yángmíng as one of its most influential figures. Rooted in Confucianism yet enriched by Daoist cosmology and Buddhist introspection, it represents centuries of intellectual synthesis. This article examines the historical evolution of xīnxué a qualitative approach, employing document-based library research and historical analysis to trace its origins, transformations, and culmination. The study traces five main stages: its germination in the pre-Qín period; consolidation of Confucian orthodoxy in the Hàn dynasty and integration with Daoist and Buddhist thought in the Táng; theoretical refinements in Sòng Neo-Confucianism; maturity in the Míng under Wáng Yángmíng; and later transformations in the Qīng, modern reinterpretations, and transmission across East Asia. Findings show that Wáng’s synthesis—articulated in “mind is principle” (xīn jí lǐ), “unity of knowledge and action” (zhī xíng hé yī), and “innate moral knowledge” or “conscience” (liángzhī)—reshaped Confucianism while responding to the moral crises of his time. The study concludes that xīnxué’s enduring significance lies in cultivating moral self-awareness, guiding personal and social responsibility, and offering a framework for cross-cultural philosophical dialogue.

Brushstrokes of Revolution: Realism, Expressionism, and Romanticism in haipai Art

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:13:45 +0000

This article explores how haipai artists in Shanghai responded to the pressures of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), negotiating the demands of state-mandated revolutionary themes while striving to maintain their distinctive artistic traditions. Under the intense scrutiny of political authorities, artists such as Fang Shicong, Chen Yifei, and Cai Jiangbai blended realism, expressionism, and romanticism to create works that promoted socialist ideology and collective heroism. By analysing key paintings—including Fang’s Encounter on the Road and Da Qing Oil Workers, as well as the collaborative Wedding on the Execution Ground: As Long as the Principle is True by Chen Yifei and Cai Jiangbai—this study reveals how composition, colour, and symbolism were employed to reinforce political messages yet subtly preserve the hallmarks of the haipai style. The article contends that, while haipai artists fulfilled the propagandist aims of the Cultural Revolution, they also succeeded in sustaining Shanghai’s cosmopolitan artistic legacy, producing works that were both ideologically charged and aesthetically refined.

Negotiating Tradition and Innovation: Digital Heritage Practices and Cultural Sustainability of Suzhou Pingtan in Contemporary China

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 05:43:32 +0000

As a traditional Chinese narrative-singing art, Suzhou Pingtan is encountering growing challenges of preservation and renewal due to population aging and technological shifts. The Pingtan community’s heritage inheritance and cultural identity are being impacted by the digital transformation, underscoring the conflict between cultural preservation and adaptable solutions. Using qualitative field observations, interviews with heritage practitioners and stakeholders, and document analysis, this study argues that online platforms have expanded access to heritage, involving the younger generation and offering economic opportunities. Traditional performances and digital media with an entertainment focus are deeply at odds because of concerns about digital literacy and language authenticity. The “Traditional Music Ecosystem Model in Digital Transformation,” which is put forth in this article, sees cultural sustainability as dynamic adaptation as opposed to static preservation. For sustainable heritage development, digital platforms, practitioner communities, and cultural institutions must have a strategic relationship. Through the application of research findings to globally endangered cultural practices, this study contributes to the theoretical understanding of heritage sustainability in the digital media environment.

Threads of Culture: Hard Fibers as Material Heritage in the Philippines

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 05:45:39 +0000

The Aklan piña handloom weaving was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023. Serving as a symbol of national identity and recognition, piña is among the most esteemed traditional textiles in the Philippines. However, as a multi-ethnic nation, the Philippines encompasses diverse weaving traditions utilizing various hard fibers. Alongside piña, communities across the islands employ banana, abaca, and palm leaves as raw materials for textile production. Similar to piña, these hard fibers undergo labor-intensive extraction processes, during which artisans skillfully peel and scrape leaves to obtain delicate filaments. The finest fibers are spun into yarn for handloom weaving, while coarser ones are crafted into non-wearable products such as hats, tapestries, and baskets. Over centuries, these ethnic textiles have become valuable commodities traded globally through the Maritime Silk Road. This study introduces the characteristics and historical development of Musa (banana) and piña fibers, exploring how these materials intertwine with both indigenous and foreign influences within the Philippine context. Through their adaptation, transformation, and continued use, these fibers have come to embody broader narratives of cultural exchange and identity formation, serving as tangible reflections of the Philippines’ evolving national culture.