Asian Studies

Article Asian Studies

Zhuangzi's ethical nihilism

David E. Soles, Deborah H. Soles

Summary: This paper examines Zhuangzi's ethical standpoint and the debate with Ivanhoe's viewpoint, concluding that Zhuangzi is an ethical nihilist who rejects all ethical positions.

ASIAN PHILOSOPHY (2023)

Article Area Studies

Reinterpretation of the autonomy of art in the contemporary environment

Zhiyun Lei, Wen Zhou

Summary: This paper examines the current status of art in society from the perspective of 'Yin and Yang' philosophy, emphasizing the power of art and its role in advocating for freedom and transformation in society.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF CHINESE CULTURE (2023)

Article Area Studies

The ideological origins and aesthetic construction of yijing (artistic conception)

Jing Hongmei

Summary: Yijing, an important concept in China's classical aesthetic category, has its ideological origin deeply influenced by traditional philosophies of Buddhism and Taoism. The structure of Yijing bears similarities to the artistic practice and aesthetic experience of other ethnic groups, suggesting its universality in ancient and modern cultures.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF CHINESE CULTURE (2023)

Article Area Studies

The Shadow Economy and Social Change in North Korea

Hyung-min Joo, Taehee Whang, Young Jun Choi, Wooseon Choi

Summary: North Koreans have heavily relied on the shadow economy since the collapse of socialism in the 1990s. The shadow economy has brought about significant changes in social practices, welfare perception, corruption levels, and public views of the regime. However, due to tight social control, people remain sceptical about the possibility of regime change.

ASIAN STUDIES REVIEW (2023)

Article Anthropology

Translating the pet man: the milky puppy imaginary and neoliberal subjectivity

Geng Song

Summary: This article investigates the phenomenon of "milky puppy" in Chinese internet culture and its representation in Chinese TV dramas. The term "milky puppy" symbolizes a young and adorable male figure, similar to a puppy, and is influenced by the moe culture in Japanese and Korean popular cultures. The article explores the cultural translation of the pet man imaginary in East Asia and argues that the bodily rhetoric of milky puppy represents the commodification of the male body. Through the analysis of two Chinese TV dramas, Find Yourself and The Rational Life, the article identifies distinctive Chinese characteristics in the portrayal of pet man masculinity and examines the negotiation between neoliberal subjectivity and patriarchal gender norms in postsocialist China.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

A historical garden and a student centre: two memorial landscapes to reposition Hong Kong, 1959-1968

Tze-ki Hon, Hok-yin Chan

Summary: This article examines two memorial landscapes in Cold War Hong Kong – Sung Wong Toi Garden in Kowloon Bay and Benjamin Franklin Centre of Chinese University of Hong Kong in New Territories. These landscapes, established in 1958 and 1969 respectively, marked a significant shift in Hong Kong's position in the world, transforming it from a trading port to a strategic node in the global competition between communism and capitalism, authoritarianism and democracy, planned economy and market economy. By emphasizing Hong Kong's historical roots and commitment to higher education, these memorial landscapes played a crucial role in shaping people's perceptions and emotions.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

Can the village speak? Leftist Assignment Theater and documentary theater in Taiwan

Chun-yen Wang

Summary: This essay examines Assignment Theater's documentary theater performances on environment issues and discusses its relationship with the leftist movement in post-war Taiwan. It explores the interconnectedness of environmental discourses, village communities, and documentary theater.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

Ambivalence of entertainment: the Cold War and pro-communist Mandarin cinema

Po-Shek Fu, Man-Fung Yip

Summary: This article discusses how Colonial Hong Kong became a hub of Cold War ideological confrontation, with the United States and Taiwan competing with Beijing for the support of overseas Chinese. Pro-Communist emigre cinema played a significant role in this contest. By analyzing two popular films, the essay explores how the Beijing-sponsored film establishment in 1950s Hong Kong navigated the changing political, ideological, and commercial interests in pursuit of its strategic mission.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

Deracinating ethnic minors: the affect of authoritarian certitude

Peng Hai

Summary: “The representation of ethnic minorities in Chinese cinema is a highly debated topic. Two films from 2018, Wangdrak's Rain Boots and A First Farewell, critique the Chinese government's ethnic policies in Tibet and the Uyghur region by portraying the social dynamics and state power that impact the lives of ethnic minority children.”

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

The role of women's political activism against enforced disappearances in Balochistan: a study of the Baluch missing persons

Shala Ashraf, Ikram Badshah, Usman Khan

Summary: This article focuses on the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, particularly among the Baloch population. It specifically highlights the struggles of blood relatives, especially women, in seeking justice and finding their loved ones who have been forcibly disappeared. The Baloch women have played a crucial role in activism and resistance, providing support for the aggrieved families and challenging the patriarchal society. Their efforts have added a new dimension to ethnolinguistic politics and recognition.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

Writing in solidarity: Gu Cangwu, Cultural Revolution, Cold War

Shuk Man Leung

Summary: This article explores the overlooked influence of the Cultural Revolution on Hong Kong writer Gu Cangwu during the Cold War. By examining his unpublished works from the 1970s, the article argues that Gu incorporated a Communist perspective in his writings, focusing on local, national, and global events. His untapped works reveal his attempts to resist British colonialism by adopting Cultural Revolution ideology and Chinese nationalism, especially during Hong Kong's Defending Diaoyu Island Movement in 1971.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

Interrogating Hong Kong's Cold War settlement: a Christian perspective

Brian Tsui

Summary: This article examines Ronald Owen Hall's critique of Hong Kong's Cold War settlement in the 1950s. While the colonial government viewed communism as a threat and the Chinese population as a source of labor or security threat, Hall saw it as a sign of societal failure to provide for the poor. He encouraged his flock to embrace Chinese nationhood and presented an alternative vision that went beyond Cold War binaries and capitalist values.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Anthropology

From amorous histories to sexual histories: rethinking male love narrative in Ming and Qing dynasties and the discourse on homosexuality in modern China

Wai-Siam Hee

Summary: This article reexamines the narrative mechanism of amorous histories in China and analyzes its stance towards male same-sex desire during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The praise and critique of male love in amorous histories were regulated by moral norms. However, the tradition of amorous histories eventually gave way to pathologized sexual histories in modern China.

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Editorial Material Anthropology

Introduction: localizing Cold War experiences in Hong Kong

Brian Tsui

INTER-ASIA CULTURAL STUDIES (2023)

Article Asian Studies

The Instrumental Dimensions of Ethnic Politics in Iran

Hamid Ahmadi

MUSLIM WORLD (2023)

Article Asian Studies

Ebrahim Raisi's Domestic Policy: Conservative, Pragmatic or Paralyzed?

Bernard Hourcade

MUSLIM WORLD (2023)

Article Asian Studies

Iran's Domestic Politics One Year into the Raisi Presidency

Mehran Kamrava

MUSLIM WORLD (2023)

Article Asian Studies

Navigating Murky Waters: Iranian-Gulf Relations a Year into Raisi's Presidency

Mahjoob Zweiri, Leen Al-Rabbat

MUSLIM WORLD (2023)