Chinese Studies Monthly (CSM) is an interdisciplinary, fully open-access academic journal that publishes peer-reviewed original research articles, review papers, and case studies exclusively in English or Chinese on multidisciplinary academic topics related to China and Chinese. In addition to research articles, Chinese Studies Monthly presents symposia on important topics in Chinese studies with some universities and research institutions, critical essays on the state of Chinese studies, in-depth review articles on particular areas of scholarship, and reviews of books of unusual quality and significance.
Aesthetic Education Through the Mediation of Classic Literature and Art
This paper examines the media-based aesthetic education practices of classic literary and artistic works through two case studies: the dance film Only This Green and the audio dramatization of Guan Shan’s Long Letter. Although these two works belong to the visual and auditory arts, respectively, they share significant commonalities in upholding the core of traditional culture, rejecting didactic indoctrination, and emphasizing aesthetic experience and spiritual enrichment. Both achieve the goal of educating through beauty and culture in a subtle and imperceptible manner. At the same time, due to their differing media characteristics, the two works exhibit distinct differences in their modes of expression and audience engagement, collectively forming a diverse and multidimensional framework for aesthetic education. By examining dimensions such as audiovisual presentation, artistic conception, craftsmanship, linguistic aesthetics, emotional resonance, and spiritual character, this article reveals the value and pathways of classic literature and art in contemporary aesthetic education, thereby providing a reference for cross-media aesthetic education practices.
Mediatization of classical literature and art
Copyright (c) 2026 Zongye Gu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Study on Innovative Pathways for Xing’an League to Build an Upgraded Version of Ethnic Unity and Progress Initiatives
The development of ethnic unity and progress initiatives is an important vehicle for implementing the ethnic policies of the Party and the state, an important platform for consolidating diverse forces to jointly advance the cause of ethnic unity and progress, and an important instrument for comprehensively promoting the Party’s ethnic work in the new era. Promoting the transformation and upgrading of ethnic unity and progress initiatives represents both a deepening and expansion of previous successful experience and an innovative measure proposed in response to new circumstances and tasks. Its effective implementation will significantly enhance the overall effectiveness and demonstrative role of Xing’an League’s work in this field, thereby contributing Xing’an’s strength to the consolidation and development of the “model autonomous region.” Taking Xing’an League’s efforts to build an upgraded version of ethnic unity and progress initiatives as its research object, this paper systematically examines its transformation and upgrading pathway from policy-driven implementation to institutional endogeneity, and from typical demonstration to system construction. It not only enriches the theoretical connotations of building a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, but also provides a practical paradigm that can serve as a reference for other ethnic regions. 民族团结进步创建是贯彻落实党和国家民族政策的重要载体，是凝聚各方力量共同推进民族团结进步事业的重要平台，是全面推进新时代党的民族工作开创新局面的重要抓手。推动民族团结进步创建转型升级既是对以往成功经验的深化拓展，也是针对新形势新任务提出的创新举措，其有效落实将显著提升兴安盟民族团结进步创建工作的整体效能和示范水平，为巩固和发展“模范自治区”贡献兴安力量。本文以兴安盟打造民族团结进步创建工作升级版为研究对象，系统探讨了其从政策驱动向制度内生、从典型示范向体系构建的转型升级路径，不仅丰富了中华民族共同体建设的理论内涵，也为其他民族地区提供了可资借鉴的实践范式。
Sense of community for the Chinese nation
Copyright (c) 2026 Jiaxue Li, Xiaoying Xu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Shanghai Poetry Group Between Italo Calvino and Li He
As a representative poet of contemporary “intellectual writing,” Chen Dongdong played a significant role in the “third generation” poetry movement as a member of the “Shanghai Poetry Group.” He not only participated in and even led a chorus of diverse voices, emerging as a prominent figure in Shanghai’s literary scene, but also, after departing from the institutional framework, embarked on a sustained journey of independent and sophisticated textual creation, theoretical exploration, and critical observation of literary trends, establishing himself as a profound thinker among his peers. His poetic language incorporates the “ornate” stylistic resources of European writers such as Italo Calvino, giving rise to a distinctive “crystal” poetics. The connotation of his writing internally absorbs the literary qualities of the “southern tradition” in classical China, exemplified by poets like Li He and Wen Tingyun, while externally integrating and innovating with modern urban elements and surrealist philosophical thought, ultimately shaping a “Baroque” aesthetic temperament. An in-depth study of Chen Dongdong promises to offer a refined insight into the ideological ecology of contemporary Chinese new poetry. 作为当代“知识分子写作”的代表诗人，陈东东既在“第三代”诗歌运动中充当“海上诗群”的重要角色，参与乃至主导众声合奏，俨然沪上文坛的明星；也在离开体制之后展开长期的独立化、精密化的文本创作、理论勘探和文艺思潮的观测，成为同代人中沉潜深邃的思想者。其诗歌语言凝合卡尔维诺等欧陆学人的“矫饰”资源，进而制造独特的“晶体”诗学，书写意涵向内融合李贺、温庭筠等古典中国的“南方传统”文质，向外与现代都市元素和“超现实主义”哲思进行整饬与革新，最终形成“巴洛克”的美学气质。针对陈东东展开研究，或将对汉语新诗的思想生态贡献一部精致的启示录。
Thematic Section: Modern China and Shanghai
Copyright (c) 2026 RuoDong Gao (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Current Status of Scientific and Technical Talent in the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Sector and Pathways to High-Quality Development
The cause of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction is a crucial underpinning for the national economy, people's livelihood, and high-quality development. Its transformation and upgrading toward industrialization, digitalization, and greenization are highly aligned with the development requirements of "new-quality productive forces". This process urgently calls for a large-scale, well-structured, and high-caliber contingent of inter-disciplinary, innovative, and compound scientific and technological talents. This paper systematically sorts out the development status and classification system of high-level scientific and technological talents in China's housing and urban-rural construction field from three levels: top strategic scientists, national-level leading and core talents, and young scientific and technological talent echelons. It analyzes three core challenges currently faced by the development of scientific and technological talents in this field: the structural mismatch between talent supply and the new demands of the industry, the disconnection between the talent evaluation system and the innovation laws of the industry, and the inadequate industry-academia-research-application collaborative talent cultivation mechanism. Correspondingly, the paper puts forward three suggestions to support the high-quality development of scientific and technological talents in the housing and urban-rural construction field: establishing a modern talent evaluation system oriented toward new-quality productive forces, deepening the reform of classified evaluation and industry-education integration, and optimizing innovation platforms and development environments. These efforts are aimed at facilitating the transformation and upgrading of the housing and urban-rural construction industry and the cultivation of new-quality productive forces. 住房和城乡建设事业是国计民生与高质量发展的重要支撑，其工业化、数字化、绿色化转型升级与 “新质生产力” 发展要求高度契合，这一进程亟需规模宏大、结构合理、素质优良的复合型、创新型、跨学科科技人才队伍。本文按照顶尖战略科学家、国家级领军与中坚力量、青年科技人才梯队三个层面系统梳理了我国住建领域高层次科技人才的发展现状与分类体系，分析了当前住建领域科技人才发展面临人才供给与行业新需求存在结构性错配，人才评价体系与行业创新规律脱节、政产学研用协同育人机制不畅三个核心挑战，提出了构建以新质生产力为导向的现代化人才评价体系，深化分类评价改革与产教融合，优化创新平台与发展环境三项服务住建领域科技人才高质量发展的建议，助力住建行业转型升级与新质生产力培育。
Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Field
Copyright (c) 2026 Yue Chen, Jingming Xu, Yichang Chen, Ji Qi, Xinyu Qi (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Modern Predicament of Chinese Charity Performances in the Context of The Ding Wu Severe Famine
The emergence of charitable performances in China was inseparable from famines. The occurrence of the Ding Wu Severe Famine in the late Qing period provided the spatiotemporal context for the rise of charitable performances. While in Shanxi Province, the core disaster area, local practices of traditional theatre that featured “performance for charity” persisted, in Shanghai, far from the disaster-stricken region, the earliest case of “using theatrical proceeds for famine relief” emerged, marking a breakthrough from traditional performances and constituting the fundamental situation of the early stage of charitable performances in modern circumstances. 中国慈善演艺的产生与灾荒密不可分。晚清时期“丁戊奇荒”的发生为慈善演艺的出现提供了时空背景。灾情的核心地区山西省内传统演剧“演艺为善”的地方实践依然持续。而远在灾区之外的上海地区，则出现了最早的“戏资助赈”之善举，称得上是传统演艺的突破，成为近代中国慈善演艺起步阶段的基本场景。
Copyright (c) 2026 Pengxing Yue, Jing Qiao (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Tea Culture and Social Representation in the Southern Song
During the Southern Song period (1127–1279), the relocation of the capital to the south and the concurrent shift of economic power led to the flourishing of tea culture. Tea emerged as both a vital symbol of cultural refinement and an integral component of economic and social life across various strata of society. The tea-themed paintings of Liu Songnian serve as visual representations of this cultural phenomenon, embodying not only exceptional artistic techniques but also distinct social narrative functions. This study undertakes a systematic analysis of Liu Songnian’s tea paintings from both artistic and socio-cultural perspectives. On the artistic level, it focuses on the stylistic characteristics reflected in compositional arrangement, the depiction of figures in motion, and attention to detail. On the social level, it explores how the paintings portray interactions among individuals of varied social roles—such as literati, monks, and attendants—revealing the complexities of Southern Song social structures and the richness of its cultural life. By comprehensively examining Liu Songnian’s tea paintings, this article aims to uncover their embedded cultural meanings and to deepen our understanding of tea culture’s multifaceted role in Southern Song society—ranging from interpersonal communication and economic activity to broader processes of cultural transmission.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yi Guo, Wenwen Zhao (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Dissolving Loneliness and Rebuilding Relationships
In the context of population aging, loneliness among older adults has become a critical bottleneck constraining the advancement of active aging. With the weakening of traditional family-based care for older adults, the demand for emotional support and social connection among older adults is increasingly prominent. In this setting, pet companionship, as a non-institutional form of support for care of older adults, is playing a role that cannot be overlooked. This study employs the active aging theoretical framework to systematically examine the internal mechanisms by which pet companionship dissolves loneliness among older adults, the practical pathways for reconstructing social relationships among older adults, and, in combination with China’s local sociocultural context, analyzes its logic of empowerment for active aging as well as directions for localized development. The study shows that pet companionship achieves systematic intervention in loneliness among older adults through alleviating emotional loneliness, expanding social connections, reshaping life meaning, and maintaining psychological health. It further promotes the network reconstruction of multiple social relationships among older adults by adjusting family relations, activating neighborhood networks, linking community resources, and stimulating social participation. Ultimately, it realizes comprehensive empowerment for older adults across the dimensions of health, participation, and security, thereby fostering the reconstruction of their agency. This research not only enriches the localized connotations of active aging theory but also provides new sociological perspectives and practical insights for improving China’s diversified support system for care of older adults.
Copyright (c) 2026 Xuehao Huang (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Pure Return and Narrative Jailbreak of Magical Girls in the Post-Deconstruction Era
Since Puella Magi Madoka Magica initiated the trend of "dark deconstruction", the magical girl genre in ACG culture has frequently been trapped in a paradox between relentless cruelty and logical groundlessness. In search of a path back to fairy-tale storytelling, this study employs the online co-creative text, The Chronicles of the Magical Girl Century, as a digital ethnographic case to analyze how it achieves a "narrative jailbreak". On the macro-structural level, the work utilizes an overt-covert dual-track system to isolate magical girls from secular power, while establishing a logical closed loop for disasters and supernatural abilities through an idealist force field and socialized retirement, thereby constructing a robust physical barrier for "purity". On the micro-subjective level, the text deeply deconstructs traditional biological sex thresholds and age constraints through multiple-personality constructs and reflections on social gender discipline.The research indicates that in the post-deconstruction era, the dual perspectives of "systemic deduction" and "subject deconstruction" enable creators to build a solid logical defense for magical girls, sublimating their "pure" core into a universal spiritual anthem that transcends physical forms and ages. Simultaneously, as a generative mechanism, this online co-creation reflects a profound cultural self-rescue and emotional compensation among contemporary audiences, who attempt to utilize collective rationality to counter nihilism within a postmodern context. 自《魔法少女小圆》开启“黑暗解构”风潮后，ACG魔法少女题材常陷于残酷叙事与逻辑悬浮的悖论。为探寻童话叙事的回归路径，本文以网络共创文本《魔法少女世纪录》为数字民族志样本，剖析其如何通过严密的系统推演完成“叙事越狱”。在宏观架构上，该作以“表里双轨制”隔绝世俗权力，以“唯心力场”与“社会化退役”完成灾害与力量的逻辑闭环，确立了纯洁性的绝对物理壁垒；在微观主体上，通过多重人格设定与社会性别规训反思，彻底解构了传统的生理性别门槛与年龄桎梏。研究表明，在后解构时代，通过“系统推演”与“主体解构”的双重视角，创作者不仅能为魔法少女构筑坚固的逻辑防线，更能将其“纯洁”内核升华为跨越躯壳与岁月的普遍性精神赞歌。
Copyright (c) 2026 Haochuan Yang (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
New Poetry in China Thought under the Reflection of Classical Aesthetics
Classical aesthetics, rooted in Chinese culture, has been highly involved, nurtured and supplemented with poetry and literature creation and theoretical criticism for a long time. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Chinese new poetry has been influenced by the modern poetic paradigm and cultural value system in Europe and the United States. It has been westernized for several times, and has repeatedly lowered the weight of the root of Oriental traditional art. Until the 1970s, with the "enlightenment opportunity" of Li Zehou's so-called aesthetics, and the "New Poetry Tide" and "the third generation" in the field of poetry, several groups of poets and theorists with the characteristics of geo cultural awareness, textual research and border extension of classical spirit, inheritance and decoding of historical information rose one after another. Under the care of the classical aesthetic thought of "Neutralization", they almost shouldered the responsibility of connecting traditional Chinese poetry and new poetry, and continued to innovate and explore. Elucidating this process and phenomenon may have a certain "filler" value for mutual learning and discussion in the field of classical aesthetics and contemporary poetics. 根植于中国文化的古典美学，长期与诗歌文学创作及理论批评存在高度互涉、熏陶和补充的关系。自20世纪初汉语新诗发轫，膺受欧美近现代诗学范式及文化价值体系影响，几度产生西化潮流，而一再放低东方传统艺术根脉的权重。直至20世纪70年代后，伴随李泽厚所谓美学的“启蒙契机到来”，诗歌领域“新诗潮”、“第三代”等运动陆续兴盛，几批具备地缘文化意识、古典精神考据与拓边、历史信息继承与解码特征的诗人与理论家相继崛起，在以“中和”为主的古典美学思想观照之下，几乎肩负起了通联传统汉诗与新诗的时代责任，并持续创新探索。阐析这一历程与现象，对于古典美学与当代诗学研究领域的互鉴和筹议，或将具备一定的“补白”价值。 Accepted 26 March 2026 Published 31 March 2026
Copyright (c) 2026 Ruo-Dong Gao (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Through Pen and Seal: A Review of Information and Power: Documentary Administration in the Song Dynasty
Li Quande's Information and Power: Documentary Administration in the Song Dynasty employs the research paradigm of “living institutional history.” By analyzing key document types such as imperial rescripts, provincial directives, and formal (駁议), it systematically reveals the profound interaction between information communication and power operation during the Song era. The study centers on the three main political actors — the emperor, chief councilors, and scholar-officials—demonstrating how administrative documents served as a medium for political contestation. The work is distinguished by its solid evidentiary foundation, novel perspective, and judicious use of new sources like the Xu Weili Documents, representing a significant advancement in the field. While its focus remains predominantly on central institutions, leaving room for further exploration into local informational networks and Southern Song institutional adaptations, it successfully charts a clear course for future research. Overall, this book stands as an inspiring and accomplished work of institutional history.
Information and Power: Documentary Administration in the Song Dynasty
Copyright (c) 2026 Meiyu Hou (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The synergy of digital innovation and green economy: A systematic review of mechanisms, challenges, and adaptive strategies in the post-Al era
Digital transformation and the green transition increasingly co-evolve through shared infrastructures (data, energy, and institutions), yet their interaction is not automatically synergistic. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed research and authoritative institutional reports to clarify how digital technologies—especially AI, analytics, and platform infrastructures—shape green economic outcomes, and how environmental constraints and governance feedback reshape digital diffusion. We organize evidence around four domains: (i) labor-market restructuring under AI and digitalization, with attention to wage polarization, rents, and institutional mediators; (ii) skills mismatch and SME adoption constraints as a binding bottleneck for inclusive digital-green upgrading; (iii) the convergence of green finance and computing, where automated ESG assessment expands monitoring capacity but also amplifies measurement divergence and greenwashing risks; and (iv) sustainable infrastructure and energy transition, focusing on hydrogen value chains and the energy footprint of digital systems (data centers and AI workloads). A sectoral case—digital tourism—illustrates both substitution potential (virtual experiences, demand management) and rebound risks. Evidence converges on a conditional-synergy thesis: digital tools can accelerate green innovation and emissions reductions when coupled with credible standards, auditability, clean power, and workforce capability building; absent these complements, digitalization may increase electricity demand, widen inequality, and incentivize strategic disclosure. The review identifies three research gaps that limit policy inference: long-horizon causal evidence on non-linear coupling between digitalization and decarbonization, joint modeling of distributional outcomes and environmental performance, and integrated evaluation of AI-enabled sustainable finance under heterogeneous disclosure regimes. We propose a future agenda that prioritizes enforceable AI governance, life-cycle carbon accounting across hydrogen supply chains, and targeted SME capability policies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rafael Santos, Maria Isabel Reyes (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From "Harmony Between Humans and Nature" to Green Development
Amid the deep integration of global "dual carbon" goals (carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060) with China’s ecological civilization drive, the modern value of traditional Chinese ecological culture—centered on the notion of "harmony between humans and nature" — has been reawakened. The profound fusion of emerging technologies such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence with the real economy not only offers opportunities for technological empowerment and efficiency gains in regional low-carbon transitions but also gives rise to new challenges, including labor market restructuring, skill mismatches, and inadequate adaptability of the built environment. As a form of "cultural capital" endowed with both value-leading capacity and practical resilience, the synergistic empowerment of traditional Chinese ecological culture with emerging economic factors has emerged as a pivotal pathway to resolving contradictions in regional low-carbon development.Drawing on core literatures spanning philosophy, economics, geography, digital economy, and sustainable development, this study employs a literature review approach and logical deduction to construct a comprehensive analytical framework: "Cultural Connotations → Modern Transformation → Synergistic Empowerment → Regional Practice → Optimization Pathways." It systematically dissects the intrinsic logic, core mechanisms, and implementation models through which traditional Chinese ecological culture empowers regional low-carbon economies.Key findings are as follows: First, traditional Chinese ecological culture evolves into a form of cultural capital compatible with modern low-carbon development via a three-stage transformation — encompassing value ethics, institutional rules, and practical behaviors. Second, at the mechanism level, this cultural capital forms a "four-dimensional synergy" with digital technology, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and sustainable built environments. It propels regional low-carbon transitions through four pathways — "value constraint, technological drive, subject adaptation, and spatial guarantee" —across three tiers: micro-level enterprise transformation, meso-level industrial upgrading, and macro-level regional governance. Third, in regional practice, diverse implementation models have taken shape, namely "culture + education and communication," "culture + spatial governance," and "culture + policy integration." However, challenges persist, such as fragmented cultural cognition, insufficient regional coordination, and superficial integration between technology and culture.By clarifying the inherent links between culture, technology, economy, and space, this study provides a theoretically grounded and practically feasible framework for regional low-carbon economic development. It also offers an innovative "Chinese culture + technology synergy" solution to contribute to global sustainable development.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yuhao Gu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
AI Empowerment Logic in the Digital Transformation of Chinese Language Education
With the coupled development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) and big data technologies, Chinese language education — especially international Chinese language education—is experiencing a critical leap from "information-assisted teaching" to "digital transformation." This study delves into the inherent evolutionary logic of AI empowerment in Chinese language education, arguing that its transformation path follows a three-stage progression: from efficiency-driven tool application in individual links, to full-process human-AI collaborative innovation, and ultimately to the systematic reconstruction of the educational ecosystem. The research elaborates on AI’s profound impacts in reshaping learning paradigms, redefining teaching time and space, and enhancing teacher evaluation. It highlights that the essence of digital transformation lies in the reorganization of educational elements and the digital extension of educational sovereignty. Drawing on transnational cases and authoritative studies, this paper deconstructs the implementation paths of ecological reconstruction across four core dimensions: learning paradigms, resource development, evaluation systems, and governance mechanisms. Additionally, it offers forward-looking reflections on ethical challenges and technological boundaries in the current transformation, providing theoretical support and practical insights for building a high-quality, sustainable global digital ecosystem for Chinese language education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Xueying Yang, Yiran Tian, Volodko V.F (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Threefold Significance of Confucius’ Sacrificial Concept
The recent publication of the Shanghai Museum bamboo slips Lu Bang Da Han (The Great Drought in the State of Lu) and Kongzi Shi Lun·Gan-tang (Confucius' Commentary on the Book of Songs: The Sweet Pear Tree) has opened new avenues for the study of Confucius’ views on sacrifice. The text of Lu Bang Da Han, which prioritizes “rectifying punishments and virtues” over “sacrificing to mountains and rivers”, reveals that Confucius regarded sac-rifice as a flexible instrument to pacify the people and promote virtuous gover-nance. Meanwhile, the four commentaries in Gantang interpret “bao” (requital) as “bao” (protection), highlighting that the essence of sacrifice lies in commem-orating virtuous governance and expressing gratitude, rather than seeking blessings or averting calamities. Drawing on these newly available materials from Lu Bang Da Han and Kongzi Shi Lun·Gantang, Confucius’ sacrificial per-spective can be synthesized into three core principles: first, the ethical principle of “reflecting on origins and repaying roots, with virtue as the only truth”; sec-ond, the political principle of “taking virtuous governance as the foundation, employing flexibility as the means”; and third, the practical principle of “combin-ing reverence with moderation, opposing excessive sacrifices”. 上博简《鲁邦⼤旱》《孔⼦诗论·⽢棠》⼆篇整理问世，为孔⼦祭祀观研 究开辟新境。《鲁邦⼤旱》中“正刑与德”先于“祭祀⼭川”的论述等，揭示了孔⼦ 将祭祀视为安抚⺠⼼、推⾏德政的权变⼯具。⽽《⽢棠》四评则以“报”释“保”， 彰显了祭祀的本质在于追怀德政、感念恩德，⽽⾮祈福禳灾。结合上博简《鲁邦 ⼤旱》《孔⼦诗论·⽢棠》材料补充，孔⼦祭祀观实可综括为三重要义：⼀为“反 始报本，唯德为真”的伦理要义，⼆为“德政为本，权变为⽤”的政治要义，三为 “敬度相济，反对淫祀”的实践要义。
Confucius' Commentary on the Book of Songs: the Sweet Pear Tree)
Copyright (c) 2025 Xiankun Li (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Divergent Paths: The Educational Philosophy and University Legacy of John Leighton Stuart and Francis Lister Hawks Pott
This paper conducts a comparative analysis of the educational philosophies and governance strategies of John Leighton Stuart and Francis Lister Hawks Pott to elucidate the divergent historical trajectories of Yenching University and St. John's University in twentieth-century China. It argues that Stuart's commitment to "Sino-Western integration" and proactive "localization" fostered a sense of Chinese ownership at Yenching, thereby enhancing its social adaptability and institutional resilience. In contrast, Pott's adherence to a "Western-oriented," elitist model, while successful in cultivating talents, entrenched St. John's in cultural alienation and identity crises amidst profound societal transformation, due to its insistence on Western cultural primacy and administrative control. Ultimately, their contrasting visions not only shaped the distinct developmental paths and cultural legacies of the two universities but also underscored the decisive impact of strategic choices made by educational leaders on institutional sustainability during non-Western modernization.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jiajie Wang (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Curse-based invectives are a linguistic phenomenon deeply embedded in folk daily life. Their underlying mechanisms extend beyond mere emotional venting to en-compass a form of "verbal sorcery" rooted in traditional belief systems, as well as informal social control techniques. Studying them from a folklore perspective can unravel the mystery of why such curses carry strong psychological deterrence and normative power. Research finds that their efficacy is built upon three interconnected belief systems: the faith in the power of spoken words (kotodama), sympathetic magic, and a worldview centered on the netherworld. In terms of function, they participate deeply in the construction and maintenance of social order within folk communities through three path-ways: ethical discipline, conflict mediation, and psychological compensation. By interpreting curse-based invectives as a kind of "linguistic sorcery," this study offers a new micro-perspective for understanding the cultural logic of Chinese folk society.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zhenyu Qin, Zijun Zhao (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Study on the Communication Strategy of Xinwen Lianbo on Rural Revitalization
This study analyzes the communication strategy of Xinwen Lianbo on rural revitalization from the perspective of agenda-setting theory. Through content analysis of 427 reports (January 2023 to June 2024), it identifies a structural imbalance in agenda setting—overemphasis on industry and ecology, neglect of culture and organization—coupled with a lack of farmer subjectivity and critical depth. Optimization strategies are proposed to enhance communication effectiveness by diversifying, innovating narratives, and strengthening interaction. This work is a phased achievement of the Tianjin Normal University Graduate Research Innovation Project "Research on the Communication Strategies of 'Xinwen Lianbo' in Reporting Rural Revitalization (2021–2025)", Project Number: 2025KYCX067Y. 本文基于议程设置理论，分析《新闻联播》乡村振兴报道的传播策略。通过对2023年1月至2024年6月427篇报道的内容分析，发现其议题设置存在“重产业生态、轻文化组织”的失衡现象，农民主体性缺失，批判性不足。研究从议题多元性、叙事创新性与传播互动性三方面提出优化策略。
Copyright (c) 2025 Zongye Gu, Ziwen Wang, Xiruo Zang, Haiquan Yang (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cross-Strait Interactions, Exchanges, and Integration Between Zhoushan and Taiwan as Documented in the Taiwan Nichinichi Shinpo During the Late Qing and Republican Period
This study analyzes the communication strategy of Xinwen Lianbo on rural revitalization from the perspective of agenda-setting theory. Through content analysis of 427 reports (January 2023 to June 2024), it identifies a structural imbalance in agenda setting—overemphasis on industry and ecology, neglect of culture and organization—coupled with a lack of farmer subjectivity and critical depth. Optimization strategies are proposed to enhance communication effectiveness by diversifying, innovating narratives, and strengthening interaction.
Copyright (c) 2025 Weiqiang Li, Jiaqi Mao (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Street Space Demand and Child-friendly Design Response under the Transition of Fertility Policy
Amid the policy shift from the "two-child" to the "three-child" policy, the rising number of multi-child families has increased the demand for safer, more functional, and intergenerationally inclusive urban spaces. Integrating big data analysis, household behavior observation, and multi-source data fusion, this study investigates the optimization of urban street spaces under policy transformation. Results indicate that: 1) children's safety needs now span both "physical isolation" and "perceived safety"; 2) policy support is positively correlated with the coverage of child-friendly facilities; and 3) dynamic, data-driven design effectively compensates for static planning limitations. Yet, current research lacks attention to children's subjectivity, real-time responsiveness, and long-term impact assessment. This paper proposes a dynamic "policy-datadesign" framework to shift street space from "passive safety control" to "active empowerment." Through stepwise child participation, interdisciplinary data integration, and multifunctional design, the framework aims to enhance childfriendly urban development and ease family fertility pressure while improving governance efficiency.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yae Huang, Lin Su (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Reality and Illusion Intertwined, Humanity at the Core: An Analysis of Anti-fiction Techniques in Ma Jia's Novels
Ma Jia claims that "a novel is about presenting the false as the true." The core of his creation lies in employing "anti-fiction" techniques to construct a seemingly solid "realistic runway": real-name narrators, fabricated archives, interview notes, historical markers, and interlocking perspectives. He then deliberately exposes the “fabrication edge” through ghost narratives, self-contradictions, blank maps, and intertwined plots, making readers oscillate between belief and doubt. This study, through close textual reading and cross-referencing of historical materials, systematically analyzes his representative works and argues that Ma Jia’s bidirectional narrative strategy of “revealing the false within the true and the true within the false” dismantles the barrier between fiction and reality, shifting the narrative anchor from “event truth” to “human authenticity.” From four dimensions—the narrator’s identity, internal focalization, the blend of historical fact and fantasy, and the creation of suspenseful gaps—the paper reveals how this “real-and-unreal” aesthetic offers a new paradigm for contemporary espionage fiction.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fangfang Wang (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Guichu is an avant-garde art form born from popular culture, constituting an edge cultural phenomenon on the ontological level. As a product of postmodern culture, Guichu emerges incidentally amidst semantic confusion. In terms of artistic creation, Guichu’s technical-artistic features challenge established art norms through discomfort and playful subversion. In artistic presentation, Guichu embodies the non-central aesthetics of postmodern art. As a transformed contemporary popular art form, Guichu typifies the ruins-relics characteristic of postmodern art.
Copyright (c) 2025 Congcong Bi (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Urban Planning and Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Directions
The rapid pace of global urbanization demands urgent scholarly attention to balance urban growth with ecological preservation, social equity, and economic resilience. This systematic review synthesizes contemporary research on sustainable urban development through five critical lenses: (1) small-city urbanization and subjective well-being metrics, (2) adaptive reuse of waterfront public spaces, (3) strategies for regenerating resource-depleted cities, (4) the role of cultural infrastructure in rural revitalization, and (5) the integration of ecological security patterns. By critically examining 32 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2024), this paper identifies three emerging paradigms in sustainability scholarship: the shift from growth-centric to well-being-oriented urban metrics, the spatial application of circular economy principles, and the rise of trans-scalar governance frameworks. The review concludes by proposing a research agenda emphasizing digital participatory planning, nature-based solutions, and metabolic urbanism approaches to address persistent gaps in translating theory into practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Colin Howard (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Chinese Diplomatic Political Language: Conceptual Dimensions, Historical Evolution, and Diplomatic Art
This paper delves into the multifaceted nature of Chinese diplomatic political language, examining its conceptual delineation, historical evolution, and the distinctive artistry with which Chinese diplomats employ it. We explore the varying interpretations of diplomatic political language, from its role as a necessary tool for communication between nations to its embodiment of the art of diplomacy, and its function as a mode of communication that can be both form and substance. Through case studies and historical analysis, we demonstrate how Chinese diplomats' adept use of language contributes to the protection of national interests and the advancement of diplomatic objectives, showcasing the unique wisdom and charm of Chinese diplomacy.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anastasiya Shcharbinina (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Exploring the Nexus Between Market Transparency, Information Sharing, and Service Consumption in China: A Theoretical Inquiry
Advancing the high-quality development of service consumption is a fundamental strategy for the Chinese government to expand domestic demand, promote employment, and stabilize economic growth. This paper, after systematically reviewing the impact of market transparency, information sharing, and the level of service consumption in the Chinese market, proposes two theoretical hypotheses. These hypotheses are then empirically tested using panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2022. The study finds that market transparency not only directly enhances the level of service consumption but also indirectly promotes it through the facilitation of information sharing. Consequently, the Chinese government should foster a more transparent market transaction environment, strengthen the construction of information infrastructure, encourage high-level openness in the service sector, and support the development of new scenarios and new business forms in service consumption, to further unleash the potential of service consumption.
Copyright (c) 2025 Liang Zhao, Chaoran Hu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Non-Actional Politics and Religion: On the Possibility of a New Political and Religious Relationship
Freedom, equality and justice are core categories of mutual conditions in the construction of contemporary political and religious orders. Different understanding and application of the three directly lead to conflicts between countries and religions. “non-action” integrates these basic ideas in a weakly regulated way, bringing the order foundation of politics and religion into a state of harmony, and giving politics and religion non-actional characteristics by analogy. Specifically, the non-actional politics and religion are freedom, which also are spontaneous order, inclusive and virtuous. Therefore, it creates the openness, pluralism and mutual communication of contemporary politics and religion, and makes people and gods systematically related to this world. As a result, the non-actional politics and religion establish a political and religious order based on sacredness, which has freedom, equality and relative justice.
Causes of the Religious Revival in Post-Cultural Revolution China
In the studies conducted by overseas scholars on the religious situation in mainland China and the Chinese Communist Party’s religious policies in the post-Cultural Revolution era, a phenomenon that has frequently drawn attention is “religious revival”. In many of these studies, two factors are often identified as the primary causes of this revival: the lingering effects of religious policies during the Cultural Revolution and the direct influence of religious policies during the Reform and Opening-up period. In reality, the “religious revival” after the Cultural Revolution has a political-economic internal cause, aside from the external factor of changes in political environment. This internal cause is related to the inherent nature of religion itself. This article argues that this internal cause is the logical driving force behind the sudden “religious revival” in the post-Cultural Revolution era.
Copyright (c) 2025 Xiaodong Zeng (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Harmony of Heaven, Earth and Human: An Aesthetic Anthropological Analysis of the Guqin’s Timbres
This article explores the three tonal qualities, open string tones, stopped string tones, and harmonics, in traditional Chinese Guqin music from the perspective of aesthetic anthropology, examining their multifaceted connotations in terms of instruments, the body, and culture. First, it elucidates the complexity of music as a form of human behavior, transcending the traditional framework of classical musicology by viewing musical practice as a cultural act. Second, it provides an in-depth analysis of the three tonal qualities in guqin performance, delving into the intricate relationships between playing techniques, hand gestures, and aesthetic philosophy. It highlights how the coordination of the right hand plucking the strings and the left hand pressing the strings produces distinct aesthetic effects in terms of volume, pitch range, and timbre, reflecting the individuality, cultural background, and habits of the performer. Finally, the article explores the harmony of sound and its connection to the harmony of heaven, earth, and humanity, shedding light on the spiritual significance of qin practice as a path of cultivation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Man Ding (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Taoist Connotation of Guan Hexagram in Zhou Yi
Guan Hexagram is the twentieth of the sixty-four hexagrams in Zhou Yi. The hexagram describes the rituals of sacrificial activities, and the line describes the "watching" behavior in different states. "The wind spreads on the earth, and the ancient kings observe the people and set up teachings" is its original connotation. In the Taoist discourse system, the concept of Guan has been fully developed, and it has multiple meanings. Extending from the literal semantics of "watching", Guan runs through Taoist architecture, Taoist philosophical thoughts, and Taoist cultivation methods. In this sense, the word Guan can be regarded as one of the cores of the Taoist ideological system, which mediates and concretizes the relationship between man and God.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yan Lu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Adhering to the Principles and Absorbing: An Analysis of the Reception of “New Confucianism” in Modern Chinese Poetry
Since the early 20th century, the traditional philosophical ethics and poetic structure of China have been subject to the long-term infiltration and strong intervention of foreign cultural systems. The trend of Western learning spreading to the East has driven the Confucian thought of the classical era to face and accept a large amount of modern social logic and ideological consciousness from Europe and America, and has directly led to the disintegration or transformation of Chinese classical poetry. The New Culture Movement opened the prelude to a century of new poetry. After going through multiple historical stages such as the War of Resistance, revolution, and reform, Chinese culture has almost completed its connection and even extension with world trends. Between the " New Confucianism " that inherits and develops and the "Modern Poetics" that explores intensely, there is a close and complex relationship similar to that between old Confucianism and old poetics, while also achieving transcendence and transformation. Deconstructing and studying this issue may be conducive to enriching and interpreting the value map of contemporary literature and cultural thought.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gao Ruo-Dong (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Building the “Academic Journal of China Studies” as the Inner Strength to Uphold Open Thinking and Academic Inclusiveness
This article is a speech given by Prof. Wang Liang (1956-2022.11.12), Director of the Shanghai Institute of Circulation Economics, at an internal meeting in 2018, with modifications. In today’s era of globalization and information technology, the depth and breadth of academic research have become important indicators of a country’s cultural soft power and innovation capacity. China, as an increasingly important player on the world stage, faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges for development. How to maintain open thinking and academic inclusiveness in a complex and ever-changing international environment is a pressing issue we must address in this era. The construction of the “Academic Journal of China Studies” is a key measure to seize this historic opportunity and promote academic prosperity. It should also become the inner strength to uphold open thinking and academic inclusiveness.
Copyright (c) 2025 Liang Wang (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0