ISSN 2959-6122 (Print) ISSN 2960-1304 (Online) Editor-in-chief: Murtaza Hussain （Xi'an Jiaotong University） Associate Editor: Zulqarnain Mushtaq （MIT-Global Scale） Editorial Board Members: Muhammad Idrees （Govt. College University Faisalabad） Wei He （Xi'an Jiaotong University） Welcome to the Journal of Arts, Culture and Language (JACL), a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to the exploration and celebration of human expression. In a world that is increasingly interconnected, understanding the nuances of how we communicate, create, and coexist is more vital than ever. JACL serves as a bridge between traditional scholarship and contemporary practice, providing a space where the global community can engage with the diverse tapestry of human heritage. The journal is designed to be an accessible yet rigorous resource for college students, musicians, artists, and linguists. We aim to foster a cross-pollination of ideas, where the rhythm of a musical composition is studied with the same depth as the syntax of a rare dialect or the historical significance of a folk art movement. What We Publish JACL features original research, critical essays, and peer-reviewed articles that span the globe. Our scope includes, but is not limited to: Visual & Performing Arts: From classical traditions to modern digital media and ethnomusicology. Cultural Studies: Examinations of multiculturalism, identity, and the preservation of indigenous heritage. Linguistics & Philology: Research into language evolution, sociolinguistics, and the role of translation in a globalized society. Interdisciplinary Works: Studies that explore the intersection of art and language, or how culture shapes linguistic expression. A Community of Scholars and Creators As a peer-reviewed publication, JACL ensures that every article meets a standard of academic integrity while remaining readable and relevant to practitioners in the field. Whether you are a student embarking on your first research project or a professional artist looking to ground your work in historical context, this journal offers a window into the vibrant world of global creativity. "To speak a language is to take on a world, a culture." — Frantz Fanon We invite you to join us in this ongoing dialogue as we document the ever-evolving landscape of arts, culture, and language. All articles will be submitted to: Google Scholar, Crossref, U.S. Librarian Database, ProQuest(part of Clarivate’s Web of Science), Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, SEMANTIC SCHOLAR, OpenAlex.
Who Gets Remembered? The Forgotten Women of Republican Chinese Art
This essay examines why many women artists who actively participated in the development of modern Chinese art during the Republican period (1915–1949) have largely disappeared from historical memory. Rather than attributing their marginalization to a lack of talent or artistic achievement, it argues that the institutional formation of modern Chinese art played a decisive role in shaping historical recognition. Although women studied in leading academies, exhibited nationally and internationally, taught in universities, and contributed to the emergence of modern artistic practices, their careers unfolded within institutions that privileged male authority and professional networks. Through the cases of Pan Yuliang, Fang Junbi, Guan Zilan, and other Republican women artists, the essay demonstrates how museums, exhibitions, critics, publishers, and educational institutions collectively determined whose work entered the artistic canon. It further argues that historical exclusion resulted not from a single act of discrimination but from the cumulative effects of countless institutional decisions regarding collecting, publishing, teaching, and preservation. While recent scholarship has begun to recover these overlooked artists, the essay contends that genuine historical revision requires more than adding women back into existing narratives. Instead, it calls for a critical reexamination of the processes of canon formation and the institutional structures that shape cultural memory. Ultimately, the essay argues that recovering Republican women artists not only restores neglected individuals to history but also fundamentally reshapes our understanding of modern Chinese art.
Copyright (c) 2026 Arts, Culture and Language
Can a Change of Place Change the Way Artists Create?
This essay examines how changes in place influence artistic creativity by arguing that relocation does more than provide new subject matter; it reshapes the conditions through which artistic perception and creative thinking develop. Drawing on theories of place, including Relph’s concept of place and Tuan’s notion of topophilia, the essay explores how environments function as active participants in the creative process rather than passive settings. Historical case studies of Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Paul Gauguin demonstrate how relocation transformed artistic techniques, visual language, and conceptual approaches. The discussion further considers contemporary artist residency programs as institutionalized forms of creative relocation, highlighting their role in fostering cultural exchange, cognitive flexibility, and reflective practice. At the same time, the essay acknowledges the limitations of environmental determinism by examining artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, whose work demonstrates that profound artistic achievement can also emerge through sustained engagement with a single place. Ultimately, the essay argues that while changing place can stimulate creativity by altering perception and encouraging new ways of seeing, artistic excellence depends on the dynamic relationship between the individual and the environment rather than geographical movement alone.
Contemplation in Absurdity: On the Narrative Characteristics of The Master and Margarita
In The Master and Margarita, a classic Russian magical realist novel, three major narrative lines spanning time and space constitute the most prominent structural features of its narrative framework [1]. However, beyond the connection and embedding of these three lines, the primary narrative level, as the core linking chapter contents, possesses immense literary structural value and significance in its internal structure. The other two lines are connected and interwoven on this basis [2]. The author delicately endows each chapter with the novel’s writing intent and core, taking chapters of the primary narrative level as units of narrative clues, embedding philosophy and thought in seemingly absurd plots, and enriching the depth of the work. In addition to the explicit lines, the author develops an independent implicit line around the theme of "divinity", through which he conveys his reflections on God and truth, which is also worthy of indepth exploration. By stringing together relevant objects and contents, Bulgakov’s contemplation can be studied from another perspective.
Authorship construction and identity negotiation: A case study of Chinese Hiphop singer GAI
Hip-hop culture, as one of the most popular youth cultures around the world, has followed a distinct developmental trajectory within China. Due to the conditioned incorporation, authorship construction and identity negotiation of hip-hop singers became a serious topic among scholars. As a highly representative hip-hop singer in China, GAI has gone through a complex career development. When he was underground, his revolt style was controversial amoung the public; after winning the championship of The Rap of China, his transition to China Chic and Jianghu Flow gains even more controversies about the “keep it real” hip-hop tradition; when he was further incorporated by mainstream, not only his authorship but also his construction of identity became more obscure. This article conducted a case study of GAI by searching comments of his fans and audiences and the interview of himself. Using textual analysis and critical discourse analysis, this article analyzed GAI’s famous works and the key comments and interviews. This study argues that the authorship of Chinese hip-hop singers is the outcome of the continuous construction and encoding by multiple power structures. The identity of Chinese hip-hop singers is being constantly constructed through media platforms, cultural governance, and audiences.
Pragmatic Function Analysis of the Negative Construction "You Bu Shi" (Again Not)
In modern Chinese, the collocation of the adverb "you( 又)" (again) and the negative phrase "bu shi( 不 是)" (not) forms the construction "you bu shi( 又不 是)", which retains the basic meaning of negative structures and develops rich pragmatic expressions in oral communication. It serves as a typical example for studying the interaction between semantics and pragmatics. By reviewing existing research, scholars have mainly focused on the intensifying effect of "you" on negative mood, while lacking a systematic and in depth analysis of special pragmatic functions such as defense and irony of "you bu shi", leaving a research gap. Therefore, this paper investigates and analyzes the pragmatic functions of the negative construction "you bu shi".
An Asylum Culture’s Heart: Two Sides of Otaku
Otaku were once the subject of contempt in the 1980s in Japan. However, societal turmoil in the 1990s drove deluded adults into the otaku culture, forming the core of avoidance, indulgence, and fear of reality that lasted until now, and otaku culture became the asylum placed between reality and virtuality. From the beginning, the purpose of the culture is to let otakus return to the reality, whose famous exemplification is Evangelion. Defined backward, anime culture refers to the consumptive side of otaku culture that originated from Evangelion, which offers a stimulation on otakus that drives them into field of creation. The “anime” referred here, therefore, can even include doujin works. Doujin culture, on the other hand, is where those. With the case study of Rayson, a musician, this essay demonstrates how doujin creators are able to walk out of their distress. However, just like any other cure, it may not be effective to every people and may have some side effects that is not yet fully understood, but one should not ignore that doujin is a prominent phenomenon where people are rescuing themselves (or being rescued) using creativity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Arts, Culture and Language
A Study of Development Strategies for Suspense Movies Remakes
Nowadays, suspense movies are becoming more and more popular among the audience. This paper primarily focuses on examining the strategies for adapting suspense movies in Chinese cultural contexts. The process of remaking suspense films involves intricate choices that respect the original work’s atmosphere while catering to the cultural preferences of a new audience. Since the successful adaptation of suspense films requires a deep understanding of both the source material and the local culture, it’s necessary to analyze the important elements suspense movie remakes need to include and combine them with real examples. Through detailed investigations, this study identifies that a suspense film remake’s success is often closely linked with its cultural adaptation efforts. The research findings underscore the importance of integrating local cultural elements, such as location choices and character development, to enhance audience engagement and preserve the story’s suspenseful essence. This study highlights the creative and immersive nature of suspense film adaptations. The insights gained from this research can provide valuable guidance for filmmakers and producers, helping them make informed decisions to support the growth of both the suspense film remake industry and cross-cultural storytelling. Overall, this study emphasizes various existing articles and examples and extracts the key factors out of these examples.
Celeste Ng in Conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston: Intergenerational Trauma and the Asian American Experience in Everything I Never Told You.
This paper delves into the representation of intergenerational trauma within Asian American literature, focusing on Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You, Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior, and the critiques by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Ng’s work is analyzed for its nuanced portrayal of trauma as an intrinsic part of the Asian American experience, distinguishing it from earlier works that, as Nguyen argues, tend to conform to the “model minority” stereotype. The paper examines Ng’s sensitive unpacking of trauma, particularly its non-punctual, systemic nature, and its intergenerational transmission, especially in parent-child relationships. Additionally, it contrasts Ng’s approach with Kingston’s, exploring how trauma in The Woman Warrior is masked by cultural reinterpretation and the desire to please dominant Western narratives. By employing the theories of Cathy Caruth, Naomi Mandel, and Greg Forter, the essay argues that Ng repositions trauma as a core theme in Asian American literature, filling a significant gap left by previous works and redefining the narrative of Asian American identity and heritage.
Reverse Transfer in Chinese Adolescents: Implications for Language and Cultural Identity Preservation
This literature review examines the phenomenon of reverse transfer (RT) among Chinese adolescents, focusing on its implications for the preservation of their mother tongue and cultural identity. Reverse transfer, a subtype of crosslinguistic influence (CLI), occurs when a later-acquired language affects an earlier one, challenging the traditional view of language learning as unidirectional. The study of RT is particularly pertinent for Chinese adolescents, who are often exposed to multiple languages due to globalization and educational policies, potentially impacting their linguistic and cultural heritage. This article employs the method of a formal literature review. The review synthesizes recent research on RT among Chinese adolescents, with a focus on how additional languages, particularly English, influence their Mandarin proficiency. Findings suggest English has had a significant impact on the mother tongue of Chinese adolescents. Moreover, RT’s impact extends to cultural identity, with some adolescents navigating multicultural spaces effectively, while others experience cultural dissonance, suggesting RT’s role in shaping cultural self-perception and connections to Chinese heritage. The paper underscores the complexity of RT’s effects on language and cultural identity, highlighting the need for educational practices that support multilingual development without compromising the mother tongue. It concludes with a call for longitudinal studies to explore the long-term effects of RT on language and cultural identity among Chinese adolescents, aiming to inform language education and cultural preservation policies.
Divided Deterrence: The Philosophical Community’s Response to Nuclear Warfare in 1980s
This paper investigates the varied reaction of the Western analytic philosophical community to the ethical quandaries created by nuclear deterrence throughout the Cold War era, notably in the 1980s. It covers the important disputes during the 1984 Aspen Institute Conference, with an emphasis on philosophical differences between Jan Narveson and Jeff McMahan. The study also addresses Leslie Stevenson’s nuanced stance, which was delivered outside the meeting. By evaluating these philosophical conversations, the article emphasizes the larger ethical issues of nuclear weapons and the importance of serious moral deliberation in dealing with global dangers. A historical assessment of these disputes illustrates the constant difficulties in reaching an agreement on the ethical use of nuclear deterrence, acting as a reminder of the continued need for philosophical direction in contemporary global issues.
A Comparative Analysis of Dance Movement Therapy Education Policy and Practice: A Case Study of the United Kingdom and Australia
This study compares the role of art therapy in addressing mental health challenges and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United Kingdom, Australia, and China. It highlights the growing importance of art therapy in educational curricula, emphasizing its role in equipping adolescents with essential tools to navigate societal demands and reduce mental health risks. The study contrasts the status of dance therapy in these nations and aims to provide insights for improving the integration of art therapy into China’s education system.
The Impact of Foster Care on Child Development: The Role of Sibling Separation
This paper explores the impact of sibling relationships on children’s development within the foster care system, focusing particularly on how sibling separation affects children of different ages emotionally, cognitively, and socially. To address this, the study synthesizes existing literature and theoretical models by combining the developmental stages of children with the role of siblings in child development. Findings reveal that sibling separation at different ages leads to distinct developmental challenges: infants experience severe disruptions in attachment and emotional regulation, middle childhood separations hinder cognitive and social skills development, and adolescent separations result in long-term relational and identity challenges. Previous research underscores the importance of maintaining sibling bonds in foster care, highlighting that these relationships can provide crucial emotional support and stability, mitigating the adverse effects of family disruptions. This study emphasizes the necessity for age-appropriate actions and support services in foster care to minimize the detrimental impacts of sibling separation and promote healthy development. Additionally, it calls for further longitudinal studies to track the developmental trajectories of children separated from their siblings and consider variables such as age differences between siblings and the dynamics of step-sibling relationships. This comprehensive understanding is essential for informing policies and practices that enhance the well-being of children in foster care.
“Bogus claim of jurisdiction” - Congressional opposition to the ICC in the 2000s
Despite helping develop the Rome Statute, when it came to signing the International Criminal Court (ICC), America stepped out. They argued that their forces were a major power in peacekeeping, and claimed to fear the indictment of their own servicemen. But was this really the case? By analyzing a meeting record between the Congress of Foreign Relations, this paper seeks to find the congressional opinion as to why they didn’t sign the ICC. In taking into account both conservative and democratic views, the meeting records reveal that America refused to sign the ICC because they believed the Court was unreliable and lacked civil rights, as opposed to fear of indictment.
Chinese Art’s Influence on Roger Fry’s Aesthetics Formalism
Roger Fry was one of the greatest art critics of the 20th century, who promoted the rise and development of the Western modern art movement and constructed a set of modern aesthetics formalism and art criticism theories, exerting a huge influence on modern art. Despite the formation of Fry’s aesthetics formalism cannot be separated from the background of the transformation of Western cultural traditions, the influx of Chinese art into the West at that time also had an impact on Fry’s aesthetics formalism. Fry extracted and reinterpreted from Chinese art, forming a distinctive formalist aesthetic theory. In Fry’s various works, the influence of Chinese classical aesthetics can be seen, such as blank space, rhythm, and emotional expression. The research will explore the correlation between Roger Fry’s aesthetic formalism theory and Chinese art. The study will analyze how Chinese art was introduced into the West and how Roger Fry was influenced by Chinese art. It will focus some particular elements like rhythm and blank space, explore how Fry reinterpreted them and applied to modern art criticism theory, using his work “Cézanne: A Study of His Development” as an example.
How did female members of the Ku Klux Klan think about gender in the United States?
This paper focuses on the members’ perspective toward gender issues inside the Women’s KKK party, mainly about their attitude toward gender equality. This paper will analyze two secondary and two primary sources to join the debate of whether women in the KKK want to be empowered or stay traditional. The analysis of the primary sources interrupts this debate by stating women in the KKK believe there is no distinction between the two sexes. The idea of doing this specific research is to show that women are fighting for equality and rights in different kinds of conditions, including in extremist groups.
How does the rights of homosexuals be influenced by sodomy laws in the 1960s and 1970s
The paper examines the fight for homosexual rights in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on the significance of the abolition of sodomy laws and their impact on gay individuals. It highlights the cultural and legal context of the era, including the infamous Stonewall Riots of 1969, which sparked widespread activism. The essay delves into notable legal battles, such as Buchanan v. Batchelor, showcasing the efforts to challenge and repeal sodomy laws. Despite initial setbacks, these legal challenges laid the groundwork for future advancements in LGBTQ+ rights by establishing privacy rights as a constitutional issue. The period was crucial in setting the stage for further progress and the eventual dismantling of discriminatory laws against homosexuals.
Role of Economic Rights in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action: What is missing in the discussion
This paper examines the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA), adopted in 1993, as a pivotal document in the post-Cold War era that aimed to consolidate and reaffirm universal human rights principles. While the VDPA successfully highlighted the rights of marginalized groups such as women, children, indigenous people, and those with disabilities, it notably falls short in addressing economic rights. The paper argues that the VDPA’s lack of clear guidance on economic rights is a significant omission, especially given the economic upheavals of the 1990s, including high unemployment and the transition to market economies. Through an analysis of primary and secondary sources, the paper reveals that the VDPA’s failure to include detailed provisions for economic rights leaves a critical gap in the protection of individuals’ right to economic participation and well-being. The conclusion calls for a reorganization of human rights frameworks to include economic rights as essential for the realization of human dignity and equality.
Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action
The distinctions between Chinese and Western literature
In today’s globalization, the communication between Chinese and western literature is becoming more and more frequent, and the influence between them is also deepening. However, although mixed in some aspects, Chinese and Western literature still maintains its own characteristics and charm. Through the discussion of the differences between Chinese and Western literature, we can better understand the diversity of different cultures, promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, and enrich the spiritual world of human beings. This paper discusses the differences between Chinese and Western literature in various aspects, including communication mode, communication medium, development time, cycle, content and core ideas. Through the combination of historical events and objective development laws, this paper explores the influence of literature on economic and political development. This paper discusses in detail the relationship between literature and national and social development and how various social factors affect literature development, both of which restrict each other and cooperate with each other.
Liberalism and Confucianism: Differences and similarities between the two educational models
In order to study the situation of education under different educational models, this article focuses on analysing the similarities and differences between the two different ideas in pedagogy (Confucianism and Liberalism), as well as the controversies encountered by the countries where they are practiced. In view of today’s research focusing on a single education model, and few studies systematically comparing the two education models, this article aims to analyze the development, characteristics, advantages and controversies of liberalism and Confucianism in education in the form of literature review. Moreover, it elaborates the differences between the two educational philosophies from the perspective of higher education for their pros and cons, and compare their similarities and differences from the perspective of educational goals. This article focuses on analyzing the literature review of the influence of different ideas in education in the past 10 years, as well as the views of the different parties involved. Ultimately, it was found that liberalism emphasises individual freedom, independent thinking and self-realisation, and that the aim of education is to cultivate independent individuals who are able to freely choose and pursue their own goals in life, with an emphasis on individual progress and personal achievement, a diversity of evaluation criteria, and a focus on creativity and independence (Thompson, 2017& Mautner, 2018); whereas Confucianism emphasises the cultivation of morality, social responsibility and harmony, and that the aim of education is to cultivate ethical and responsible social members and to promote harmony in the family, society and the State emphasises moral cultivation and social contribution, with evaluation criteria focusing on moral performance and contribution to society (Yao, 1999 & Tan, 2017).
Affective Filter Hypothesis and Second Language acquisition: A study on anxiety levels in the dictation part of TEM-4
The Affective Filter Hypothesis is a cornerstone of second language acquisition (SLA) theory. This hypothesis explores the influence of emotional factors on language learning, particularly the role of emotional states such as anxiety, motivation, and self-confidence in the process of language input. This work investigates the applicability of the Affective Filter Hypothesis in the context of the Dictation section of the Test for English Majors, Band 4 (TEM-4). To explore the impact of emotional factors, especially anxiety levels, on performance in the Dictation section of the TEM-4, a mixed-methods approach was employed in this paper. Participants underwent an anxiety level test and a simulated dictation test to establish baseline data. The results indicated that the overall performance trend of the low-anxiety group was higher than that of the high-anxiety group. This outcome suggests that learners with low anxiety level performed better in TEM-4 dictation than learners with high anxiety level.
Traditional Genes and Modern Translation: A Comparative Study of Innovative Practices in Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Context of the “Double Helix Model”
This paper aims to explore modern approaches to “revitalizing” intangible cultural heritage. Starting from the reflections triggered by watching the anime “Demon Slayer,” the study notes that Japan has successfully transformed its traditional culture into global trends, while the dissemination of China’s intangible cultural heritage faces significant challenges. To address this issue, the paper proposes a “Cultural Revitalization Double Helix Model,” which suggests that the modernization of intangible cultural heritage requires the interweaving and synergistic interaction of “traditional genes” and “modern expressions.” By comparing Issey Miyake’s “philosophical breakthrough” innovations, Bosideng’s approaches to refining craftsmanship, and Chanel’s use of symbolic elements, the study reveals hierarchical differences in the innovation of intangible cultural heritage. Ultimately, it proposes systematic strategies across four dimensions—narrative, design, experience, and industry—aimed at helping China’s intangible cultural heritage find a path for transformation that is rooted in tradition while integrating into contemporary life.
The Operating System of Civilization: Primitive Codes in Dance, Pottery, and Architecture
This paper explores the encoding of deep structures within human civilization, proposing dance, pottery, and architecture as three primordial “hardwares” that carry and execute its core logic. It argues that the Chinese, Indian, and Greco-Western civilizational systems respectively developed the core programs of Integration, Connection, and Rationality. These programs are not abstract concepts but are materially embodied in bodily rituals, solidified symbols, and spatial order. Anchoring the analysis in realworld observations from cultural reports such as The New York Times, this paper examines specific cases including the Chinese dance drama Confucius, Indian Odissi dance, and the Greek Parthenon. It demonstrates how the genes of civilization are expressed, stored, and asserted as power through these vessels. Ultimately, it concludes that understanding these ancient operating systems is not for worshipping the past, but for gaining the agency to edit the future and rewrite civilizational code for a more inclusive age.
Uncovering the Story of Chaoxianzu Resilience: the Korean Minority in China under Mao
A researcher studying the first Korean immigrants to China in the 1800s might have reasonably concluded that the immigrants would not survive for long. Immigrant cultures were often assimilated into the dominant Han Chinese majority, or even completely destroyed. Many earlier Korean immigrants faced the same fate, getting absorbed into larger ethnic groups in North China. However, the Korean immigrants defied this cycle and became an outstanding example of resilience, adapting and surviving the changing political environment of Mao’s China (1949-1976). Moreover, there are 55 minority ethnicities in China, most of which have peaceful relations with the Han majority and the government. Yet Mao singled out the Korean immigrants as the state’s model for all other minority groups—a model minority. This raises the question: what made the Korean Chinese population so special? There are varying names for this minority: some sources refer to the group simply as “Korean Chinese,” yet others refer to the community as the “Chaoxianzu,” or “Joseonjok.” Despite the romanization differences between the Chinese (Chaoxianzu) and Korean (Joseonjok) terms, both phrases signify “the People of Joseon,” distinctly identifying the origins of these people as Ancient Korea. This essay will refer to the community as the Chaoxianzu to celebrate their impressive resilience in adapting to their surroundings while maintaining their rich Korean culture to survive the changing political climate of China.
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture (YKAP)
A Comparative Study of the I-novel and Personalized Writing from the Perspective of Female Body Narrative: Centering on Private Life and Futon
In recent years, female body narrative has emerged as a significant critical perspective for examining the relationship between gender and literary expression. Both personalized writing in Chinese literature and the Japanese I-novel emphasize realism and the depiction of individual inner experience, making them particularly suitable for comparative research on representations of the female body. This paper focuses on Private Life by Chen Ran and Futon by Tayama Katai, conducting a comparative textual analysis from the perspective of female body narrative. By examining narrative perspective, modes of bodily representation, and their cultural implications, this study explores both the divergences and convergences between personalized writing and the I-novel. The analysis demonstrates that personalized writing enables women to articulate bodily experience directly through first-person narration, foregrounding a critical awareness of patriarchal structures. In contrast, within the I-novel, the female body primarily functions as a symbolic projection of the male narrator’s inner world. This study aims to contribute a new comparative perspective to research on female body narratives in Chinese and Japanese literature.
What is Wrong with Conforming to Social Norms? A Sartrean perspective
This paper examines Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist critique of social conformity, Sartre’s critique reveals the cost of societal conformity: it exchanges our most precious freedom and the possibility of authentic selfcreation for fleeting comfort and a sense of belonging. This philosophical analysis invites us to examine moments of “self-deception” in our daily lives and encourages us to courageously exercise our freedom, shaping a unique life through sincere choices.The paper engages with recent scholarship, including Anderson’s work on Sartre’s two ethics and contemporary applications to digital identity performance. Through examination of Sartre’s waiter example and the concept of “the look,” the analysis reveals how social conformity operates through both external enforcement and internalized objectification. The paper addresses key objections, distinguishing between necessary social coordination and rigid conformity, while clarifying how Sartre’s later ethics incorporates collective responsibility alongside individual authenticity. Ultimately, the paper argues that authentic existence requires critical reflection on inherited social patterns and the courage to resist norms that limit human flourishing, demonstrating increasing relevance for contemporary challenges including digital alienation and systemic inequality.
Writing Man as Woman-The Gender Construction of You Ruilang in A Male Mencius’s Mother
A Male Mencius’s Mother is a Storytelling Script Fiction written by Li Yu, who is a dramatist and novelist in the Qing Dynasty,and it is included in the Silent Operas. The fiction mainly tells the romantic relationship between You Ruilang and Xu Jifang, alongside You Ruilang’s nurturing of Xu Chengxian akin to a mother figure.You Ruilang emerges as a distinctive character characterized by a blend of male biological sex and pronounced female social and biological traits within the text.While existing analyses predominantly concentrate on character depiction and plot progression, overlooking the structural elements of the Storytelling Script Fiction and the author’s narrative influence.This paper examines Li Yu’s gender construction of You Ruilang through narrative intervention, story structure, and textual content, highlighting how Li Yu crafts this character akin to his female characters.
Research on Packaging Design and Brand Visual Strategy of Cultural and Creative Products: A Case Study of the Palace Museum’s Cultural and Creative Products
Against the backdrop of the rapid development of the cultural and creative industry, this study focuses on the interactive relationship between the packaging design of cultural and creative products and brand strategies. Taking the Palace Museum’s cultural and creative products as a case study, it analyzes the connection between packaging design and brand visual strategy, revealing their mutual influence. Besides, this study mainly relies on the official website of the Palace Museum and relevant literature to analyze the specific manifestations of its design practices and brand development. The results demonstrate that, in order to further enhance the artistic expression and cultural content of packaging design for cultural and creative products, and to establish a personalized brand visual identity, accurate brand positioning must be carried out first. Based on this, relevant design elements should be gathered, with a focus on visual value, to endow the brand with artistic independence, achieving effective brand communication and independent visual extension. Moreover, continuous management and innovation of design imagery should be fully implemented to ensure sustained, theme-based output.
A Comparative Analysis of Tragic Prototypes in Chinese and Western Disaster Myths: Taking Gun’s Efforts in Flood Control and Prometheus’ Act of Stealing Fire as Examples
In ancient times, prior to the establishment of written records, early civilizations often relied on oral narratives to cope with frequent yet inexplicable natural disasters. The resulting disaster myths underwent continuous evolution yet eventually crystallized through intergenerational transmission and evolved into a distinct form of collective identity endowed with unique ethnic traits. This paper focuses on the types of natural disasters in mythological narratives, selecting two classic mythological tragedies—Gun’s attempt to tame the floods and Prometheus’ theft of fire—with the aim of comparing the differences between Chinese and Western myths through dimensions such as mythological settings, central figures, and underlying logic, and thereby exploring how national myths articulate distinctive cultural features. By comparing the typical cases of disaster deepening tragedies in China and the West, it can not only help us gain insight into the profound differences between different cultures, but also provide a feasible approach for modern people to solve the problem of disaster response, and even play an important role in the process of continuing the collective memory and cultural genes of the nation.
This essay explores Jean-Paul Sartre’s idea of radical freedom and the criticism that his philosophy places too heavy a weight of responsibility on human beings. Starting with Sartre’s contention that existence precedes essence, it considers how his ontology of freedom insists on radical self-determining in a universe without divine or natural assurances. But critics say this requirement makes life unbearably solitary and morally absolutist. The essay rereads the accusation of bad faith through Sartre’s model for it and argues that its protest responsibility is a masked form of refusal to confront one’s freedom. It goes on to examine the modifications brought by Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of situated freedom and Sartre’s own subsequent formulation in Critique of Dialectical Reason, which conceives freedom within historical and social totalities. Finally, the essay maintains that the “burden” of responsibility is not an ethical excess or a failure of abstraction, but constitutive of human existence as such: an ontological necessity enabling both authenticity and dignity and moral creativity.
The Sociocultural Influence of British and American Accents on English Teaching in China: Identity Formation and Teaching Implications
In China, English is the principal foreign language for studying, working, and communicating abroad. In this context, both British and American accents have become symbols of language and culture, influencing learners and teachers’ understanding of English. Based on a review of literature and educational practices, this study explores the historical development and social functions of Standard Pronunciation (RP) and General English (GA) in the United States, as well as their impact on the construction of learner identity in Chinese English education. The results show that RP is typically seen as prestige and authority, whereas GA is associated with accessibility and practicality. Learners show their tendency through accent choice. But in some classes, exam-oriented teaching, inconsistent teacher’s accent, and bias against different accents hinder education. In response, this study proposes pedagogical approaches that value accent diversity, prioritize intelligibility, and support identity development. By analyzing accents, authentic interaction, and intercultural exchanges, students can develop linguistic adaptability and intercultural competence and at the same time reinforce their cultural identity and sense of belonging.