From kang (炕) to kongtiao (空调): China’s Twentieth Century Cooling

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 194-211
Author(s):  
Emily Williams

Abstract This essay suggests an alternative strategy for thinking about changes in Chinese society in recent decades, using not economic data or theories of development, but the metaphor of temperature. It argues that the cultural imperative in China has, in recent decades, switched from that of keeping warm to that of keeping cool. This change is made tangible through two key objects: the kang (炕), the northern Chinese heated bed, and the kongtiao (空调), the air conditioner. The antiquity of the kang is explored as an object that is key to the development of Chinese civilization in the inhospitable northern climes. Moving between physical and metaphorical ideas of heat, the essay argues that throughout much of the twentieth-century, heating remained the main focus. Twentieth-century revolutions and mass campaigns under Mao Zedong were undeniably ‘hot,’ aiming to stoke the fire of revolution and radical social change. Under the reforms following Mao’s death, however, politics ‘cooled off:’ the political system crystalized and the frenzy of mass campaigns cooled down. This was accompanied by social changes, including what can be called the rise of individual cool, defined by ironic detachment, hedonism and narcissism. The new cool society and cool persona find their architectural accompaniment in the kongtiao, the air conditioner, which has become a must for urban living, even in north China. The kongtiao is presented as an ultimately unsocial device, a machine with intensive energy requirements that dumps heat into communal spaces in the effort to preserve individual comfort.

Author(s):  
Budi Kurniadi

This research paper was aims to explore the dimensions of the political development that are closely related to the existence of a political system that is confronted with progressive social and political changes. Democracy as the pillar of the implementation of constitutional government is a form of political development idealism which in its implementation moves dynamically and synergizes with the prevailing political system. As one manifestation of democratic implementation, political institutionalization is the most important part in the implementation of democratic governance. The role of political parties in all countries including in Indonesia, in the plain view, coloring the political dynamics of the government. Understanding political development certainly will not be separated from the social transformation, because social changes that was occur in society also move rapidly, but on the other hand the reality of public political education is not in line with the political changes that occur due to the swift external factors including the development of foreign politics. In this critical study, certainly not all dimensions of political development will be discussed but try to express the ideas was related to democracy, political parties in the perspective of political education which includes democracy, political parties and the problem, the reality of public political education. the link between democracy, political parties and political education is at the core of this study.


2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 820-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
PIERRE FULLER

AbstractThis paper makes the case that in China's most severe food crisis of the first quarter of the twentieth century—the great north China famine of 1920–1921—considerable life-saving relief was generated by three largely-neglected segments of Chinese society: Buddhist and other native charity efforts working along parallel social channels to the better-publicized missionary and international relief groups; the Republic's much-maligned military establishment; and officials and residents of the stricken communities themselves who were operating largely ‘below the radar’ of the distant, mostly city-based chroniclers of the famine whose voices have been privileged in the later history-writing process. Despite the recent fall of the Qing and the beginnings of a fractured era of warring between provincial governors, this paper suggests that communities in the increasingly neglected periphery of 1920 north China were significantly more viable and attentive to social welfare needs than has been previously recognized.


Author(s):  
T. Makanbaev ◽  
◽  
G. Seksenbayeva ◽  

The twentieth century turned out to be the most eventful for the history of archiving, and for the history of Kazakhstan as a whole. This has profoundly affected all aspects of the state, political, social, economic and cultural life. Wars, revolutions, changes in the political system, the restoration and collapse of the USSR - this is how the twentieth century began and ended. This article is an attempt to understand the course and certain feature of the long-term archival process in Kazakhstan. The entire history of archives of the Soviet period is closely intertwined with the history of the political system of the state. The history of archives is related to the monopoly rule of one-party ideology, with administrative pressure in the spiritual sphere of man, including pressure over archives. A new milestone in the development of archiving took place after the collapse of the USSR, so the archive system became independent. Independent Kazakhstan has carried out a number of reforms to democratize archival activities. As a result of these changes, a new archive management system was formed. Archives become part of the country's cultural heritage. The article focuses on identifying the leading trends in the formation of archives and key problems in the domestic archival science. Less attention is paid to the history of individual archives, since in general this is fully reflected in monographs, textbooks and numerous articles of Kazakhstani authors.


2021 ◽  
pp. 649-660
Author(s):  
Ian Loveland

This chapter addresses the question of whether it is legally possible to entrench legislation in a way that safeguards it from repeal by the traditional ‘simple majority in Commons and Lords plus Royal Assent’ formula; and, if so, under what political circumstances it might legitimately be employed. It argues that the Blair government’s commitment to establishing a pluralist political culture is head and shoulders above any of their twentieth-century predecessors. This is most evident in its devolution legislation as well as in its embrace of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty. The same observation may be made about the Blair government’s promotion of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Yet these initiatives, desirable though they may be, can hardly be seen as engineering a constituent reformation of the political system.


Author(s):  
Ian Loveland

This chapter addresses the question of whether it is legally possible to entrench legislation in a way that safeguards it from repeal by the traditional ‘simple majority in Commons and Lords plus Royal Assent’ formula; and, if so, under what political circumstances it might legitimately be employed. It argues that the Blair government’s commitment to establishing a pluralist political culture is head and shoulders above any of their twentieth-century predecessors. This is most evident in its devolution legislation as well as in its embrace of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty. The same observation may be made about the Blair government’s promotion of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Yet these initiatives, desirable though they may be, can hardly be seen as engineering a constituent reformation of the political system.


Author(s):  
Yang Yan

Background. The article discusses one of the most complex and controversial periods in the development of the Chinese orchestra of traditional instruments of the new type – the 1960–70s. Since 1966, with the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, all conservatories were closed, and Western instruments and teaching materials were destroyed. Chinese musicians, unable to play classical music, were forced to work with folk songs and folklore in remote provinces. The objective assessment of this historical phenomenon makes it possible to evaluate it not only as a dead end on China’s path to modern progress, but also as an era of constructive innovations and efforts to make a real change in China’s cultural heritage. The specifics of the creative activity of orchestras conducted by conductors Li Delun, Huang Yijun, Li Guoquan, Yang Jizhen is highlighted. Objectives. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of the development of the Chinese orchestra of traditional instruments in the 1960s – 1970s, to determine the role of prominent Chinese musicians in the process of modernizing the orchestra and creating a national repertoire during this period. Research methods are based on scientific approaches necessary for the disclosure of the topic. The methodology is based on an integrated approach that combines the principle of musical theoretical, musical historical and executive analysis. Results. As soon as the Cultural Revolution began, the music centers in Beijing and Shanghai came under attack. Composers were deprived of their creative freedom, since all the works had to correspond to the political situation of the time. At this time, collective creativity in the genre of opera and ballet, written according to certain pattern and corresponding to the ideas of Mao Zedong, is widely adopted. As standards of “new art”, official propaganda put forward “exemplary” revolutionary performances – Yanbanshee, almost entirely based on the material of the period of the liberation struggle. The Central and Shanghai orchestras were also persecuted. The chief conductor of the Central Symphony Orchestra, Li Delun was arrested. Since 1963, the programs of the Shanghai Orchestra of Chinese Instruments have begun to reflect the country’s transition to the Cultural Revolution. In the compositions appeared more pronounced revolutionary ideals, showing the need for government reform. Such content was, for example, the orchestral suite "Revolutionary Song", created by the musicians of the Shanghai orchestra. Due to the policy of the Cultural Revolution after 1964, the orchestra completely ceased to perform. In 1964, works performed at a concert in honor of the nation’s birthday included revolutionary pieces such as “Praise to the People”, “Spring Gong Enhances Performance”, “Battle in Shanghai”, and others. Shanghai Orchestra Conductor Juan Yijun, composer Luo Zhongrong, one of the authors of the revolutionary symphony “Shatszyaban” was persecuted and sent to the countryside for forced labor. In 1966, as a result of the repressions, outstanding conductors Li Guoquan and Yang Jazheng died. The widespread distribution of orchestras in China is a paradox. “Exemplary Performances” played an active role in the distribution of Chinese symphonic music. Many amateur orchestras significantly increased their professional level and could perform individual symphonic works. Major symphonic works on revolutionary themes were also created: Qu Wei’s “The Gray-Haired Girl” symphonic suite (created by his ballet), Tian Feng’s “Five Cantatas to lyrics by Mao Zedong”, “Pipa Concert for Orchestra” and “Steppe Sisters” Wu Zujiang, Liu Dehai, Wang Yanqiao. Another genre was music for ballets (“The Red Women’s Battalion”, “The Gray-Haired Girl”). Conclusions. In the period from the 1960s to the 1970s, Chinese orchestral music was enriched with new genres that influenced its subsequent development. In spite of the fact that the main models of Yangbanshee are the opera and ballet genres, major symphonic works were also created: the symphony “Shatszyaban” (Luo Zhongzhong, Yang Muyun, Deng Jiaan, Tan Jingming); Qu Wei’s symphonic suite “The Gray-Haired Girl”; Overture “Festival” Xu Yang Yang, Pipa Concert with Orchestra “Steppe Sisters” Wu Zuqiang, Liu Dehai, Wang Yanqiao. In these compositions combine the traditions of Chinese musical art and European orchestral art, embodied the creative search for Chinese composers and performers to create samples of the modern symphony genre in China. Collective creativity was widespread: on the one hand, the efforts of several people created largescale monumental compositions, on the other hand, the individual author’s principle was leveled, which made it possible to “depersonalize” music. However, an understanding of the cultural aspects of Yanbanshee and its features in a political context is of great importance for an objective study of the development processes of musical art in China. Starting around the 1990s, the political thaw allowed musical works from the time of the Cultural Revolution, gradually returning them to the mainstream of the achievements of Chinese society. Since then, the Yanbanshee has a strong tendency to revive, enjoying the support of the population and continuing to be very popular in the theater, on television, and in the form of commercial and private entertainment.


Author(s):  
Yang Yan

Background. The article discusses one of the most complex and controversial periods in the development of the Chinese orchestra of traditional instruments of the new type – the 1960–70s. Since 1966, with the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, all conservatories were closed, and Western instruments and teaching materials were destroyed. Chinese musicians, unable to play classical music, were forced to work with folk songs and folklore in remote provinces. The objective assessment of this historical phenomenon makes it possible to evaluate it not only as a dead end on China’s path to modern progress, but also as an era of constructive innovations and efforts to make a real change in China’s cultural heritage. The specifics of the creative activity of orchestras conducted by conductors Li Delun, Huang Yijun, Li Guoquan, Yang Jizhen is highlighted. Objectives. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of the development of the Chinese orchestra of traditional instruments in the 1960s – 1970s, to determine the role of prominent Chinese musicians in the process of modernizing the orchestra and creating a national repertoire during this period. Research methods are based on scientific approaches necessary for the disclosure of the topic. The methodology is based on an integrated approach that combines the principle of musical theoretical, musical historical and executive analysis. Results. As soon as the Cultural Revolution began, the music centers in Beijing and Shanghai came under attack. Composers were deprived of their creative freedom, since all the works had to correspond to the political situation of the time. At this time, collective creativity in the genre of opera and ballet, written according to certain pattern and corresponding to the ideas of Mao Zedong, is widely adopted. As standards of “new art”, official propaganda put forward “exemplary” revolutionary performances – Yanbanshee, almost entirely based on the material of the period of the liberation struggle. The Central and Shanghai orchestras were also persecuted. The chief conductor of the Central Symphony Orchestra, Li Delun was arrested. Since 1963, the programs of the Shanghai Orchestra of Chinese Instruments have begun to reflect the country’s transition to the Cultural Revolution. In the compositions appeared more pronounced revolutionary ideals, showing the need for government reform. Such content was, for example, the orchestral suite "Revolutionary Song", created by the musicians of the Shanghai orchestra. Due to the policy of the Cultural Revolution after 1964, the orchestra completely ceased to perform. In 1964, works performed at a concert in honor of the nation’s birthday included revolutionary pieces such as “Praise to the People”, “Spring Gong Enhances Performance”, “Battle in Shanghai”, and others. Shanghai Orchestra Conductor Juan Yijun, composer Luo Zhongrong, one of the authors of the revolutionary symphony “Shatszyaban” was persecuted and sent to the countryside for forced labor. In 1966, as a result of the repressions, outstanding conductors Li Guoquan and Yang Jazheng died. The widespread distribution of orchestras in China is a paradox. “Exemplary Performances” played an active role in the distribution of Chinese symphonic music. Many amateur orchestras significantly increased their professional level and could perform individual symphonic works. Major symphonic works on revolutionary themes were also created: Qu Wei’s “The Gray-Haired Girl” symphonic suite (created by his ballet), Tian Feng’s “Five Cantatas to lyrics by Mao Zedong”, “Pipa Concert for Orchestra” and “Steppe Sisters” Wu Zujiang, Liu Dehai, Wang Yanqiao. Another genre was music for ballets (“The Red Women’s Battalion”, “The Gray-Haired Girl”). Conclusions. In the period from the 1960s to the 1970s, Chinese orchestral music was enriched with new genres that influenced its subsequent development. In spite of the fact that the main models of Yangbanshee are the opera and ballet genres, major symphonic works were also created: the symphony “Shatszyaban” (Luo Zhongzhong, Yang Muyun, Deng Jiaan, Tan Jingming); Qu Wei’s symphonic suite “The Gray-Haired Girl”; Overture “Festival” Xu Yang Yang, Pipa Concert with Orchestra “Steppe Sisters” Wu Zuqiang, Liu Dehai, Wang Yanqiao. In these compositions combine the traditions of Chinese musical art and European orchestral art, embodied the creative search for Chinese composers and performers to create samples of the modern symphony genre in China. Collective creativity was widespread: on the one hand, the efforts of several people created largescale monumental compositions, on the other hand, the individual author’s principle was leveled, which made it possible to “depersonalize” music. However, an understanding of the cultural aspects of Yanbanshee and its features in a political context is of great importance for an objective study of the development processes of musical art in China. Starting around the 1990s, the political thaw allowed musical works from the time of the Cultural Revolution, gradually returning them to the mainstream of the achievements of Chinese society. Since then, the Yanbanshee has a strong tendency to revive, enjoying the support of the population and continuing to be very popular in the theater, on television, and in the form of commercial and private entertainment.


Author(s):  
Ying-shih Yü

This essay portrays the radicalization of the Chinese mind in the 20th century as a strategic move from “interpretation” to “discovery” on the part of the Chinese intellectual elite. It shows how step by step, from the National Essence group through constitionalists, revolutionaries, May Fourth Movement to Mao Zedong, the radical ideas held by Chinese intellectuals rose and fell in quick succession according, by and large, to the inner logic of the world of thought. It sees this radicalization of the Chinese mind as growing out of the marginalization of China in the world and the marginalization of intellectuals in Chinese society.


1993 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Kuper

The rise of the Zulu power in the early nineteenth century has conventionally been treated as the outstanding example of a contemporary southern African process of ‘state-formation’, which was associated with revolutionary social changes. This paper advances an alternative view, that there were strong continuities with established forms of chieftaincy in the region, and in particular that the Zulu political system was based on a traditional, pan-Nguni homestead form of organization.The Zulu homestead was divided into right and left sections, each with its own identity and destiny. This opposition was mapped into the layout of ordinary homesteads and royal settlements. It was carried through into the organization of regiments. The homestead and its segments provided both the geographical and the structural nodes of the society. The developmental cycle of the homestead ideally followed a set pattern, creating a fresh alignment of units in each generation. The points of segmentation were provided by the ‘houses’, constituted for each major wife and her designated heir. Each of these houses represented the impact, within the homestead, of relationships sealed by marriage with outside groups, whose leaders threw their weight behind particular factions in the political processes within the family.


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