scholarly journals CANTONESE DIALECT IN MODERN CHINA: THE PROBLEM OF CONSERVATION

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-166
Author(s):  
Sergey A Barov ◽  
Maia A Egorova
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Modern China ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Chinese Nation ◽  
National Minorities ◽  
Southern Chinese ◽  
History Of

The artice is devoted to the problem of preserving the Cantonese dialect (language) in modern China, where for several decades the government persistently pursued a policy of disseminating of the nation-wide Chinese language (“pǔtōnghuà”). Cantonese is the largest language by speakers among all Chinese languages and it is native to most residents of Guangdong and Hong Kong, however, unlike the languages of the national minorities of China, it is not fully protected by law and is consistently ousted from the education system and out of business communication. In the article the authors carefully analyze the linguistic history of China, the role of dialects in the system of Chinese languages and the historical and political significance of a single written norm. According to the authors, the division of China into two large cultural and historical communities (northern and southern) corresponds to the established linguistic division, but unlike many other countries in the world, the ethnolinguistic and ethnocultural differences between the northern and southern Chinese due to the centuries-old unifying efforts of the central government do not lead to the division of the Chinese nation. The article examines in detail the history of Cantonese, a linguistic analysis of the differences between Cantonese and Putonghua, and on this basis concludes that Cantonese should be considered not as a dialect of Chinese, but rather as a separate language of the Sino-Tibetan language group, albeit closely related to the Chinese language. Analyzing the role of Cantonese in the formation of a special cultural and historical community in Guangdong and Hong Kong, the authors conclude that the declining of the Cantonese dialect (language) will probably occur over the next several decades, unless the language and education policies of the Chinese government are changed. Otherwise this tendency will lead to the loss of the province's identity, which is part of the intangible cultural heritage of the entire Chinese nation.

scholarly journals Specific Features of Festive Culture in Modern China

ICONI ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 184-197
Author(s):  
Tamara A. Artashkina ◽  
◽  
Shang Bofei ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Modern China ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Cultural Meaning ◽  
Basic Category ◽  
Festive Culture ◽  
National Minorities ◽  
History Of ◽  
Political Conditions ◽  
Cultural Functions

The history of XX-century China can be divided into several periods that greatly altered the path of China’s historical development: Xinhai Revolution, Anti-Japanese war, civil war, establishment of PRC, Cultural Revolution, policy of reforms and openness. Uneven development of contemporary China has had its infl uence on Chinese holidays. The authors consider the concept of “national holidays of China” a basic category. In the Chinese language, a “holiday” is an unusual day or days connected with something. All national Chinese holidays fall into two categories: government and popular. Chinese government holidays include offi cial holidays established by law; they are days-off for all Chinese citizens. Currently there are 7 government holidays in China and many popular holidays. Popular holidays include traditional holidays, occupational or social holidays, holidays of national minorities or others. Not all Chinese citizens have days-off during these popular holidays. There are two aspects of cultural problems in modern China: a big gap between urban culture and rural cultures; there is a problem of active borrowing and introduction of Western culture into the national culture of China. In particular, many western holidays have intervened into the tissue of Chinese culture. However, western holidays do not alter the cultural meaning of Chinese traditional holidays; they have acquired Chinese features and enriched the life of young Chinese people. Chinese festive culture is transformed within the following areas: traditional holidays are replaced with innovative ones; modern holidays are formed under the infl uence of new social and political conditions and cultural globalization; transformation of traditional holidays changes either their quantity or their content and cultural meaning. However, the authors have come to the conclusion that despite the transformational processes the cultural meaning and main cultural functions of traditional holidays are preserved: reunion of families and, hence, the reunion of the whole nation.

Land Rent, Peasant Migration, and Political Power in Yao Cun, 1911–1937

1982 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph Thaxton
Keyword(s):  
Political Power ◽  
Political History ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Henan Province ◽  
Modern China ◽  
Land Rent ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Village

In April of 1980 I was received by the Henan Province History Research Institute of the Henan Province Chinese Academy of Social Sciences to begin the first systematic oral political history project on peasant revolution in modern China. The focus of this project is on the problems of livelihood faced by the peasants of Lin county and several other counties in the pre-Liberation period, roughly 1911–49. In May I began an investigation of the history of rural Lin county and the village of Yao Cun, Lin county, Henan. In this essay I will sketch the general social and political history of Yao village in Republican years, and then draw from my preliminary field research to explain the relationship between land rent, the impoverishment of peasant smallholders, and political power in pre-Liberation China in one North China village. This relationship has received minimal emphasis in the literature on peasantry and change in pre-1949 China. One of the many reasons for this has been the tendency of past scholarship to stress the critically important role of the ‘middle peasant village’ in the Chinese revolution. The evidence from Yao cun offers a slight qualification of this middle peasant thesis.

scholarly journals The Theory of the Hun Origin in Contemporary Bulgaria

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 1245-1258
Author(s):  
Evgenii A. Koloskov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Origin ◽  
Far Right ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Political Reality ◽  
National Minorities ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Usable Past ◽  
The Eu

The article is devoted to the history of the formation and transformation of the theory of the Huns in contemporary Bulgaria through the prism of the political history of the country from the beginning of the debate about the origin of Bulgarians up to present day. The article examines how political reality impacted the processes of shaping scholarly and educational images, i.e. constructing a “convenient” usable past by the Bulgarian academic and non-academic circles. The main aspect in the study is related to the question of various interpretations of the ethnic origin of the Bulgars, the Huns and the role of the Slavic factor in the ethnogenesis of the contemporary Bulgarians. The milestones of the difficult history of Bulgaria and changes in political regimes have become the reasons for rejecting “Slavic” origin or, in some case, returning to it depending on external and internal circumstances. Today the Hun theory in all its variations and interpretations lies outside the professional scope of academic circles but is becoming the domain for various marginals. However, increasing activity of the right and the far-right in the politics of Europe capitalizing on the 2015 refugee crisis might return to the mainstream of official academic discourse the theory of the Hun The upcoming challenges of foreign policy (Euro-skepticism, ambitious projects outside the EU framework) and internal political issues (the question of national minorities) may also have a significant impact on this issue.

scholarly journals The Kyiv City Association of the Greeks: History and Modernity

2017 ◽  
pp. 248-272
Author(s):  
Vladyslava Piskizhova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Development ◽  
Intercultural Dialogue ◽  
Central State ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
National Minorities ◽  
Cultural Life ◽  
History Of ◽  
State Archives ◽  
Full Volume

The article is devoted to the history of the formation and activity of one of the first in the history of independent Ukraine public organizations of the national Greek community, i.e. the Kyiv City Association of the Greeks. After all, in today’s world, public associations of national minorities are an extremely important structural component of the civil society, which can play both a consolidating role and serve as a source of aggravation of interethnic conflicts. The grounds of the source base of the research were the materials of the current archive of this organization (the Statute, protocols of meetings, resolutions, agreements, etc.), part of which in 2017 was already transferred to the funds of the Central State Archives of public associations of Ukraine. However, up to now, these documents have not become available yet to the general public concerned. Taking this into consideration, we find it appropriate to publish some of them in the full volume as an annex to this research, especially those that most clearly highlight the main achievements of the organization in the development of national and cultural life of the Greek community of Kyiv and Ukraine in general, and show the dynamics of the establishment of the Ukrainian-Greek intercultural dialogue. Important information on the activity of the Kyiv City Association of the Greeks is found on the pages of its printed edition, the newspaper “Elpida”, as well as on the organization site operating since 2016. The importance of recording and systematization of information on the current institutional development of national minorities in Ukraine is preconditioned by the necessity to form a conscious evaluation of the role of associations of national minorities in the process of forming public associations and the establishment of national Ukrainian culture in opinion of public and scientific communities.

scholarly journals LESSONS OF THE CENTRAL COUNICUL FOR ETHNOPOLITICAL CONSENSUS IN UKRAINE

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleg Kalakura
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
Modern State ◽  
Historical Experience ◽  
National Minorities ◽  
Central Council ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Russian Federation

The article discusses important component of Ukrainian revolution of 1917–1921 — activities of the Central Council in the case of involvement minorities to the Ukrainian statehood processes. The role of interethnic unity in the two top events of the modern history of the Ukrainian people was highlighted — the proclamation of the Fourth Universal of the Central Council in 1918 and the Act of Independence of Ukraine in 1991, by using the comparative method. It is analyzed steps of the Ukrainian state, aimed at developing equal relations and between Ukrainians and minorities, search of interethnic harmony. The necessity of legal protection of interests of ethnic groups, support of cultural and educational measures for preservation of identity of all citizens is proved. It is analyzed the national minorities’ participation in the rebuilding of Ukrainian statehood at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, the formation of the ethnopolitics principles of modern state, using historical experience of the period of the Ukrainian Revolution. The necessity of correction of the state ethnopolitics in the conditions of armed confrontation with the Russian Federation is emphasized, the problem issues, which concern both Ukrainians and representatives of national minorities, are defi ned. The key to European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the country is in need for improving the legal protection of the interests of ethnic groups, support cultural and educational measures to preserve the identity of all citizens. Practical steps to ensure the ethno-national rights of Ukrainian citizens in modern conditions, protection of Ukrainian unity and the development of civil society are off ered.

Changes in the Technological Aspects and Facilities of Design Education

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 47-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kin Wai Michael Siu ◽  
Yi Lin Wong
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Technological Literacy ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Societal Needs ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
History Of ◽  
Children And Young Adults

Technological literacy is required of all in the 21st century. Given its close relationship with technology, design education is fundamental to teaching children and young adults how to understand technology. This paper provides a historical review of the development of design education in Hong Kong. This development is found to be closely connected with a number of historical events, the development of the economy, industry, society, and the educational policies of the Hong Kong government. Furthermore, the history of design education shows that the value of current technological practices and facilities corresponds to the societal needs of the time, reflecting the value of past and present practices in design education. It is hoped that this historical review and discussion of past and present practices will provide insights for optimising the role of design education in the contemporary world.

The influence of SAR government performance on people’s trust toward Central government

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-58
Author(s):  
Hin Wah Chris Cheung ◽  
Man Yum Larry So ◽  
Chi U. Francis Choi ◽  
Chin Fung Philip Chow
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Government Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Two Systems ◽  
One Country Two Systems

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of Special Administrative Region (SAR) performance on the “trust” of Hong Kong and Macau people, who “live” under similar context of “one country, two systems,” toward Beijing Central Government. The different perceptions, relating to the abovementioned issue, of the young peoples’ are also investigated. Implication for civic education in these two societies will be brought to light. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts secondary data analysis on the captioned topic. To further illustrate the said issue, this study reviews and analyzes data from protest campaigns in both societies. Findings This paper finds that the performance of Hong Kong and Macau SAR Governments has different impacts on the peoples’ “trust” toward Central Government. It may attribute to the different perceptions about the role of Central Government and levels of democratization in these societies. Civic education emphasizing the “core spirit” of “One country, two systems,” roles of SAR and Central Governments could enable young people better comprehend their relationship with Mainland China and their role as SAR–Chinese citizens. Originality/value This paper is an exploratory study for providing implications for further research on this topic.

scholarly journals Melampaui Sinologi Tradisional

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Natalia Soebagjo
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Domestic Politics ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Modern China ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Modern Era ◽  
Traditional Understanding

<p>Indonesia has had a long history of interaction with China marked with periods of warm understanding and cold misunderstandings. In the modern era in particular ties have been complicated by domestic politics. As China rises in the 21st century and takes its place in the world, Indonesia has to be able to define its relationship vis-a-vis China. To be able to do this, Indonesians need to better understand China. Ability to understand the Chinese language and China’s culture, although basic and essential, is no longer enough. The study of modern China needs to go beyond the traditional understanding of Sinology, strengthened by other academic disciplines, if Indonesians want to better anticipate the dynamics of Indonesia-China relations.</p>

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