ABSTRACT. The Tale of the Heike, an epic account of the struggle for power between the Minamoto and Taira clans at the end of the 12th century that led to the establishment of the first military government in Japan, the Kamakura shogunate, has been enormously influential since it was first composed. It is difficult to overestimate the role that the events depicted in The Tale of the Heike played in Japan’s political history and the impact that literary retellings of these events had on Japan’s national literature and arts. Born once at the crossroads of folk and written literature, The Tale of the Heike turned into a major social and cultural phenomenon that has survived over centuries moving from a genre to genre, evolving in style, changing its function, its target audience, and the medium of its literary expression. The stories from The Tale of the Heike are found in every traditional storytelling or performance genre, such as heikyoku, kōwaka drama, jōruri, higobiwa, chikuzenbiwa, satsumabiwa, etc. Though these retellings mainly represent classical literature and performing arts that nowadays, in general, attract comparatively limited audiences, the stories about the Minamoto and Taira keep living in a variety of modern-day media, such as manga, anime, films, and video games. Focusing on the evolution of The Tale of the Heike, the history of its performance, reception, and transition across various genres and media, firstly, the paper will examine the role and place of The Tale of the Heike in Japan’s political and cultural history. Secondly, the paper will discuss the possibilities, benefits, and methodology for the inclusion of The Tale of the Heike in the program for exchange students and other English-taught programs at Japanese universities.

ABSTRACT. In classical Japanese literature, it is a fixed formula to mention the word 'Ima wa mukashi(今は昔)' at the beginning of a narrative story. There are two interpretations of this phrase: one is to understand it as 'now it is no longer a thing of the past', and the other is to understand it as 'the present of this story is now a thing of the past'. Whichever interpretation is adopted, the story is told by inviting the present-day audience into a time 'long ago'. In addition, there are many instances in which the origin of a thing is first mentioned using the word 'in the very beginning(そもそも)'. This expression is often used in Noh, which is a performing art, and may also mean that the time experienced by the audience is taken back to an older time. 　

In contrast, the stage of Kyōgen, a classical farce in sibling relationship with Noh, often begins with the words 'Kono atari no mono de gozaru(このあたりの者でござる)', meaning 'I am the one who lives in this neighbourhood'. This is a term referring to space, not time. It draws the audience into the stage space of Kyōgen, and furthermore into the special time that flows there. This is thought to be closely related to the fact that theatre is often anonymous in terms of both characters and stage setting. In this paper, the special time and space created by the Kyōgen stage will be explored.

ABSTRACT. This paper investigates critical and historical narratives of Japanese cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, with particular focus on Euro-American reception of the “Japanese New Wave” and the clash between generations of Japanese directors. Japanese cinema reached global fame in 1951 when Akira Kurosawa's Rashōmon (1950) won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. The international popularity of Japanese cinema grew during the 1950s and 1960s. This period would later be considered the “Golden Age” of Japanese cinema. At this time, Japan had big studio system and was one of the countries producing the largest number of films on a yearly basis, but only a small percentage of Japanese films were exported and discussed internationally, thus increasing the influence of foreign film critics and distribution mechanisms. The paper analyses Anglophone and Francophone texts of film criticism from this era to show how critics actively shaped a narrative of generational struggle. Japanese cinema of this period came to be described as comprising three generations of directors, namely those of began making films in the silent era (around 1920s) like Yasujirō Ozu, those who started in the militaristic era (after 1933) such as Akira Kurosawa, and finally a younger generation who started in the mid 1950s (e.g. Nagisa Ōshima) representing the Japanese New Wave (Bock, 1978). The paper will discuss the reasons why Euro-American criticism portrayed the Japanese New Wave as reflecting a generational struggle over the international image of Japanese filmmaking. As a result, the paper will shed light on the transformation and reception of Japanese cinema from this era and show the importance of established timelines and chronologies in the international historiography of cinema.

Reference: Bock, A. (1978) Japanese Film Directors. Kodansha International LTD.

ABSTRACT. Protestantism in Vietnam has gained many new followers in recent decades, particularly among individuals with a history of internal migration. Many of these new adherents are internal economic migrants who have left behind their social networks in their native villages and are attempting to establish themselves in more anonymous urban environments. In these settings, Protestant churches offer an alternative to traditional institutions of socio- economic security. However, the presented conference paper argues that the increase in the number of Protestants in Vietnam appears to be driven by changing evangelistic efforts aimed at attracting new followers. This study focuses on initiatives such as the Business Ministry operated by the Word of Life church and the Aquila Center drug rehabilitation program run by the Gospel Church of Vietnam to describe the creative outreach strategies employed by these churches. Based on interviews with 30 Protestant pastors and believers, the paper argues that, in addition to personal evangelism, Protestant churches are initiating new methods of outreach. These methods include creating programs focused on drug rehabilitation, teaching economic skills, encouraging members to share testimonials in the workplace, and assisting socially marginalized or uprooted individuals. The new evangelism strategies not only attract new followers but also reflect a transformation in the churches' understanding of evangelism. Furthermore, these programs help improve the relationships between Protestant churches and the Vietnamese state. By engaging in socially beneficial activities such as drug rehabilitation and economic skill development, these churches demonstrate their commitment to addressing societal issues, thereby fostering a more positive perception and cooperation with state authorities.

ABSTRACT. Over the past thirty years, Southeast Asian migrants, including a significant population of Vietnamese, have reshaped Taiwan’s cultural landscape by establishing numerous ethnic communities in industrial zones and Southeast Asian hubs within city centers. This paper explores the structure, functions, and power dynamics of these Vietnamese communities, drawing on participant observations and 63 in-depth interviews with Vietnamese immigrants in Taiwan. The findings reveal that socio-economic exclusion compels Vietnamese immigrants to form supportive communities. Marriage immigrants, in particular, initiate small businesses, which fosters their independence and reduces reliance on employers among Vietnamese migrant workers. Furthermore, through their socio-economic activities and the negotiation of power dynamics, Vietnamese immigrants create spaces for intimacy, express their sexuality, and renegotiate their gender identities.

ABSTRACT. Since Vietnam’s economic opening, many Vietnamese have migrated abroad, with labor export becoming a key strategy for national development as outlined in the 1998 Directive 41-CT/TW. This study examines Vietnamese migration to South Korea for marriage and labor, focusing on migration determinants, decision-making factors, and strategies.

Based on field studies in Korea and Vietnam, the paper finds that both groups are driven by economic goals but employ different migration strategies shaped by the support networks available in each country. This study reveals the nuanced dynamics of Vietnamese migration and the essential role of support networks in shaping these strategies.

ABSTRACT. Today, a large part of the second-generation Vietnamese diaspora in the Czech Republic are in their twenties and thirties and are in the process of forming families. However, due to their complex hybrid identity formation and migration background, this process is increasingly complicated. This conference paper analyzes the process of selecting romantic/marital partners and examines marriage patterns among second-generation Vietnamese in the Czech Republic. Based on 30 in-depth interviews, the paper shows variations in partner choices and marriage patterns among these individuals. The paper compares interethnic and co-ethnic marriages of the Vietnamese- Czech community and shows that both the selection process and marriage patterns are influenced by various factors, such as parental will, acceptance or rejection by mainstream society and diasporic members, or differing family values between Vietnamese and Czech people. The paper argues that second-generation Vietnamese prefer co-ethnic marriages over interethnic marriages. The main reason is that co-ethnic partners share similar experiences with identity formation, are more influenced by Vietnamese culture, and have common experiences of living in a migration context. Nevertheless, as a result of living in the Czech Republic with multiple choices in the local marriage market, they may frequently marry Czech or European partners.

ABSTRACT. A group of 32 L1 Chinese speakers of high proficiency L2 English/low proficiency L3 French and another group of 30 L1 Chinese speakers of low proficiency L2 English took part in an empirical study testing learners’ judgment of meaning-form distinction of the present form in relation to habitual and event-in-progress interpretations in L3 French. A native English control group and a French control group were invited to participate in the test.

The grammatical properties in question vary between French, English, and Chinese, but are constrained by the presence/absence of tense and agreement features. The differences in habitual and event-in-progress interpretations among the three languages can be captured by two parameters of variation: the presence of tense and agreement features in French and English vs. the absence of the said features in Chinese. The requirement that all verbs move to T in French is assumed to be the effect of strong inflections, whereas the non-raising of thematic verbs and the raising of non-thematic verbs in English is the effect of weak inflections. Since all verbs raise overtly to T in French, both habitual and event-in-progress interpretations are rendered in one form-- present. Since thematic v-to-T raising is not permitted in English, clauses with finite thematic verbs can only give rise to a habitual reading. At the same time, auxiliary be or progressive in English has a strong uninterpretable [uInfl:] feature, which has to raise to T for feature checking, giving rise to an event-in-progress reading. In languages that lack tense and agreement features and where all verbs remain in situ, like Chinese, the semantic habitual an event-in-progress interpretations are derived in two forms. The bare verb form yields a habitual reading, whereas the inclusion of an aspectual property such as zai yields and event-in-progress reading.

The aim of the study is to test two L3 acquisition theories, which make different predictions. The Typological Primacy Model (TPM) of Rothman (2011) posits that either L1 or L2 can be the source of transfer in the L3 initial state. What conditions L3 initial state, however, is in fact the extent to which how typologically similar the L1 or L2 is to the L3. The so-called structural similarity among the three languages includes the lexicon, phonetic/phonology, morphology, and syntactic structure. The deterministic factor in the L3 initial state is the unconscious process of actual or perceived typological similarity between L3 and the previously acquired languages, be they L1 or L2. The Interpretability Hypothesis of Tsimpli and Dimitrakopoulou (2007), on the other hand, argues that critical-period-associated uninterpretable syntactic features not instantiated during primary language acquisition will be difficult to acquire in subsequent language acquisition, be it L2, L3 or Lx.

The results provide partial support to the TPM and are more compatible with the Interpretability Hypothesis. The prediction of the TPM that perceived typological similarity between L3 and the previously acquired languages conditions transfer in L3 initial state is partially correct, whereas uninterpretable syntactic features not selected in primary language acquisition cease to be operative in subsequent language acquisition of the Interpretability Hypothesis can explain the observations of the study. In particular, the results of the study suggest that while uninterpretable syntactic features are difficult to acquire, interpretable syntactic features, computational devices, and other aspects of Universal Grammar (UG) remain available in adult multilingual acquisition.

ABSTRACT. Globalization and communication on the internet poses challenges to sociolinguistics. The rapid development of Internet communication in China has created huge impact on the Chinese language and society. Internet users often create new words or the new meanings of existing words. The resultant internet language has unique lexical and discourse features. Since 2011 ten most popular internet words and phrases (⼗⼤⽹络⽤语) have been released annually by National Language Resources Monitoring and Research Graphic Media Center (中国国家语⾔资源监测与研究中⼼) in China. It has been confirmed that internet words and phrases has brought the tremendous impact and spread to everyday usage in China. What the social scientists can observe from Chinese Internet ,apart from the rest of the online world, is the government’s extensive control and censorship over the massive network of users. It is suggested that the online discourse differs from the official discourse, which is tightly controlled by the Chinese government. Therefore, online language, discourse practices and lexicon from the Chinese internet serve as a result of recent technological and social developments in China. This research is aimed to discuss the emergence and application of the most popular Chinese internet lexicon (2011-2023), to examine the transformation of internet lexicon and to argue the equivalent relation between social media and cultural identity in China.

ABSTRACT. Southern Min is a Chinese variety spoken in southeast Mainland China and Taiwan (Chen 2020). According to the 2020 census by the Taiwanese Statistics Bureau, more than 80% of the inhabitants of Taiwan speak Southern Min (TSM), dominating primarily the southern part of the island; however, the survey does not indicate the proficiency levels of the speakers. Yeh et al. (2004) show that people aged over >30 in Taiwan hold good TSM proficiency, but there is a sudden drop in the younger (<30) generation’s proficiency, due to assimilation with Mandarin Chinese (MC). This paper reports on an apparent-time study that uses classifiers to gauge the intergeneration differences among TSM speakers. A list of 68 common nouns that take different sortal classifiers in TSM and MC was composed based on textbooks, dictionaries, and previous research studies (Li et al. 1995; Chiu 2007; Fang 2008; Fang & Connelly 2008; Erbaugh 2013; Chen 2020). Pictures of these items were shown to two generations of TSM speakers (8 each), senior (born 1945-1957) and junior (born1998-2003) generations. All participants came from the south of Taiwan, Gaoxiong, and Tainan districts. They were asked to use TSM to name and write the item/items in the pictures using the nominal structure [Nume-Cl-N]. All participants also filled up a language background questionnaire prior to the experiment. The results show that (i) both generations show diversion from the typical TSM classifier choices (from the complied list); (ii) the senior generation shows a lower level of diversion while the junior generation mostly opts for their Mandarin Chinese cognates (in about 40% of the cases, the two groups used different classifiers); (ii) The average reaction time (between the showing of the picture and the response) for senior participants is 0.75 seconds while that for junior participant is 1.76 seconds, contrary to expectation.

ABSTRACT. This study analyses the linguistic features of Taiwan prose in the 2000s related to parents through the method of corpus stylistics. Prose is a type of literature that tells past events, making it a good source to understand how the Chinese language describes past experiences. First, 10 pieces of prose were selected, with five each describing fathers and mothers, to build a small corpus. Second, by using AntConc, this study compared the similarities and differences across five aspects: lexical choices, perfective aspect markers, lexical reduplication, “ba” disposal constructions, and “bei” passive constructions. This study found that prose about fathers often uses the formal term “fuqin (father)” instead of “baba (dad)”, which shows a sense of respect and distance from the author. In contrast, prose about mothers often uses “mama (mom)” to show closeness. Secondly, for the perfective aspect markers, prose about mothers more often uses “le1” to indicate the completion of an action, such as “xie le yi hang shuzi (wrote a line of numbers)”, while prose about fathers prefers “le2”, such as “ta huilai le (he came back)”, which indicates a change in situation. The “-guo” marker is mostly used to modify noun phrases, which is a “stative verb + guo + de + noun” structure, to describe past experiences, such as “baifang naxie wo buceng tingguo de qinren (to visit those relatives I had never heard of)”. Thirdly, in lexical reduplication, both types of prose frequently use the AA structure but prose about fathers shows a greater variety of AA reduplication. Furthermore, the “ba” disposal constructions are more common in prose about fathers, especially when describing cooking and family interactions. On the other hand, the “bei” passive constructions appear more frequently in prose about mothers, especially when describing unfortunate events or illnesses, to express negative feelings.

ABSTRACT. This research aims to investigate the writings of Xiao Hong, a well-known female Chinese writer, from the perspective of feminist geography. Growing up in a traditional landlord family, Xiao fought against forced marriage and left home for her education right. She criticized the gender inequities in Chinese society, and struggled for female rights, but her relationship with men seems to prove the opposite. Such contradictions are also shown in her writings. In her first novel, The Field of Life and Death, she depicts how Japanese colonialism destroyed the village in northeast China and how the peasants got united and struggled for national independence. However, compared to other left-wing literary works written in the first half of the twentieth century, especially during the second Sino-Japanese War, “national independence” and “class struggle” do not take significant parts in her works, and such themes even got less important in her later writings; therefore, there have been voices denouncing the values of her works for they do not represent the most “advanced” social values. This paper unpacks the conventional literary critiques on Xiao Hong’s works by focusing on the various kinds of time scales Xiao presents in her works. It is noticeable that Xiao’s works usually contain picturesque images of various spaces and vivid depictions of characters. How do we understand such a writing style? What do those spaces function in her writings? What are the implications of the dominant literary criticism for Xiao Hong’s writings? Is there any other alternative way to understand Xiao’s works? How do we understand Xiao Hong’s confusing attitudes toward female freedom and independence and her “weakness” in her marriage? Feminist geography provides insights to look into the questions. Feminist geography is considered to be a significant part of human geography. It leads people to observe the world and the human body from a feminist perspective and thus reveals the gender inequities and structural problems under the patriarchal hierarchy. In addition, feminist geography gives credit to “emotion,” which has been denounced in the name of science and rationality. Reading Xiao Hong’s literary works from a feminist geographical perspective contributes to understanding the social milieu that shaped women’s attitudes toward sexuality, marriage, and freedom and provides an alternative interpretation to the appeal of national independence and class struggle. Despite those studies on the relations between Xiao Hong’s experiences and her writings, as well as those on her narrative techniques, this research focuses on the various spaces that Xiao Hong presents in her works. By reading those depictions from a perspective of female geography, this research sheds light on the way Xiao Hong embodies her nostalgic feelings, her traumatic memories, and her ideas of enlightenment, in a world that is delicate, vivid, and colorful. Instead of criticizing her writings with a binary view, this paper examines how she reconstructs a cyclic time space, in which ordinary people’s life and death are nothing different from the changes of seasons and other non-human lives’ life and death. Unlike those literary works Influenced by the May Fourth Movement which advocate the linear evolution and emphasize the single direction of history, Xiao Hong’s literary world is built upon the repetitive rhythm of nature and life with her poetic style. On the one hand, Xiao admires the beauty of such rhythm, which is presented by her melancholic depictions of her hometown and her childhood; on the other hand, however, she is also aware of the exploitation of the peasants and the sufferings of women in such a world, for which she escaped from her landlord family and from the forced marriage. Through examining the spaces that are compelling in her writings, such as her hometown, her grandfather’s garden, hotels, railway station, and ship, this paper unfolds Xiao’s complex and self-contradictory feelings towards love, female independence, and social revolution. By understanding the spaces that Xiao faced in her real life and that she represented in her writings, it also becomes clear that those criticism towards her writings for she is not revolutionary enough shows how the patriarchal culture appropriates the feminist discourse in the name of social revolution.

ABSTRACT. The Shanhaijing, an ancient Chinese text dating back to the Warring States period (476-221 BC) and later edited during the Han dynasty, is renowned within Western Sinological circles as one of the oldest repositories of mythological fragments. However, its significance transcends this recognition, as it contains data concerning the division of time and space, with roots tracing back to the legendary Xia and Shang dynasties. Despite its historical importance, Western scholarship has thus far afforded it limited attention.

This presentation aims to explore the myths to which the complex ancient Chinese system is attached: long-term astronomical and geographical records and analysis, subjective division of time and space, methods of calculations, determination of calendar, observation of climate etc. The ancient Chinese based their calendar on observation of time, space, celestial and natural phenomena that lead to demarcating seasons and significant temporal milestones.

Through the examination of the Shanhaijing, particularly the second part, Haijing, this presentation explores the unique perception of time and space in ancient Chinese culture. It investigates how ancient Chinese people understood the relationship between astronomy and climate to determine time and how they associated time with geographical orientation, including winds and the gods of cardinal directions. Consequently, ancient Chinese myths contain encoded records of time and space concepts that guided ancient production and daily life. Thus, the historical context behind these seemingly "weird" myths can be elucidated.

In an agricultural society, the precise determination of temporal landmarks and periods held paramount importance for communal survival. The Haijing provides insights into the foundational elements of a rudimentary calendrical system, which exerted a profound influence on the trajectory of Chinese civilisation and philosophical discourse. This intricate temporal framework permeated every aspect of ancient life and production, leaving an indelible imprint on Chinese political and cultural spheres.

ABSTRACT. The Ten Tamakazura Chapters (Tamakazura Jūjō) of The Tale of Genji, composed by Murasaki Shikibu in the early eleventh century, almost stand as a side-story to the amorous adventures of the Shining Prince Genji and narrate the story of Yūgao’s orphaned daughter, Tamakazura. These chapters are distinguished by a deft use of temporal layers, including flashbacks (analepsis), foreshadowing (prolepsis), and changes of seasons, to contribute to the development of characters and the unfolding of the plot, which also creates more complex temporal morphologies. Correspondingly, this paper aims to discover how time is formed in the Tamakazura Chapters and their relationship with other chapters within the main story by employing Gérard Genette’s theories on narrative time, focusing specifically on order, duration, and frequency. The ancient Japanese court novels (monogatari) generally utilize recurring patterns employing cyclical structures such as the themes of love, grief, and the transience of life. Seasonal imagery—a common method in which cyclical themes are reflected in traditional Japanese poetry (waka)—is evident throughout the Tamakazura Chapters, illustrating the nature of human experiences and the four seasons. However, by disrupting this cyclical progression of time, the author creates a linear narrative that follows Tamakazura’s journey to the Capital and entrance into Genji’s Rokujō estate, emphasizing the character’s growth over time. In this regard, Genette’s theory provides a nuanced framework for examining how temporality supports the story’s thematic content and character development. In conclusion, this analysis of narrative time in the Tamakazura Chapters offers insights into the narrative features of The Tale of Genji, highlighting the temporal structures of Murasaki Shikibu’s timeless masterpiece.

ABSTRACT. Medieval Japanese court literature is deeply engaged with aspects of time. However, examining the different courtly texts from that period reveals that they do not present a uniform perception of time. This diversity is evident in the temporal morphologies exhibited within the texts and the subjective experiences of time reflected in the attitudes of authors and protagonists towards the past, present, and future. For example, Sinographic diaries tend to exhibit linear morphologies of time, focusing on the importance of etiquette knowledge for future generations. In contrast, female diaries emphasize seasonality and nostalgia, showcasing cultural sophistication. Ceremonial works, particularly those in the genre of “annual observances” (nenjū gyōji), emphasize cyclicity and precedence, aiming to legitimize imperial power. In my paper, I will illustrate these varied temporal morphologies and layers using three works from the late Kamakura period: the Hanazono tennō shinki (a Sinographic diary), the Takemukigaki (a female diary), and the Kenmu nenjū gyōji (a ceremonial work). I will argue that the different aspects of time embedded in these texts are closely related to their functions and intended audiences.

ABSTRACT. A common trope in medieval Japanese tales is the idea that when the protagonist embarks on a journey to another realm, a notable slippage of time marks his return to the domain of his actual world. This discrepancy emerges in particular as a disparity between the subjective experience of the passage of time and the external circumstances encountered. Some journeys are characterized by the experience of an entire lifetime in the span of just a few days (stretched time), which ultimately discredits the perceived elapse of time as well as the journey as an illusion. Conversely, other tales describe the opposite effect (compressed time), where a temporal interval experienced as short turns out to have been significantly longer. In this latter case, the function of the discrepancy remains ambiguous, since the validity of both time and the journey are asserted, even though the protagonist’s perception is shown to be false. This paper seeks to address the function of the latter type of discrepancy by examining three Muromachi (1336–1573) tales that employ this trope, albeit each to a different effect. The way in which the temporal discrepancy is conveyed through language, metaphor, and narrative features offers insight into the layers of temporality inscribed in the texts as a reflection of the underlying worldview. While the destabilization achieved by the traversal of space and time results in parallel temporalities, this momentary plurality inevitably collapses at the end of the tale, bearing significant implications for the perspective-dependent conception of time.

ABSTRACT. The use of direct speech constructions represents a linguistic-interactional practice that holds an important place among resources for affective stance display that Japanese speakers commonly employ in their everyday conversational interactions. These constructions allow them to enact not only speech, but also thoughts and affective stances.

In this paper, we will consider the speakers’ use of direct speech constructions in the process of recounting past events. Using extracts from actual conversational interactions, we will discuss the formats that direct speech constructions in Japanese conversational interactions may take as well as functions they serve and effects they have on the ongoing conversation. Through the analysis, we will uncover and describe the major characteristics that make direct speech constructions such a useful and popular resource for affective stance display.

The paper draws on interactional linguistics and is based on the analysis of the author’s own collection of recordings of spontaneous face-to-face conversational interactions between Japanese young adult friends and telephone conversations from the TalkBank Japanese CallFriend and CallHome Corpus.

ABSTRACT. Previous empirical research on suppositional adverbs has revealed differences in their distribution across various written and spoken orpora and has confirmed that their cooccurrence with modal forms and types is a matter of degree (Kudô 2000, [omitted] et al. 2008). The recently developed Corpus of Everyday Japanese Conversation (CEJC) opens new opportunities for empirical approaches to Japanese language data, focusing more on utterance patterns in natural conversations and research on fluency and disfluency in language interactions. The aim of this research is to explore adverbial usage from the perspective of (dis)fluency (Sadanobu 2024, [omitted] 2024), with an emphasis on correlations between adverbs and fillers in natural conversations in CEJC. The research sheds light on both the commonality and diversity of the usage of adverbs and fillers, as well as their multiple roles within spoken discourse. Cooccurring fillers mostly tend to appear immediately before or after the adverb or within its close vicinity of two to three units, with their frequency expectedly decreasing gradually with distance. Among the four types of suppositional adverbs—necessity, expectation, conjecture, and possibility—the expectation type appears to be the most common in conversations. Specifically, the adverb ‘tabun’ appears with fillers such as ‘ano’, ‘eeto’, expressing uncertainty, hesitation, and consideration, alongside probability. The (dis)fluency in its usage contributes to naturalness and, in some cases, politeness.

ABSTRACT. Modern Standard Japanese features various multiverb mono-clausal predicates (MMC), which combine a converb form of a content verb (commonly known as the te-form) with an auxiliary or semi-auxiliary (e.g., V-te iru, V-te oku, V-te shimau, V-te iku). Although these constructions may appear as if they were always integral to Japanese grammar, their development is much more complicated and varied, and the individual constructions differ greatly in their age. This paper focuses on the process of grammaticalization of these MMC and its various aspects (changes in morphology, gradual broadening of their scope, semantic bleaching or lack thereof, propensity for phonological attrition, etc.). It analyzes individual constructions using historical texts (ranging from Manyōshū to 19th-century novels) and provides a comprehensive view of how this salient feature emerged in Modern Japanese. Additionally, MMC development will be contextualized by contrasting them with similar constructions found in the typologically similar languages of the area, predominantly Korean, but also nearby Tungusic languages (mostly Manchu and Sibe).

ABSTRACT. This paper examines media discourses and cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Fujian, focusing on Tainan and employing Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis and framing theory. Analyzing Chinese and English publications from the late 1990s to the post-pandemic onset, it identifies three dominant discourses: China's media promoting United Front strategies, Taiwanese government and "green camp" media critically examining these strategies, and "blue" media highlighting shared cultural ties while maintaining ROC identity. Historical connections and recent cultural and economic collaborations underscore the complex interplay of political influences in cross-strait relations. Preliminary findings reveal competing interpretations shaped by political differences.

ABSTRACT. The concept of the rule of law has been a central issue in China for the past two decades, gaining even greater prominence under Xi Jinping’s leadership. This presentation will examine the development of the rule of law in China, drawing on insights from local Chinese scholarship. By analyzing the most cited research articles in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, published between 1979 and 2022 and containing the keywords fazhi (rule of law) or yifazhiguo (governing the country according to the law), the presentation will explore the tension between China’s aspirations for a rule-of-law system and its simultaneous pursuit of a Socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics.

The examined timespan is divided into three distinct periods: Deng’s modernization up to the pre-Constitution amendment (the 1980s–1999), the pre-Xi Jinping period (2000–2012), and the Xi Jinping era (2013–2022). This division aims to assess whether and how the discussion regarding the concept of the rule of law evolved in Chinese academic discourse, whether policy decisions changed the discussion dynamics, and whether specific topics gained prominence over others.

ABSTRACT. Even though the status of English in the Chinese educational system has become a debated topic within Chinese society in recent years, foreign language study, which means English language in the vast majority of cases, is still one of the ‘three main subjects’ (san zhu ke 三主课) of the Chinese curriculum and of the gaokao 高考, the Chinese ‘National College Entrance Examination’. This new criticism towards English language teaching can attributed to the country’s trends in international politics and, as a matter of fact, foreign language teaching in China, and English language teaching in particular, can be regarded as a ‘barometer’ of the the country’s foreign relations (Adamson 2004; Ross 1992; Vickers & Zeng 2018). This contribution aims at retracing the stages of the history of English language teaching in China up to the present day. Following a revised version of the timeline devised by Rao (2013), six stages in its history can be identified: before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (1862-1949); after the establishment of RPC (1949-1961); the first ‘renaissance’ of English language teaching (1961-1966); the Cultural Revolution period (1966-1976); the second ‘renaissance’ of English language teaching (1976-2012); and the Xi Jingping era (2012-). After a detailed exposition of the characteristics of each stage, the contribution will especially focus on the present one, so as to give an account of the current status of English in China, as the weight of foreign language lessons in the Chinese compulsory educational system has already been reduced and many political representatives call for an abandonment of the English test of the gaokao. In doing so, this contribution attempts to contribute to the academic discussion on the relationship between countries’ international relations and foreign language policy and the consequent periodization that can result from it. References Adamson, B. (2004). China’s English: A History of English in Chinese Education. Hong Kong University Press. Hu, G. (2002). The People's Republic of China Country Report: English Language Teaching in the People's Republic of China. In R. E. Silver, G. Hu & M. Iito, English Language Education in China, Japan, and Singapore (pp. 1-78). Nanyang Technological University. Rao, Z. (2013). Teaching English as a foreign language in China: looking back and forward. English Today, 29(3), 34-39. Ross, H. (1992). Foreign language education as a barometer of modernization. In R. Hayhoe (Ed.), Education and Modernization: The Chinese Experience. Pergamon, 239-254. Vickers, E., & Zeng, X. (2018). Education and Society in Post-Mao China. Routledge.

ABSTRACT. This study explores the register errors encountered by intermediate to advanced Chinese L2 learners, focusing on the transition from colloquial to formal registers. By analyzing a large-scale learner corpus and comparing it with native corpora, this research identifies significant differences in the usage of colloquial words between formal and informal registers. Notably, the study reveals that not all colloquial words exhibit the same degree of association with register formality. The frequency distribution analysis of these words indicates that relying solely on intuition and existing references may not provide an accurate standard due to a lack of objective evidence of actual language use.

The research process involves compiling vocabulary related to register errors in formal contexts from the learner corpus and integrating colloquial words identified in existing literature. Statistical significance tests and effect size calculations were conducted to determine the distribution differences of these words between formal and informal registers within the native corpus. The findings suggest that the misapplication of colloquial words in formal writing contexts is a prevalent issue among Chinese L2 learners.

Future research could explore more extensive lists of register errors in formal texts to gain deeper insights into the practical implications of register acquisition difficulties. Additionally, investigating pedagogical interventions, such as explicit instruction and the use of authentic materials, could enhance the effectiveness of language teaching practices.

ABSTRACT. With the acceleration of internationalisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the number of Chinese TCM hospitals offering services to international patients and Chinese TCM doctors practicing overseas is increasing. This also increases the need for interpreters of TCM. To ensure a correct and an encompassing translation an extensive preparation involving studying materials focusing on the translation of TCM is required. It is these materials that this paper focuses on. Materials that are available to interpreters for preparation of their task can include, but are not limited to, language textbooks and bilingual TCM textbooks, specialized dictionaries and glossaries, online tools. However, these materials differ in their specific focuses, structures and user accessibility. Differing translation strategies are applied and if a standard is followed, the exact standardisations of TCM terms may vary. Materials were collected, analysed and the applicability of each was evaluated in regards to its usability in preparation for interpreting. This paper introduces the research of available materials and their possible effective use for interpreters. It also introduces the concepts regarding the development of materials over periods of time and points out the trends observed with these materials.

ABSTRACT. As the IT sector rapidly advances, the significance of cybersecurity has also emerged as a crucial domain. Beyond its technological dimensions, the linguistic aspect of cybersecurity plays a vital role in shaping international cooperation. This article examines how cybersecurity vocabulary is developed and standardized across different nations, highlighting countries like China, where state policies heavily influence terminology, with others countries that rely on standardized lexicons codified through state agencies. The need for a unified cybersecurity lexicon is particularly important for translators who bridge communication gaps. However, achieving a universal vocabulary is complex, as specific national contexts, such as China’s "social credit" phenomenon, introduce unique and country-specific terms. The role of English, which dominates much of IT and cybersecurity terminology, is explored as a potential unifying language, while acknowledging how nations seek to express their own values and strategies within this evolving lexicon. This analysis underscores the importance of balancing linguistic unity with the diverse geopolitical and cultural nuances that influence cybersecurity discourse.

ABSTRACT. The book “Escaping Kakania: Eastern European Travels in Southeast Asia” (CEU Press, 2024, Open Access) focuses on soldiers, doctors, scientists, writers, painters and others who traveled from their eastern European homelands to colonial Southeast Asia. Their stories are told by experts on different countries in the two regions, who bring diverse approaches into a conversation that crosses disciplinary and national borders. The travellers moved—as do the chapter authors—between two regions that are off-centre, in-between, shiftingly “Eastern,” and disorientingly heterogeneous, thus complicating colonial and postcolonial notions of “Europe,” “East,” and East-West distinctions. Both at home and overseas, they navigated among a multiplicity of peoples, “races,” and empires, Occidents and Orients, fantasies of the Self and the Other, adopting/adapting/mimicking/rejecting colonialist identities and ideologies. They saw both eastern Europe and southeast Asia in a distinctive light, as if through each other.

The roundtable discussion with start with brief presentations by six of the authors (including the editor): Tomasz Ewertowski, Pusztai Gábor, Marianna Lis, Jan Mrázek, Iveta Nakládalová, and Rafal Pankowski. This will be followed by an open discussion. The participants will critically reflect on the book as a whole, on the experience of the project (e.g., the cross-disciplinary, cross-national collaboration) and on selected issues, in a way that goes beyond the concerns and achievements of the book. This will include relating the narratives and ideas discussed in the book, which focuses on the colonial period, to current 21st century social and political situation, and to the renewed violence of the notions and narratives of “Europe,” “Asia,” “East” and “West,” and existing Eurocentrisms, racisms and colonialisms, in both eastern Europe and southeast Asia today. The launch/roundtable can thus be thought of as a hopeful experiment in using critical historical research to undermine, or at least to escape, currently dominant prejudices and all manners of isms.

Anyone interested in joining the event is strongly encouraged to read some of the book, which can be downloaded for free from https://ceupress.com/book/escaping-kakania .

This roundtable will be in a hybrid format (for both online and nonline participants).

ABSTRACT. Alternate history fiction (jiakong lishi xiaoshuo 架空历史小说) ranks among the most popular genres of online fiction in China. It constructs utopian and dystopian worlds to explore avenues of alternate history, expressing social critique through metaphors to escape political censorship. Time travel appears as a favorite plot device to set up narrative frames in alternate history fiction, making temporality a crucial narrative tool to connect representations of both perceived reality and imagined utopian and dystopian worlds. Time travel distorts and deconstructs the linear sequence of past, present and future, leading to other forms of temporality such as cyclic time, eternal time and timelessness while remaining rooted in traditional Chinese culture and religion. This paper examines the co-existence of different forms of time in four online fictional narratives: Qing yunian 庆余年 (Joy of Live) by Mao Ni 猫腻; Zhang gongzhu 长公主(The Princess Royal; aka the TV drama Du huanian度华年, The Years of Life) by Mo Shubai 墨书白; Xin Song 新宋 (The New Song Dynasty) by A Yue 阿越; and Lingao qi Ming 临高启明 (Inspiring the Ming Dynasty from the Top) by Chuiniu zhe 吹牛者. They all illustrate how multi-temporal representations of the world in popular fiction use utopian and dystopian visions to reflect on perceived reality. We argue that alternate history fiction manifests Chinese netizens’ nostalgic longings for a glorified past while contributing to digital worldbuilding, providing insights into the dreams, nightmares, self-awareness and social aspirations of China’s younger generations including millennials, Gen Z and Gen Y—the children of the digital revolution. The study aims to enhance our understanding of Chinese popular and vernacular cultures and online literature.

ABSTRACT. Shenyang’s district Tiexi 铁西 (lit. “West of the Track”) has produced at least two well-known fiction writers retelling the story of painful and deep socio-economic transformation of the area in the 1990s. Ban Yu 班宇 and Shuang Xuetao 双雪涛 share the same trait – they are considered young and promising authors, they are grounded in the present yet look back towards the decade of massive lay-offs and rapid influx of market forces into what used to be the most industrial and the most modernized parts of China. This presentation aims to analyze the features of temporality in Ban Yu’s short story collection Winter Swimming 冬泳 (2018) and Shuang Xuetao’s collection of three novellas titled Moses on the Plain 平原上的摩西 (2016). The temporal constructions in their writing are multilayered. The presentation aims to present at least three dimensions of these literary pieces. First, the works offer a counterpoint to a retroactive historical narrative of today that the economic decline of China’s industrial heartland was necessary and unavoidable to carry out transformation and reforms. Second, the author’s retrospective into that time presents a remarkable amount of nostalgia for the Maoist period from the 1950s to the 1970s, when socialist workers were “masters of their own society”. The possible reasons behind revisiting the past and distant periods in the history of the “constantly progressing” country seem worth analyzing in the context of contemporary discussions on the most pressing social issues. Thirdly, the matter of both author’s artistic influences may be framed in temporal terms. Some researchers point out that dongbei writers revitalize the tradition of New Literature of the early twentieth century. The parallel existence of “understrata writing” flourishing in the 21st century, rooted in the works of Lu Xun 鲁迅 and Yu Dafu 郁达夫, and that of official discourse of constant progress and moderately prosperous society (小康社会 xiaokang shehui) create conflicting chronotopes.

ABSTRACT. Aboriginal communities in Taiwan lagged behind the majority Han population in terms of progress of modernization and subsequent economic benefits. For prolonged periods of time, during which lowland regions in the west experienced fast development, aboriginal communities in central mountain ranges or in the east remained marginalized or to a large extent isolated. With changes in general socio-political situation – domestic and international - of Taiwan also the hierarchical structure of Taiwanese society began to change in the 1980s including the mutual relations between various ethnic groups. The presentation deals with the shift in position of aboriginal peoples in Taiwan relative to the dominant Han population. It is based upon data collected during field work in Taidong County from 2015 to 2020 and seeks to address the issues of Austronesian niche in the ethnic landscape of Taiwanese society.

ABSTRACT. The past four years have been rich in events that have led to deepening of relations between the Czech Republic and Taiwan, despite the absence of official diplomatic ties between the two countries. The broad purpose of this Ph.D. project is to understand the mechanisms and motivations behind Taiwan’s effort to impact local elites and public in the Czech Republic and to analyse the level of success of such activities. This paper represents the first phase of the research wherein it provides answers about where Taiwan sees soft power and public diplomacy potential, where Taiwan employs it the most, which actors are the most involved, and where (or who) Taiwan aims its soft power. This desk research has been done via analysing publicly available material. It serves as a description of the landscape that is necessary to be familiar with before digging deeper beyond the observable and uncovering the motivations, perspectives and reasons of the players involved in the soft power interaction. The findings of the external data suggest that Taiwan has created a portfolio of Czech targets that can be easily reached due of their like-mindedness. It is apparent that Taiwan employs democratic values, human rights and freedom as its elementary soft power source. Most of the political actors involved in soft power activities between the two countries observe the same values, therefore Taiwan’s efforts resonate well with them. It would appear to be the same closed circle of political and economic figures acting on Taiwan’s behalf, and thus efforts in the public domain seem to have had limited reach.

ABSTRACT. In the realm of Chinese painting, the past has always served as a great source of artistic inspiration. The concept of imitating the preceding authors’ masterpieces, and the manners that draw inspiration from history, are equally relevant in modern and contemporary Chinese art. This renewed interest in tradition is frequently accompanied by the reevaluation of historical aesthetic concepts and the attempt to redefine them in accordance with contemporaneity, resulting in changes in stylistic features and interpretation of traditional art forms. Such revitalization of archaic styles and motifs also applies to the blue-green landscape painting, significant but long-time disregarded manner of landscape depiction. This study aims to analyze contemporary approaches towards the blue-green landscape painting and its artistic manifestation. The objective is to compare the techniques, methods and philosophical context typical for historical blue-green landscape paintings, with those of contemporary artists, determine how is this archaizing style represented in contemporary Chinese art, and clarify whether and to what extent contemporary authors modify visual aspects as well as the meaning of the blue-green manner.

ABSTRACT. This paper investigates factors other than climatic issues that led to the famine conditions in Yunnan province, China from 1815 to 1817, caused by the adverse weather when Mount Tambora exploded in 1815. The analysis suggests that local governments’ long-term institutional inefficiency failed to provide relevant policies to mitigate the hardships of agricultural production conditions. The local chronicles suggested that the authorities had only emphasized collecting heavy taxes from the farmers by imposing strict law enforcement. Second, the disadvantageous quality of capital in factor endowments significantly hampered the agricultural sector. Reliance on an antiquated irrigation system required labor-intensive farming practices. Lastly, no evidence suggests that the produce and soil quality could be resilient to low temperature amomalies. The conclusion suggests whether climatic shocks will lead to harvest failures having causal relationships with institutional efficiency and adaptation utilizing beneficial quality of factor endowments. In contrast, unfavorable harvest failures and famine will prevail among the peasants and residents.

ABSTRACT. Chinese medicinal wines or liquors represent one of the methods of administering Chinese herbs within the Chinese medicine healing system to prevent and treat a variety of diseases. Presently, our perception of alcohol is drastically influenced by studies about its negative impact on our health, and this may prompt many to seek different forms of drug administration, such as pills. However, historically, alcohol is known to be the first type of medicine known to humankind and its anthropo-social function in past societies is well documented. Alcohol can not only ease physical pain and calm the mind, but it also serves as an efficient solvent for herbs and can extract important active substances that support our body and its natural healing processes.

The aim of this paper is to explore and discuss the importance of alcohol in the development of Chinese Medicine. For this purpose, a diachronic analysis will be applied to assess the changes present in medicinal wine recipes. Wine will be further explored as an initial type of medicine and map the most prominent trends throughout its historical, social, and environmental aspects. The presentation will be designed as a cross-section of medicinal wine recipes from Chinese dynasties, including comments on each of them, focusing on the trends mentioned above. The aim of this presentation is to track how the popularity of alcohol as a type of drug administration changed over time and what types of events in history or society could have impacted those changes. (This is part of my master’s thesis project (in progress), “Exploring the Efficacy of Chinese Medicinal Wines.”)