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The Mystery of Steam Wine
No full textWhen people talk about China, in addition to the famous scholars that Chinese civilization produced, such as Mencius (Mengzi, 孟子, 372 B.C.E. - 289 B.C.E.), Confucius (Kongzi, 孔子, 551 B.C.E. - 479 B.C.E.), and Lao Tzu (Laozi, 老子, 571 B.C.E. - 471 B.C.E.), food culture is also an essential part. Among these, alcohol, especially steam wine [zhengjiu, 蒸酒], is a crucial part. Steam wine, also known as the steam-made wine [zhengniang jiu, 蒸酿酒], is one of China\u27s long-established alcoholic beverages. Its history can be traced back to the mythical period of China [Zhongguo Shanggu Chuanshuo Shidai, 中国上古传说时代], when the technique of making steamed wine may have already appeared. Steaming wine has an important position in Chinese culture, not only as a way to drink and make good wine but also as an essential element of festivals, weddings, and banquets. However, there are still many unanswered questions about the categorization and birth of steam wine. Curiosity is the first motivation that drives academic research. As a lover of Chinese wines, I also maintain a constant curiosity about this historic beverage. Therefore, in this paper, I aim to analyze the mystery of the classification and the birth of steam wine from an objective and dialectical perspective to compare the different and controversial views and provide an informed background and framework for further research
A Fantasy in Ink: How Japanese Export Art Reflects the West\u27s Obsession with the Exotic
No full textJaponisme is an oft-studied subject in European art history. Papers and books abound describing how various artists in the second half of the nineteenth century were inspired by a pan-Western obsession with a recently opened Japan and its art. What is discussed less often is the impact this obsession had on the art coming out of Japan. As local customer bases dried up, Japanese artisans increasingly had to adapt their art to suit the tastes of a West that was enamored with the idea of their country, but the idea did not always match the reality. Through a mixed study of primary source documents, historical analysis, studies of Orientalism, and the art itself as its colors, compositions, and subjects transformed over the course of the Japonisme period, this paper seeks to demonstrate that many of the works sold by Japanese artists in international exhibitions and the art export trade were designed specifically to appeal to a Western fantasy of the exotic Orient, and that the Japan presented in those works is an invention. There are clear implications herein of the power behind art viewership and the West’s hegemony of knowledge
The N-Po Generation: The Struggle with Housing Insecurity in Seoul for the \u27Numerous Giving Up Generation\u27
Get PDFHousing insecurity has been a recurrent issue in South Korean history following the end of the Japanese colonization of the peninsula in 1945. In recent decades, South Korean youths (aged 19-39) have found themselves to be disproportionately affected. This younger generation has been dubbed the “N-Po Generation”, or the ‘N Give-Up Generation’. The combination of job insecurity, high costs and low supply of housing, and poor housing conditions influence Korean youths to give up various aspects of life such as marriage, stable employment, homeownership, and much more. This paper focuses specifically on the aspect of housing instability for youths in the South Korean capital of Seoul, with the aim of illuminating the severity of the difficulties facing the N-Po Generation, and to give policy suggestions based on past researchers’ findings. Studies conducted by previous researchers investigating the impact on the youth’s overall quality of life concluded that in order to effectively address housing insecurity, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) must implement policies that increase the supply of affordable housing, improve the quality of housing for youth, and enhance financial aid. In addition to these policy recommendations, I found it necessary that a financial aid policy be implemented that specifically considers youths whose rent to income ratio (RIR) exceeds 30%, as numerous countries have enacted similar policies. If these concerns are not addressed in future legislation, the N-Po Generation’s fears of not being able to live in adequate housing or attain more stable futures may become an inevitable reality. 
Japanese Imperial Education in Korea and Taiwan and the Lens of Reciprocal Assimilation: How Japanese Export Art Reflects the West\u27s Obsession with the Exotic
No full textWhile the Japanese Empire colonial relationship with Taiwan and Korea was undoubtedly unequal—the Japanese Empire exerting its power and influence even to a coercive extent in Korea when it brutally suppressed peaceful protest during the May 1st movement—there were also attempts by the Japanese colonial governments and Japanese citizens (both in the metropole and abroad) to establish and maintain a symbiotic relationship and (at least to some extent) learn about the culture, language, and experience of the colonies that the Japanese Empire held. This is especially relevant to education as ethnic Japanese both living in colonies abroad and the metropole would either experience firsthand or learn secondhand about the colonies that the Empire had subjugated. The assimilatory policies employed in Korea and Taiwan worked to integrate these colonies and their inhabitants into the Japanese Empire. As ethnic Koreans and Taiwanese began to enter the metropole, they also exposed ethnic Japanese in educational hubs such as Tokyo to the lives of colonized subjects in a more personal manner. Reciprocal assimilation therefore also took place as Taiwan and Korea were respectively inducted into the wider Japanese empire because at the same time that the Japanese Empire sought assimilate its colonial subjects, Japan too became a part of a wide-reaching colonial family
The Enlightenment of Anti-Confucian Thought During Late Choson: Study of genre paintings by Shin Yunbok and Kim Hongdo
Get PDFThis paper examines the intimate balance between art and political change during a formative period of the late Choson Dynasty, from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. For years Korea maintained a rigid Confucian based social stratification. Most importantly, this meant government administration was in the hands of the king and the ruling elite. However, during the 18th century, scholars began to modify traditional Korean Confucian morals to include ideas that accept human nature as desires rather than an innate quality and the importance of free will. Glimpses of such Anti-Confucian thought can be seen in the genre paintings found within this progressive period. The most recognized genre paintings of the time involved portrayals of daily activities of rural communities. Paintings were based on real observations and depicted mundane activities such as potters making pots, children attending school, and women sewing. Kim Hong-do (1745–1806) perfected this branch of genre paintings and elevated its position within the high court and even earned the acknowledgement of the king. Another major artist of genre painting is Shin Yunbok (1758–1800s). Both of the artists used their work not only as poetic expression but also as a form of satirical commentary on the corruption of the elite. The change in ideologies sprouting in Korea during the time encouraged these artists to portray Anti-Confucian ideals in their painting language. This paper aims to study how Shin Yunbok and Kim Hongdo’s paintings reflect the changing political mood during late Choson period
中美贸易合作与竞争对美国制造业和普通人生活的影响: The Impact of Sino-US trade cooperation and competition on American manufacturing and everyday citizens
Get PDF本文分析了中国经济增长对美国制造业的影响。写于 2021 年夏天
Summary: This piece describes how Sino-US trade relations and a growing economic interdependency have affected the US manufacturing industry and the lives of everyday citizens. A general introduction to the development of Sino-US trade relations is followed with a brief discussion on some of the mutual co-benefits of trade cooperation as well as the potential consequences of economic competition and its accompanying high tariffs. There are many reasons for the growing economic tensions between the US and China. However, rather than simply attributing this growing economic competition to the domestic political and cultural environment or language barriers between the two countries, this piece argues that such tensions stem from the growing Sino-US trade deficit, severely impacting the US manufacturing industry and its accompanying job market. In order to revive the U.S. economy and increase U.S. manufacturing jobs, but also to curb China’s development and the strengthening of China’s hard power, the U.S. government has imposed increasingly higher tariffs on Chinese-made products. To further protect and advance its own global economic position, China has taken a similar position in its own institution of tariffs on U.S. manufactured goods. This economic competition, however, has only hurt the lives of everyday citizens. Looking ahead, we don\u27t know yet whether the U.S.-China economic relationship will improve or deteriorate further. It will be interesting to follow the future development of these global superpowers and see if China and the United States can finally put the greater interests of the world and everyday people over their own national ambitions.Author’s Note: This piece was written in the summer of 2021 and does not account for major changes in trade relations due to the pandemic. Although the ongoing pandemic is sure to impact the state of Sino-US trade relations, I believe much of which is argued in this piece can still be relevant today