Volume 12 Issue 4

This paper re-examines the intended meaning of the term “six horses” (liuma) in Du Fu’s poem Raising the Banner (Yangqi). Through an analysis of both its symbolic imagery and literal description, and in light of Du Fu’s political thought, Tang dynasty conceptions of “six horses,” and the flag policy of military governors during the Guangde era, the paper argues that the term does not refer to the metaphorical “six-horse imperial chariot,” the image of “six horses raising their heads for feed,” or the misreading of “five horses and one dapple-gray horse” as suggested by earlier scholars. Instead, the “six horses” are a literal reference to cavalrymen bearing six dao banners (liudaoqi). The article first traces the image of “six horses” in Wen Xuan and Complete Tang Poems, observing its frequent association with emperors or auspicious symbolism. Then, based on the Tang military banner system and Yan Wu’s identity as a military governor, it demonstrates that “six horses” refers specifically to the cavalry entering the field while bearing six large banners.

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Lu Nei is a highly influential figure in contemporary Chinese literature, and his Following Trilogy has garnered considerable attention for its vivid portrayal of youth and coming-of-age experiences. Dominated by a male narrative perspective, the trilogy often reduces female characters to subordinate roles in male development or to objects of emotional projection, thereby creating a condition of “narrative obscuration.” However, such obscuration is not mere neglect but rather reflects a complex interplay of cultural and gendered power structures. By exploring the process of unveiling these female representations, this study seeks to expose the gender consciousness, socio-cultural contexts, and authorial intentions underlying the texts. This inquiry not only deepens the understanding of Lu Nei’s literary oeuvre but also offers a new interpretive framework and critical perspective for gender representation in contemporary literature.

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This study proposes a comprehensive solution integrating digital archiving, semantic analysis, and design translation to customize a visual identity system for intangible cultural heritage. In collaboration with the inheritors, research is conducted, integrating image-aggregating artificial intelligence and text mining technologies to extract basic cultural symbols from mountain sacrificial music, simple embroidery techniques, and coastal festival dances. Through iterative design workshops, the symbols are transformed into unified logos, color matching systems, and font systems to ensure cultural authenticity. The expert committee evaluates the semantic fidelity of each component, while for the survey of local residents and tourists, it measures the recognition rate, participation rate, and purchase intention. The results show that the recognition rate of each visual system in the resident group reaches 90%, and in the tourist group it reaches 78%. The interest scores were all above 4.0 points (out of 5). After being applied to silk scarves, gift box packaging, interactive mobile applications, and festival-related products, it effectively increased product sales, the number of registrations for craft workshops, and the number of festival visitors. Empirical evidence shows that this three-step integration route promotes the commercial value of cultural tourism while preserving cultural authenticity, providing a replicable model for other regions to strengthen heritage and regional brand building through design.

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This study explores how second-generation Chinese immigrants in Australia reconstruct their cultural identities through creative writing. Thirty participants created narrative essays in English and continuously recorded reflective journals in a four-week writing workshop, followed by in-depth interviews. The analysis reveals two major linguistic strategies—code-switching and mixed metaphor—as well as two major thematic paradigms—cultural nostalgia and responding to stereotypes. Quantitative data show that, on average, there are 4.7 code-switches per article, and the use of metaphors spans dimensions such as food culture, natural images, family rituals, and urban memories. From a qualitative perspective, the authors describe creative writing as an enabling space: not only does it confirm bilingual capacity and coordinate double attribution, but it also helps resist simplified stereotypes. The structured and flexible reflection workshop provides a platform to revisit family legends, reconstruct the legacy narrative, and promote intergenerational dialogue. Research findings indicate that writing practice not only records the cultural adaptation and identity reconstruction of distinct groups, but also actively participates in shaping them. Pedagogical implications include integrating native language resources and cultural writing prompts into reading and writing classes to help diverse learners express their complex identities. Future studies can extend this framework to other immigrant communities and track its long-term impact on cultural confidence and social integration.

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Gē(歌) and Gē(戈) rhymes were not separated in Lu Fayan's (陆法言) Qiē Yùn(切韵) and Wang Renxu's(王仁昫) Kān Miù Bǔ Quē Qiē Yùn(刊谬补缺切韵), but were separated in Sun Mian's(孙愐) Tianbao edition of Táng Yùn(唐韵) in the Tang Dynasty. There is a close correspondence between Cantonese finals and those of Middle Chinese. The pronunciation of Gē(歌) and Gē(戈) rhymes in the Cantonese rhyme book Fēn Yùn Cuō Yào(分韵撮要), the Cantonese pronunciation recorded by missionaries, and modern Cantonese proves that the separation of Gē(歌) and Gē(戈) rhymes was mainly due to the opposition between open and closed syllables, rather than different main vowels.

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Since the “Schmitt fever” at the beginning of the 21st century, chinese domestic attention has been paid to the scholar Schmitt, representing the rise and development of Schmitts studies in Chinese. For Schmitt himself, the concept of the “state of exception" occupies an important position in his political theory, and it can even be said to constitute an ontological concept. This article sorts out Schmitt's concept of the "state of exception” and divides the domestic research progress into three types, including general research on Schmitt's concept of the "state of exception", theoretical application based on the concept of the “state of exception”, and comparative studies of Schmitt’s concept of the “state of exception” with similar concepts of other scholars. In addition, this article summarizes and explains the research situation and existing problems at the end.

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