Table of Content

15 September 2014, Volume 31 Issue 5

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Articles

On the Contribution of Hong Kong’s Leftwing Film Group between the 1960s and 1970s

DIAO Wei-Fang, ZHANG Wen-Yan

2014, 31(5):  1-11. 

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 In the 1960s and 1970s, leftwing films in Hong Kong suffered unprecedented decline due to the impact of the “Cultural Revolution” in Mainland China and the emergence of nativism in Hong Kong. Despite the unfavorable climate, the leftwing film group, with their strong sense of patriotism and a passion for film, managed to perpetuate the humanistic and realist art, further diversified the film type and helped to preserve the rich legacy of the leftist tradition. The group also contributed to the film industry in its efforts to cultivate performing talents, expand cinema lines, and issue documentaries from Mainland China.

On Key Issues of Film Marketing in China

LIU Fan, LIU Jing-Ya

2014, 31(5):  12-28. 

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 Marketing is a high valueadded link in the chain of film industry. Different from general marketing, film marketing gives priority to positioning and communication. Nearly 20 modes of film marketing can be identified and analyzed by applying the theoretical framework of communication elements, which include subject, information, means, medium, and object. The integrated film marketing is highly meaningful and of great practical value. Big data gathered can greatly enhance the efficiency of film marketing.

Local Film Research in Hong Kong Over the First Half of the 20th Century

TAN Ji

2014, 31(5):  29-41. 

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 Due to its geographic location and also for historical reasons, film making and film theory in Hong Kong remains separate from the framework of Mainland China. However, the film studies in Hong Kong is closely connected to that of Mainland China and constitutes an integral part of China’s film studies. It claims a unique position in China’s film studies with its rich content, distinctive local features and close relationship with film making. It also distinguishes itself for its broad research scope and a harmonious blending of the eastern and the western cultural elements. This article looks back on the beginning of Hong Kong cinema when films first appeared in newspapers and magazines and seeks to examine the representative film publications, film studies, theoretical schools, and salient characteristics of different stages, with a view to describing the evolution of local film studies in Hong Kong over the first half of the 20th century.

Trends of Art and Literary Theory in China in the Period of Social Transition

GAO Nan

2014, 31(5):  42-52. 

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China’s social transition over 30 years has provided a good opportunity and a fertile ground for the development of art and literary theory. The introduction of numerous western theories also gives momentum to China’s theoretic production. It is of great theoretic and practical significance to trace its evolution and predict its developmental trends. Since the trends are embodied in the theoretic works published in this historical period, careful analysis of representative texts helps to gather evidence and substantiate research in this direction. The developmental trends are manifest in the five aspects: the interaction of the spirit of the time and the literary experience; the prescription and constitution of art and literary theory; reinterpretation of the theoretic base of Marxism; and reflection on the theoretic tradition and critical reception of existing categories of literary theory.

Mass Culture and Social Revolution: in Defence of John Fiske

ZHANG Hui

2014, 31(5):  53-63. 

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  In response to the poststructuralist thinking in the West, John Fiske has proposed a theoretic paradigm for explaining the dynamics for social changes. However, his theory of mass consumption has often been criticized for overlooking the macro structure of a society while exaggerating the openness of the mass culture. Such criticism has not only evaded the questions put forward by Fiske, but also neglected his theory of cultural politics developed in his later years. This article argues that as mass culture is political in nature, Fiske demonstrates the moral character of organic intellectuals in his endeavor to explore the positive potential of mass culture for the protection of mass power.

On the Layout and Embellishments of Residential Buildings in Regions South of the Yangtze River in the Ming Dynasty

LIU Sen-Lin

2014, 31(5):  64-78. 

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In the regions south of the Yangtze River in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, large and magnificent residential buildings became fashionable among officials, men of letters and merchants, and the earlier preference for simplicity and graveness now gave way to a new style that emphasized exquisite beauty and extravagant embellishments. The new vogue has something to do with the changed social status and economic strength of the owners, and also reflects the changing ideas and values of the time. These buildings bear distinct characteristics of the folk houses in the regions south of the Yangtze River in terms of layout and decoration. A comparative investigation of the historical relics of “extravagant” residential buildings suggests that the desire to transgress and deliberately challenge building hierarchy regulations is by no means common among the public. In addition, the exquisite craftsmanship, superb construction standards and flexible strategies shown in these buildings all mirror the rich architectural tradition in the regions south of the Yangtze River.

On the Construction of the Early Warning Index System for Macro Social Contradictions Based on the EffecttoCause Reasoning

WANG Lin, HUANG Li-Fang

2014, 31(5):  79-90. 

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 Group incidents are mainly caused by social contradictions. Based on the effecttocause reasoning, this article analyses the social contradictions that could lead to group incidents, with the purpose of preventing such events at source. Given that social contradictions arise from the instability of various subsystems, this article proposes a quantitative analysis model to determine the weight of each subsystem and then constructs an early warning index system for social contradictions. By the method of effecttocause reasoning, the threshold of macro social contradictions is also tentatively provided here.

 An Empirical Analysis of Factors Influencing the Minimum Wage Standard——Taking Shanghai as an Example

YANG Lian-Xiu

2014, 31(5):  91-102. 

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 Based on the macro data from 20002012, with the aid of the measurement model that works with excel, eviews and SPSS and also in the light of the grey theory—entropy principle, the article is to investigate the relationship between minimum wages and social economic development by analyzing the weight, nature and sequence of various influence factors. Research results show that the 19 selected factors have similar weight, indicating that they are equally important to the setting of minimum wages. The minimum wage is to secure the basic needs of the laborers. When set within a reasonable range, it can effectively protect the legal rights and interests of laborers, decrease the gap in income distribution and facilitate the sharing of results of innovation. China’s current minimum wage standard is too low, and can be raised steadily. It is suggested that the 19 influence factors should be carefully considered when establishing minimum wages in the future.

 China Studies by the International Leftwing Group and the Leftist Historiography of China

LI Xiao-Qian

2014, 31(5):  103-115. 

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In the formation of the leftist historiography of China, China studies by the international leftwing group has exerted considerable influence, as is evident in these great works including Historiography in China by Arif Dirlik, Studies of Chinese Rural Economy by Madjar, History of China’s Social Evolution by Safonov, History of China’s Social Economy by Sengu Keji, and Textbook of China’s History by Zuoye Jiasamei. China’s leftwing scholars have constructed localized leftist historiography by compiling, translating, imitating and appropriating the fruits of China studies by the international leftwing group as well as by adapting, and reorganizing these foreign theories in a critical manner. Despite the heritage, Chinese scholars also rivaled the international leftwing group, particularly when the Communist Party of China proposed “sinicization of Marxism”. scholars of the Party, at least in talks and assertions, criticized the China studies by the international leftwing group, thus highlighting the independence of the historians of the Party.

Borrowing and Contribution——Genealogy between Naitō Konan and Chinese Scholars

JIAN Wan-Di

2014, 31(5):  116-127. 

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The relationship between Naitō Konan and Chinese scholars can be described as “one clue,” “three relation circles,” and “several academic networks”. This article surveys the exchange and interaction between the Japan Kyoto School led by Naitō Konan and the academic circle in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It points out that this relationship is characterized by mutual borrowing and contribution. For example, in the study of the history of the Mongolia Yuan Dynasty, the Japanese scholars benefited from China’s scholarship in this research field and then contributed something new to it. Then, in the case of Dunhuang studies, China and Japan borrowed from each other and made concerted efforts to explore the field. Even in the study of Zhang Xuecheng, where Naitō Konan has decidedly played a leading and pioneering role, one has only to look at the thread of Naitō’s scholarship to understand how his moral character and values are influenced by China’s East Zhejiang School that advocates studying for practical use. The article thus argues that the interaction between modern Japanese and Chinese academic circles is not unilateral or linear, but bilateral, with alternate growth and decline.

Dynamics and Mechanisms of the Institutional Change in China′s Media Industry——A Case Study of TV Industry

YI Xu-Meng

2014, 31(5):  128-140. 

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 Based on the new institutional economics theory, the article seeks to analyze the institutional evolution of China’s TV industry and argues that changed market demands, reformed institutional environment and technological progress constitute the main dynamics of this institutional change. The institutional innovation was initiated by the “primary action group” weighting its benefits and costs and completed with the cooperation of the “secondary action group”. The “incremental” type of innovation, such as advertising operation systems and cable TV systems, brings about greater benefits for all related parties and is comparatively easy to implement. The innovation that involves adjustment of interests, or the “stocktype” innovation, encounters great resistance, like the system “separating production and broadcasting”. Market demands, the institutional environment, and the advancement of media technology will continue to be the driving force for the institutional innovation in media industry.