Asian Arts and Society Journal

A Review and Future Prospects of Research on Chinese Corporate Spokespersons

Guoyan Zhang — 2026-06-30

Since the establishment of China's spokesperson system in 1983, over 40 years have passed, leading to the emergence of three main categories of spokespersons: government, corporate, and institutional. While government spokespersons have evolved steadily, corporate spokespersons have faced a "high start, low finish" situation. In recent years, Chinese firms have made extraordinary resolve and investment in globalization, coinciding with changes in China's and the world's economic conditions. Corporate spokespersons are a crucial component of the growth process of modern organizations since they not only disseminate company information but also guide public opinion and manage crises. To gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the overall development of research on corporate spokespersons within Chinese academia over the years, this study, grounded in a historical perspective, systematically reviews and synthesizes existing scholarly literature on the topic. It also seeks to explore the extended value and potential areas for innovation in the study of Chinese corporate spokespersons within the context of the new era. In doing so, the study aims to provide useful references and insights for current theoretical and practical research in related fields.

The Tale of the Venerable ‘Alī: Transmission, Development, and Changes of Persian Hamza-nama Narrative in the Central Javanese Wayang Golek Cĕpak Rod Puppetry

Rudy Wiratama — 2026-06-30

Wayang golek cepak as a Pasisir or northern coastal style of central Javanese rod puppetry, same as its golek menak counterpart in the southern coast of this island, have been always identified with its Islamic repertoires, rather than the more popular Hindu-originated Mahabharata and Ramayana which became an integral part of the much widely recognized wayang purwa performances. Besides recounting the tales of 16^th century Javanese Muslim saints (wali sanga) and local chronicles (babad), the wayang golek, both cepak and menak, were originally said to take the Menak tales as its main repertory. The Menak tales used in wayang golek, however, adapting a much loose form of the Persian epic Hamza-nama, which has been absorbed to Javanese literature through various ways. This article will try to trace the influences of Hamza-nama in this popular puppetry, studying the case of a performance with the story “Sahabat Ali” or “Sayidina Ali” in Pekalongan style wayang golek cepak.

The Fabric of Modernity: Place, Memory, and Materiality in Yin Xiuzhen’s Portable Cities

Xiao Huang — 2026-06-30

This article presents a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of Chinese artist Yin Xiuzhen's seminal series, Portable Cities (ongoing since early 2000s), arguing that it constitutes a critical artistic methodology for responding to the conditions of global modernity. In an era defined by accelerated mobility, cultural homogenization, and the erosion of local distinctiveness, the series—featuring miniature urban landscapes crafted from city residents' donated clothing and encased within standardized suitcases—transcends mere representation to perform active cultural work. Through the integrated lenses of media studies, formal analysis, memory studies, and place theory, this study examines the suitcase not as a passive container but as a portable heuristic device or "worldmaking" apparatus. The analysis sequentially unpacks four interconnected operations of this device: (1) functional rupture transforming the suitcase from mundane object to "thing" and mixed-media ensemble; (2) formal collision between global form and local materials generating specific narrative structures; (3) performative archiving materializing social frameworks of memory; and (4) place-making as praxis forging belonging from shared material heritage. The conclusion posits that Portable Cities offers a resilient model for negotiating displacement, challenging homogenizing globalization by asserting the agency of the local, the worn, and the handmade.

Cultural Inheritance and Technical Innovation of Mongolian Plucked Instruments from the Perspective of Intangible Cultural Heritage:A Case Study of the Quintet "Daru Laga under the Blue Sky"

Yixu Qiao — 2026-06-30

Contemporary Mongolian instrumental compositions exhibit a developmental trend characterized by the integration of traditional cultural heritage with modern compositional techniques. Plucked ensemble music, as a vital vehicle for ethnic chamber music, plays a pivotal role in the creative transformation and innovative evolution of traditional folk music. "Under the Blue Sky: Darulagha" is a representative original Mongolian-themed plucked quintet featuring a unique five-part instrumentation comprising liuqin, three pipas, and zhongruan, seamlessly blending Ordos Mongolian folk culture, traditional musical elements, and contemporary compositional approaches. This study transcends conventional technical analyses by examining three core dimensions: innovations in modern compositional techniques, systematic interpretation of cultural significance, and refined multi-part performance execution. It systematically examines the work's tripartite structure, innovations in ethnic modes, and the application logic of aleatory music techniques, while uncovering its embedded Mongolian wedding customs and nomadic spiritual essence. Drawing on practical ensemble performance experience, the study establishes core performance methodologies for technical control, timbral integration, and multi-part musical dialogue. This research enriches the theoretical framework of Mongolian plucked chamber music, providing robust theoretical and practical foundations for in-depth research and global dissemination of similar ethnic instrumental works, thereby facilitating the preservation and innovative development of ethnic music within the international artistic landscape.

Rooting Dance Education in Primary and Secondary Schools: A Practical Examination of the Psychosomatic Value of Shanxi “Xiaohua Opera”

Yuange Tian — 2026-06-30

Background: In the exam‑driven basic education of today, primary and secondary school students face multiple mental health challenges, including academic stress, emotional dysregulation, identity confusion, and insufficient peer interaction. Dance, as an embodied art integrating physical, emotional, cultural, and social dimensions, offers unique potential for psychosomatic well‑being and is increasingly recognized in aesthetic education. Dramatherapy and dance/movement therapy (DMT)—two complementary creative arts therapies—have demonstrated effectiveness in helping children and adolescents externalize emotional distress through action‑based, non‑verbal methods (Mohanan & Menon, 2017; Ougrin, Carr & Lau, 2023).

Objective: This study looks at a local folk dance from Shanxi Province, “Xiaohua Opera,” and asks whether it can be used in school dance classes to help young people. The goal is to move dance education away from performance and competition toward a more inclusive, healing‑focused practice.

Methods: The study used a mix of methods: reviewing past research, 60 hours of classroom observation across three schools, semi‑structured interviews with 25 people (school leaders, teachers, parents, and students), case studies of 12 students, and three rounds of action research. The theories used include aesthetic education, dramatherapy, DMT, and adolescent psychology. Ethics approval and informed consent from schools and parents were obtained before data collection.

Results: Three main benefits appeared. First, the dance helped students release physical tension and manage emotions. Second, it gave them a stronger sense of cultural belonging and self‑worth. Third, group dancing improved their social skills, trust, and reduced social anxiety.

Conclusion: With changes in curriculum goals, teaching materials, class formats, evaluation methods, teacher roles, and long‑term planning, Xiaohua Opera can become a regular, low‑cost tool for psychosomatic support in schools. A comparison with Teochew opera (Ngiew) in Thailand shows that without active efforts to engage the young generation, traditional arts fade. The lesson is clear: make it participatory, not just preserved.

From Tradition to Modernity: An Analysis of the Stylistic Evolution of Shanxi Piano Music

Mengtong Ding — 2026-06-30

Shanxi is rich in folk music resources, which provide important materials for the regionalized and nationalized creation of piano music. Over the past century, rooted in the core of local traditional music and integrated with Western compositional techniques, Shanxi piano music has undergone three stages: native transplantation, Chinese-Western integration, and pluralistic innovation, forming an artistic style that combines northern regional temperament with modern aesthetics. This paper adopts music morphological analysis, literature research, comparative research, and interdisciplinary research methods to define the core concept of Shanxi piano music, sort out its development context, analyze the laws of stylistic evolution from four dimensions—melody, harmony, rhythm, and texture, distinguish the differences between folk oral transmission and piano notation, deepen the interpretation of cultural connotations, and complete citations in strict accordance with academic standards. Research shows that Shanxi piano music is a typical sample of the modern transformation of traditional folk music and the symbiosis of Chinese and Western musical cultures. Its creation model of "rooted in locality, applied with modernity" provides theoretical reference and practical enlightenment for the development of northern regional national piano music and the living inheritance of intangible cultural heritage music.