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A Study on Periodical Meaning of Geography, Race, and Gender — Immigrants' Ethnic Culture of Wei-Jin(魏晉) Era Based on an Analysis into『 Shishuo-ShinYu(世說新語)』

  • The Journal of Chinese Cultural Studies
  • 2017, (38), pp.205-238
  • DOI : 10.18212/cccs.2017..38.009
  • Publisher : The Society For Chinese Cultural Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Chinese Language and Literature > Chinese Literature > Chinese Culture
  • Received : October 14, 2017
  • Accepted : November 15, 2017
  • Published : November 30, 2017

Youngsuk Lee 1

1신한대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This is a study to trace the meaning of Geography, Race, and Gender in the era of “Wei-Jin” based on an analysis into 『Shishuo-ShinYu(世說新語)』 which is the optimal text to reflect unique traces of civilizations, cultural exchanges and convergence between the races of Wei-Jin(魏晉) era. The rationale behind this study is that there are more than 700 people from various countries including the nobles, monks, scholars, women, maidens, and ethnic groups of about 200 years from the end of East Han Dynasty to the end of East Jin in 『Shishuo-ShinYu(世說新語)』. Thus, through this book I can find out the valuable resources of similarities and differences of gender language, customs and lifestyle between Han and ethnic in Wei-Jin Northern and Southern Dynasties. This study considers the various materials of the ethnic immigrants variously projected in the 『Shishuo-ShinYu(世說新語)』 into three parts: “distribution of exotic goods and globalization of market, breakdown of language barriers and expansion of world view, change of male and female appearance and reorganization of gender order”. The ethnic material of the immigrants in this era was valuable as a symbol of political power, social status and economic wealth, and its practicality and simplicity also meant spiritual and physical freedom to loosen the standard of tradition and discipline. The collapse of language barriers and the breakthrough of the exclusive world view have led to the cultural achievement of the expansion of cognitive horizons. The exciting weather and active vitality of the Northern ethnic female, excellent in survival and adaptation, gave life and vitality to women of Han race who were restricted to societies and socially isolated in Central districts of China. Through the contacts with ethnic immigrants in the era of Wei-Jin Northern and Southern Dynasties, the heritage of vertical collectivism, bondage, and traditional culture, which are products of the Han community, gave place to pragmatism, openness and equality consciousness. Therefore, the coexistence of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Civilization of the Han race in the era of Wei-Jin Northern and Southern Dynasties was the root cause of unstable state of confrontation, conflict, tensions in politics, however, ultimately it turned into the fact that it fueled the development of material civilization and expansion of values and consciousness.

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