ABSTRACT

The Report of Shanghai's Cultural Exchange Development (2024), with the theme of “Creation and Continuity: International Integration and the Birth of New Culture”, includes an in-depth exploration in the paradigm shift of China studies in the new era of cultural and technological integration, the creative transformation of Chinese excellent traditional culture and the development of new cultural formats, the review of the history of international cultural exchange and construction of new relations, world literary relations and the cultural exchange between Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, etc. The content of the book is divided into five parts: “general report”, “memory and innovation in spacial media”, “national image and cultural transmission”, “the history of Sino-foreign literary exchange”, and “the cultural exchange between Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan”.

The general report, “‘The Belt and Road’ and the Paradigm Shift of China Studies” studies the birth and development of China studies and the interconnection between China and foreign countries, pointing out that ‘The Belt and Road’ is reconnecting China and the world, as a result of which the paradigm of “China Studies” is undergoing a great transformation from European Sinology and American Sinology to create a new “universality” from the “uniqueness” of Chinese characteristics.

“Memory and Innovation in Spatial Media” outlines the attributes and new connotation of Shanghai city based on the international cultural exchange and innovation in its historic and contemporary urban space. For example, Shiliupu Pier is regarded as the spatial medium playing an important role in the occurrence and development of Shanghai's modernity. Shanghai International Arts Festival has demonstrated to the world in the past ten years the humanistic ideas and innovative attitude of contemporary Chinese youth. The new trend of digital innovation and transformation of China's performing arts industry highlights its social value and value attribute, building up a mutually beneficial digital industry ecosystem. Finally, “The Games of Quadratic Element” created in China is a cultural type with distinct characteristics of multicultural integration, exhibiting a new pathway in the world cultural exchange.

“National Image and Cultural Transmission” reviews the history of cultural, political and economic exchanges between China and other countries in the world and expounds new trends. Taking the export of China's new energy vehicle as the example, and based on the theoretical speculation and empirical research of “the materiality of communication”, the first paper expounds the new paradigm of international communication with “objects that articulate”, opening up a new path of constructing China's narrative and discursive system through interdisciplinary studies. The second paper outlines the 500 years of interaction between China and Spain in the process of which the first global economic network was set up and, as a consequence, greatly promoted the exchange of different cultures. The third one is on the first project of Japan's Earth Art Festival in China, “The Arts in Fuliang”, which becomes an important model for the successful introduction of new forms of foreign contemporary art into China's rural areas and the prosperity of rural areas because of the project. The last one of this part is about the 600-year history of Mazu civilization exchanges between China and Malaysia, which demonstrates the great vitality of people-to-people diplomacy.

“The History of Sino-Foreign Literary Exchange” explores important historical materials in modern China/Shanghai and the world literary exchange. For example, the translation version of Bible in Shanghai dialect and Shanghai Christian Dialect Association, which appeared in the late 19th century, have had a special contribution to the process of writing and standardization of Shanghai dialect. The adaption and enhancement of Shakespeare of the early Chinese films “Female Lawyer” and “Yijianmei” responded to the imagination and construction of national and gender discourse.The old collection of books in Gao Guan Lane, Hangzhou, owned by the Secretary of Customs and Excise, Theodore Moule, exhibits the communication between Chinese and Western scholars, and the wide spread of British and American literature in China, promoting the cultural integration between China and the West.

“The Cultural Exchange between Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan” examines the cultural exchange between the two sides of the Straits and the mainland based on the historical memory and contemporary context. Many of the historical and cultural memories retained in Shanghai witness the historic role of Shanghai in cross-strait exchanges. Hong Kong actively participates in the national development and the construction of the “Humanities Bay Area”, and promotes the new pattern and new path of building “The Center of Sino-Foreign Cultural and Arts Exchange”. The writings on Hong Kong by Writers of Shanghai style present the dual visions of Shanghai and Hong Kong, constructing an interactive space of the conflict and symbiosis of the two urban cultures. The new poetics of natural disposition in contemporary Macao poetric-circle shows the unique image of Macao with its unique poetic heart and writing skills.