ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction This lecture is a close examination of women liberation during the Cultural Revolution in China. Despite the great suppression that women were subjected to, they stood up against all odds to defend their rights. Rising from the lows of an abused slave, Wu Qiong Hua showed a great spirit of a soldier. She had a strong will to stand up for her rights and that will led her into joining the army and finally became an army leader. She had a great personality and great determination to fight for what was right. Considering the male dominated society and era that Wu Qiong Hua lived in, it is hard to imagine the feat she was able to accomplish. She was more than a fighter; she had the personality to fight women suppression. Thesis Women in China had been chained up by the traditional feminine role for thousands of years. They were coerced to obey the three obedience and four virtues . Mao introduced a new perspective of viewing women thus redefining the woman theory in a more liberal perspective. This was during the Cultural Revolution and women gracefully enjoyed a new status they had never experienced before. The new era in womanhood witnessed deep transformations spanning from the external appearance to the internal perceptions which had been deep seated during the class struggle era. The woman soldier is squarely a product of the actions of Mao, and thus of the socialist China. She is a witness and a proof of the transformation that took place during the socialist era. Women of this era were the contradictory mixture. They were the modifiers and were also the ones that were modified. The Red Detachment of Women, both in 1961 film version and 1964 ballet version, presented the enormous transformation of the female figure and their social status during the era of socialist China. The Red Detachment of Women, which had been assumed as the “model work” in Cultural Revolution, also reflects the life, politic, ideology and social values at the time. Historical Background The pre-socialist era was oppressive towards women. There were very many oppressive practices that the society embraced and which greatly burdened women. Fulton discusses these practices in great details. The first practice she highlights is that of foot-binding. This is an eleventh century practice introduced to the society by the wealthy class. Foo
Introduction The absolutism that characterized the seventeenth and the eighteenth century was largely necessitated by the upheavals of the sixteenth centuries and the tragedies that were to follow. It in this period that Europe would witness civil wars and religious intolerance leading to the loss of lives for thousands emanating from the differences in creeds. It is in the light of this that the proposal of absolutism was brought on the table with people willing to let go off their democratic and liberalist ideals for the sake of peace and tranquility. Main text The monarch got a renewed chance to assert itself in power taking over some important sectors of government with most public officials being answerable to the monarch. This was in the midst of much opposition from the worst critics of the kings; the church and nobles amongst others (Kimmel, Michael S, 16). There are a number of monarchs that were established in England for example. Absolutism refers to a political arrangement that sees the king or the queen enjoy the control of all the government arms with minimal interference from the legislature. This however was on the wane towards the second half of the 17 th century. By the time James VI Scotland took over the mantle of power for example, he had hoped to introduce absolutism, but the legislature still wielded much power he could not succeed. This was in the seventeenth century. France represents one country that practiced absolutism due to the inherent weaknesses of the other government arms (Zmora, Hillay, 36). . The major differences that exists between absolutism in the 17 th century and the one for the 18 th century is that not only was the 17 th century absolutism lacking the existence of a strong legislature but also the monarch was seen as also having divine backing. There existed minimal or no distinction between the state and the church. Louis XIV of France believed he was anointed by God to lead the people as their king. During his rule he went ahead and dissolved the legislature, further amassing immense political power. Absolutism was thriving more in France than it did in England (Mettam, Roger,
Introduction Changes in the realm of art might seem insignificant at first glance, yet the further scrutiny thereof will reveal that they have a profound impact on a range of domains of human life. Renaissance was one of the classic examples of how art may influence people’s lives tremendously. Because of the innovative ideas that captured Europe, a massive shift toward a new philosophy, as well as a range of societal changes, occurred, which could be observed in every piece of art produced at the time. Economic, Political, and Religious Situation in Italy in the 15th and 16th Centuries The era of the Renaissance (14-16th centuries) in art is characterized by the revival of sculpture, architecture, painting, and music. The key examples of this artistic style belonged to Italy; from the Florence Cathedral designed by Filippo Brunelleschi to Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the art flourished with new ideas and perspectives. The ideas of humanist philosophy were especially important in the context of the artistic movement. 1 It implied the focus on the worth and dignity of individuals and a downplay of religious dogmas. The image of government also changed, with Machiavelli’s “The Prince” suggesting that for political players, it is always better to be loved than feared. 2 The weakened position of the Church contributed to the success of the Renaissance – the Vatican started spending a lot of money on architecture to regain its influence in the society. In social life, the period of the Renaissance is associated with exploration and discovery of the world. The architectural works of Alberti, Palladio, and Brunelleschi combined the prominent aspects of Ancient Roman temples with the new look on art. At that time, architecture represented more than buildings; 3 it was the way of creating meaning and finding a balance with nature. The Sonnets, Triumphs, and Other Poems of Petrarch In the analysis of Petrarch’s works, Thomas Campbell suggests that the strong regard and respect for the poet is rooted in the society of Italy. He writes, “his renown has grown up like an oak which has reached maturity amidst the storms of ages, and fears not decay from revolving centuries.” 4 This points to the fact that Petrarch’s poetry was something new for people, his language was charming because it was pure and brought thoughts about the era of Renaissance, which excited people and pushed them toward discovery and exploration. 5 After reading some of Petrarch’s poetry, it becomes clear that the writer placed great importance on themes that were interesting to the general public. Thus, Petrarch was the poet of people, and brilliantly supported the ideas of humanism inherent to the age of Renaissance. Art Pieces: Description “ Expulsion from the Garden” of Eden by Masaccio (1425) The specified artwork demonstrates the development of a profound understanding of movement in painting. “ Gates of Paradise” by Lorenzo Ghiberti (1425) The art piece challenges the social concept of religion and introduces a new interpretation thereof. “ The
William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) is the most famous English writer, poet, playwright and theatre actor of all times. This talented author is nowadays admired by millions of people as a genius of literature and theatre, and this title is a deserved one. The heritage of William Shakespeare, consisting of over 30 plays, hundred of poems and sonnets, etc., constitutes today the golden fund of the world literature and amazes people all over the world (Meagher, 2003). The influence of this writer and his works over the social, cultural and spiritual lives of many generations of people has always been great but the present paper will examine one of the least studies aspects of his creative work. This paper will focus on the political influence of William Shakespeare on England of the XVI – XVII centuries. To start with, however, it is necessary to define a certain background of this issue. First of all, it goes without saying that culture and arts has always had a great impact upon the socio-political processes in a country, and England was not an exception. The time under consideration, and namely the late XVI and the early XVII centuries, was the time of great changes for England connected with the increase of its international power and military strength. Moreover, the domestic events in England were rather controversial. After the death of Henry VIII, his descendant carried out a cruel and bloody war for the throne of the kingdom. As a result, Henry’s illegitimate daughter Elizabeth became the first Queen of England. Her policies were rather strict, but modernist and progressive at the same time (Meagher, 2003). It goes without saying, that the role of William Shakespeare in this fact was rather substantial. The major instruments of his political influence were his writings and theatre performances (Fulton, 2006). Thus, the major peculiarity of Shakespeare’s style was the trend towards gradual simplification of his rhymes and the manner of writing itself. The first plays like “Titus Andronicus” or some others are filled with pompous and not always understandable expressions, comparisons and phrases. However, with the development of the author’s talent, Shakespeare comes to the more balanced manner of writing where the artistic needs are incorporated into the necessity of vivid and real depiction of life. Such ones of his plays as “Romeo and Juliet”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and especially “King Richard II” are the brightest examples of his true-to-life but still picturesque manner of creation (Meagher, 2003). Accordingly, when speaking about the political importance of his plays and his own influence upon the political life of England in the XVI century, it is necessary to state that historical chronicles are the most
Introduction Tattoos have been used as skin decorations since ancient times. The word comes from the Tahitian word ‘tatau’, meaning “to mark” (Abramovitz, 2003). The tattoo itself is a design created by a tattooist, who draws or stencils the desired pattern on the skin. Then the operator guides a small tattooing machine over the skin in a manner similar to the way a sewing machine works. The machine has one or more needles connected to tubes containing dyes. Each needle repeatedly punctures the skin and releases tiny ink droplets underneath. The procedure may involve significant pain and bleeding. Depending on the size of the tattoo, it may take from a half-hour to several hours to complete. If all goes well, the skin heals in one to two weeks. Tattoo shops are illegal in some states. Even in places where they are legal and are regulated by local licensing laws, they may be prohibited from serving minors (Abramovitz, 2003). Main body People have different opinions about getting a tattoo. Some abhor it, while some are seemingly addicted to putting prints all over their body. For those who don’t like getting a tattoo, their foremost reason is that they have a low tolerance to pain. They could not imagine themselves being pricked hundreds, or maybe thousands, of times by a needle just to have their body printed. The second common reason is that they despise the idea of having printed marks on their skin. But for those people who are totally into tattooing, there are a number of reasons why they do. First, it should be noted that people of all ages can have a tattoo. And according to statistics, teenagers, with ages ranging from 13-21 years old, rank the first of those who have tattoos. These teenagers then revealed that trends and/or fashion statements are the foremost reasons. Having tattoos has become a fashion statement from all over the world. Becoming ‘in’ or trendy is also relative to friends’ pressu
Introduction Every city is a complex structure with numerous elements that influence the lives of its inhabitants. At the same time, as a nation grows and develops, it appropriately changes its living surroundings. Consequently, this mutually dependent relationship between people and their cities has resulted in significant urban changes that have happened throughout the whole world. The development of every city is a unique process because it is shaped by various phenomena, including economic, social, and environmental peculiarities. That is why it is reasonable to consider what specific trends can be found in different circumstances. To this end, the given paper will analyze the urban design and its changes in Beijing, Boston, and New York. A careful and comprehensive analysis will demonstrate that New York is the most affected by external factors, while Boston is more suitable for living. Urban Change in Beijing Beijing is the capital of China, and this mega-city is a home for more than 20 million citizens. The city has a rich history and currently hosts representatives of many minorities. That is why it is a challenging task to present a simple description of the urban forms. As a result, one can find both contemporary skyscrapers, such as China Zun, and traditional Chinese buildings, including the Summer Palace, Wanping Castle, Temple of Heaven, and others. At the same time, one should emphasize that all these buildings, both modern and ancient, have peculiar Chinese features, which means that immigrants and their cultural preferences have not much influenced the city. It is not a surprise that Beijing has experienced essential urbanization recently. Thus, Yang et al. indicate “a 7-fold increase in the urban footprint of the Beijing urban region” (2). This information means that the volumes of urban land use have become higher to meet the demands of the growing population. The fact that the city grows in breadth represents a threat to the cultural heritage because urbanization makes the ancient city walls, linear space elements of Beijing, disappear. That is why the focus has been shifted from incremental expansion “to internal development, which emphasizes quality optimization” (Dong et al. 14). While analyzing the mega-city, one should draw attention to its streets. In Beijing, the streets form a complicated system, and each of them has a specific main. The picture above by Dong et al. demonstrates such a distribution in the Old City of Beijing (19). Even though the information above is said to improve movement within the city, the streets imply severe issues. It refers to the fact that rapid urban development has focused on the dominant role of vehicles. As a result, motorways, bike lines, and sidewalks have witnessed little attention, which has brought some
The Civil War was the most devastating event in the history of America. The severe conflict continued for four decades, and it revealed profound economic, social, and political discrepancies between the North and the South. African Americans have fought every conflict in the United States of America. The contribution of blacks to the confederates is thoroughly studied by numerous authors and stated that these soldiers were dedicated and played a vital role for the Union and Confederate governments during the Civil War. When conflict arose in the country, the Union army hired a huge number of blacks as soldiers. The free blacks of New Orleans who created a regiment of “Native Guards” for the Louisiana armed force and the Confederate effort late in the war were to employ slaves as soldiers” (Wiley, Pp. 247). It is very depressing to know that historians of the Civil War did not give much credit to these blacks in spite of their valuable involvement in Warr. This paper focuses on the major participation of black confederate soldiers in the outbreak of the Civil Warr. Black Confederate soldiers served on the border during the Civil War with dignity against antagonistic Indians. According to data available, approximately 90,000 blacks, slave and free, were engaged in some power by the Confederate arArmyThese soldiers were classified as military laborers or body servants. Some Southern blacks might have played a significant role. The Louisiana Native Guards was a band of soldiers regiment comprised of 1400 black men and officers, who offered their services to Dixie in April of 1861 (Jordan, Pp. 218). In the subsequent year, 3000 black men and officials organized themselves into the 1st Native Guard of Louisiana. These pro-Confederate blacks were created for the defense of New Orleans. After March passed through the city, they were labeled as rebel Negroes, well-drilled and uniformed (New Orleans Daily Delta, from Walter Williams article). Louisiana employed these soldiers effortlessly for military service. Many other states had blacks volunteer their services, and some states a
Every day, people tend to come across different problems which they are supposed to solve. Some problems seem to be easy, and their solution proves to be obvious. Others happen to be difficult and require much effort. Although some people are likely to believe that this is a natural ability which everyone has, solving problems appears to be a crucial skill for specialists in different spheres to acquire, as well as a rather complicated process, with its definition, importance, and models. Solving problems is acknowledged to be a process of accomplishment of actions and reflective operations. It aims to achieve a goal which has been set in the frame of the problem situation. Solving problems is acknowledged to be a part of thinking. From the cognitive viewpoint, the process of solving problems is one of the most complicated functions which the intellect has. Therefore, it is possible to define it as a cognitive process of a higher rank which requires approval and control from more elemental fundamental skills. Generally, the process of solving problems consists of the following stages. First, it is necessary to detect the problem situation. Second, the task is supposed to be set. It implies defining the given and the aim. The final stage is to find the solution to the problem. These stages are likely to be observed in different theories devoted to solving problems (Chaffee, 2015). The purpose and the subject’s characteristics are two factors which influence the process of solving problems and its success. The solution to a certain number of problems by the same method is supposed to encourage using this method to solve other problems. There are four subjects’ characteristics: a motivational state, knowledge, intellect, and a personality. The previous failure is expected to make the solution less effective. Besides, the medium level of motivation is stated to entrain the best outcome. At the same time, low and high motivations are believed to result in worse results. Apart from that, knowledge tends to both increase and decrease the effectiveness of the solutions due to the representativeness and habits. Moreover, people with a low intellect are like to be more susceptible to the purpose. Furthermore, the success of solving problems is connected with flexibility, initiative, confidence, nonconformity, and ability to restrain movements (Chaffee, 2015). From the viewpoint of the informational approach, the problem is defined as the difference between two states. The problem is considered to be solved if the characteristics of the given and the required state appear to be identical. Therefore, the process of solving problems takes place when the organism or the artificial intellect system implements a changeover from the current state to the desired target state. The representatives of the informational approach are claimed to base themselves on the fact that a person, like a computer, operates with symbols (signs). Therefore, calculating machines might be used as a devi
Abstract This research aims to assess certain features of the Chinese economy to identify why the country is currently failing to uphold export-based growth, and what factors are preventing the country from boosting the export sector further. Moreover, the paper would analyze the fresh growth engines, evaluate how fast would be the ‘new normal’ growth, and scrutinize the economic, political, and social reforms critical for China to maintain sustained and strong economic growth in the future. Even though the extensive reforms allowed China to experience increased efficiency resulting in a tenfold rise in the gross domestic product since 1978, after the global financial crisis, the country has lost its vitality in the export sector, making the overall economic growth slower. Luckily, China has found new growth sectors to boost its economy over a longer period, and the government is nurturing these segments through different mechanisms. Introduction With the widespread reorganization of the economy through the means of fiscal decentralization, rising independence of the state-own organizations, the rapid expansion of the private sector, and liberated trade and foreign direct investments since the 1970s, China has shifted from a centrally planned to a more market-oriented economy, becoming the biggest exporter of the globe in 2010, Why China is Failing to Grow Relying on Exports According to Yao (2016), China is failing to retain constant economic growth from the export sector in the recent years due to a number of reasons; however, one of the major factors is that the country’s export-led growth model has reached its limits and the credit-driven investments can merely provide transitory support in this area, In addition, when global economic downturn started to haunt the entire world, international trade mechanisms faced an abrupt disintegration, posing serious threats to China’s export competitiveness because as the global leader in trade, the country is critically reliant on the foreign markets, and it cannot continue to accumulate sufficient gross domestic product if export demands continue to fall, It has been further suggested that even though the world has recovered from the financial crisis, according to recent statistics, international trade is persistently diminishing in volume, reducing China’s chances to revive its exports by means of different political and fiscal strategies, What would be the New Growth Engines for the Country The State Council (2016) reported that China has recently sat in a dialogue with the President of World Bank, Managing Director of International Monetary Fund, and the Director-General of World Trade Organization to discuss the new growth engines of the country and the overall economic transition that occurred because of the shift in the sectors affecting growth, It has been noted that the fresh driving forces are expanding, reflecting the country’s central planning to reform and boost growth with a structural shift in t