Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Cantonese opera, as an item on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list, gained widespread popularity in Hong Kong from the 1930s to the 1980s. However, the limited translation of Cantonese opera into English from this period onwards has been rather fragmented. The small number of translators working in this area encounter challenges in managing huge differences in language, rhetoric, and culture. Literary and performance rhetoric should be examined in a gendered context while considering the intimate relationship between on-stage translation (i.e., surtitles) and the translation of printed opera libretti. Gender also plays an important role in translation strategies aimed at capturing various gendered rhetorical elements that convey vivid operatic effects. Following this principle, the renowned ‘gender performativity’ theory should be applied to any analysis of the rhetorical grids of the scripts. Translators of Cantonese opera into English should be particularly attentive to literary formats that resemble classical Chinese poetry, gender metaphors and performativity in the theatrical context, and the cultural elements that subtly penetrate the lines. The rhetoric in a libretto can be categorised into ‘literary’ and ‘performance’ concepts, and thus insights can be drawn from an analysis of how such gendered features should be rhetoricised and poeticised in translation, especially in terms of the classical Chinese poetic features and cultural elements within the text. Appropriate translation strategies must also be selected to accurately represent cultural nuances and capture the subtle differences in gendered representations.

The study examines Global Times ’ strategic narratives on the Russia-Ukraine War (2022–2024) by analysing 301 articles through issue, identity and systemic frameworks. It reveals China’s framing of the conflict as a US-Russia proxy war, positioning itself as a neutral mediator advocating multilateral dialogue while critiquing Western hegemony. The narratives portray Russia as a rational actor defending sovereignty, Ukraine as weakened yet reckless, and Europe-EU as internally fractured. Systemically, China projects a multipolar vision, blending realist power dynamics with idealist peace-building. The findings underscore China’s media diplomacy in contesting Western discourse and advancing its global governance agenda.

Boulder seawalls constructed with granite riprap for shoreline armouring lack habitat complexity, leading to lower marine biodiversity than natural rocky shores. Baskets of live oysters and cured oyster shells, and strings of cured shells laid on concrete blocks were installed on ripraps in Hong Kong, China with an aim to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning towards that of a natural rocky shore. Inhabiting taxa were monitored for at least 18 months and biofiltration capacity of the emerging community was determined ex-situ. Despite high mortality of the live oysters, the baskets and shell reefs developed consistently greater biodiversity than control riprap, culminating in a mean 3.8 (±0.28, 95 % C.I.) times higher across sites. The baskets and shell reefs harboured suspension feeders, herbivores and carnivores generally absent from control riprap, demonstrating the potential for enhancing ecosystem functioning. Overall, baskets and shell reefs increased biodiversity through increased microhabitat availability for epibiota on ripraps.

This paper delves into the intricate co‐selection patterns between four distinct verb tense categories required by the Curriculum and three kinds of inter‐semiotic relationships in Chinese primary school textbooks for English as a foreign language (EFL). Informed by the corpus‐based co‐selection analysis and the multimodal analysis in textbooks, it proposes a corpus‐assisted approach to evaluating the construction of verb tenses via multiple modes. An exhaustive analysis of a series of textbooks shows that the most frequent verb “be” tends to signify the temporal shifts in a parallel inter‐semiotic relationship. However, the configuration biplot derived from the cross‐tabulation between verb tenses and inter‐semiotic relationships, complemented by correspondence analysis in R , unveils a more nuanced pattern of co‐selecting the multiple modes. This pattern displays that a preferential pairing of each inter‐semiotic relationship with two specific verb tense types, exemplified through illustrative cases of co‐selection. The findings underscore the importance for textbook compilers to critically consider the interplay of multiple modes when representing grammatical tenses. The proposed approach and insights offer valuable guidance for content analysis and the design of multimodal texts in EFL textbooks, thereby enhancing their pedagogical effectiveness.

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This paper traces the origins and introduces the factors behind the explosion of the blind box game of chance in live broadcasting. It examines the impact on consumer behavior through psychological, social, and individual differences dimensions. Psychological factors such as scarcity, the framing effect, herd mentality, and the specific live streaming mechanisms of blind box game of chance create addiction closed loop, influencing consumer behavior. Additionally, the paper analyzes and discusses contradictions and ethical dimensions such as transparency, age threshold, product quality, timely gratification versus delayed gratification, and impulse consumption versus rational decision-making. The psychological factors driving instant gratification and impulsive consumption during online live broadcasts stand in stark contrast to the delayed gratification and rational consumption that occur when waiting for the delivery of purchased items. Simultaneously, this paper delves into ethical concerns such as the transparency of live broadcast opportunities, the consumption and protection of minors, and product quality standards.

This study investigates the effects of verb bias on sentence comprehension in Standard Indonesian (SI), a language where the passive construction is frequent and salient. We examined the hypothesis that lexical biases influence processing efforts. To disentangle effects of verb bias from structural effects, we held structure constant by using only passive sentences in our event-related potential (ERPs) experiment. Using an SI corpus, we identified verbs more frequently used in passive sentences (“passive-bias verbs”) and those more frequently used in active ones (“active-bias verbs”) to form passive sentences. Cluster-based permutation tests revealed significant differences between conditions. In the postverbal region (adverb), passive sentences with active-bias verbs elicited a broadly distributed negative shift that corresponded to the N280 distribution, a component associated with grammatical processing complexity. This suggests that active-bias verbs in passive contexts impose greater processing demands than their passive-bias counterparts, reflecting the integration of verb-specific preferences with sentence structure. These findings highlight how verb bias influences sentence comprehension and provide insights into cross-linguistic differences. In languages with predominantly active-bias verbs, using them in passive constructions may amplify processing costs. This study shows the importance of lexical biases and structural preferences in shaping sentence processing, contributing to a broader understanding of the interaction between lexical and syntactic factors in language comprehension.

In this study, a pair of dicarboxylic acids as cis-trans isomerism—citraconic acid (CA) and mesaconic acid (MA), was incorporated into polymeric networks of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-based core-shell microgels via semi-batch precipitation polymerization. We demonstrated that the pH-temperature dual responsiveness of the core-shell microgels is highly correlated with the structure and position of the acid isomers. Both the cis-trans molecular structure and the crosslinking position of the dicarboxylic acids significantly influenced the hydration capacity and surface charge density of the core-shell microgels. These diverse properties first influenced the swelling behavior, further affecting the interfacial behavior of the microgels, including the oil-water dynamic interfacial tension and air-water compression isotherms. Furthermore, the rheological behavior of the microgel suspensions also displayed distinct dependences on the frequency and temperature, illustrating that the cis-trans molecular structure and crosslinked position of the dicarboxylic acids also significantly influenced the interparticle clustering in the bulk solution. Our results suggest that the pH sensitivity of the cis-trans dicarboxylic acid isomer affects the ionization and surface charge distribution of the core or shell layers of individual microgels, which further determines the interparticle interaction and cooperative rearrangement at interfaces and in the bulk.

Fluid Antenna Systems (FASs) have recently emerged as a promising solution to address the demanding performance indicators (KPIs) and scalability challenges of future 6G mobile communications. By enabling agile control over both radiating position and antenna shape, FAS can significantly improve diversity gain and reduce outage probability through dynamic selection of the optimal radiation point, also known as port. Numerous theoretical studies have explored novel FAS concepts, often in conjunction with other wireless communication technologies such as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA), Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS), Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), backscatter communication, and Semantic communication. To validate these theoretical concepts, several early-stage FAS hardware prototypes have been developed, including liquid–metal fluid antennas, mechanically movable antennas, pixel-reconfigurable antennas, and meta-fluid antennas. Initial measurements have demonstrated the potential advantages of FAS. This article provides a brief review of these early FAS hardware technologies. Furthermore, we share our vision for future hardware development and the corresponding challenges, aiming to fully release the potential of FAS and stimulate further research and development within the antenna research community.

Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) was an Anglophone writer of Polish descent. His experiences of maritime travel worldwide and his decision to become a British subject inspired his depictions of heroic encounters and cultural conflicts between foreign visitors to a country and locals. Lao She (1899–1966) was a Chinese writer of Manchu ethnicity. At the end of the Qing dynasty, his status was downgraded from one of a privileged few to part of a peripheral minority. His years in London, when China was threatened by imperialist aggression, introduced him to the writings of Conrad. Joseph Conrad’s “Amy Foster” (1901) and Lao She’s Mr. Ma and Son (1929) are both concerned with the intercultural journeys of foreign sojourners through their lives in British contexts. Conrad’s and Lao She’s realistic portrayals of British nationals confronting foreign sojourners bring up issues about stereotypical judgments. Although both works include discriminatory aspects, the analysis in this chapter focuses on the similarities shared by people everywhere, such as curiosity and compassion, which can potentially help sojourners transcend fear when journeying toward the unknown. The writers’ depictions of the hypocritical of deeds by Christians provide anti-imperialist insights into the role of religion in the Empire’s project of territorial expansion. Nevertheless, the efforts of the evangelists, whether in support of a king on earth or of the Lord of the eternal universe, to connect people worldwide through the English language and the gospel, ease the obstacle of communication.

For its subjects, opera draws inspiration from various sources of cultural heritage, including myths and legends passed down through history. In this chapter, the complex interplay between Celtic myths and their corresponding operatic representations is compared with that between Chinese myths and their representations in Cantonese opera, with a particular focus on the involvement in these links of expressive folk-art traditions. The notion of love is a common theme that permeates the narrative spectrum of these myths and cannot be excluded from their operatic representations. In examining the mythological implications of this major theme in both Western and Cantonese opera, this chapter considers the two subthemes of “forever young in love” and “supernatural love through metamorphosis” with cross-references to the representation of these themes in myth and legend (Eastern and Western) and opera. Specifically, it focuses on the interplay of the “forever young in love” theme in myth and opera, through a comparative analysis of the Celtic legend Deirdre of the Sorrows and Chinese The Butterfly Lovers (Loutai hui 樓台會); the interwoven relationship of Celtic myth and Cantonese opera with the theme “supernatural love through metamorphosis,” through a comparative analysis of the Celtic myth Aengus and Caer and the Chinese opera The Legend of the White Snake (Baishe zhuan 白蛇傳). A further focus is on the narrative portrayal of tragic heroines who are victimized by men’s desires and suffer from social bondage, although different scenarios are presented in Western and Chinese cultural traditions.

Meng Jiangnü (which means the female firstborn) is a mythical character known for her tears. One of the versions of the legend depicts her as an ordinary married woman during the time of Emperor Qi, the first emperor of China. Her husband, like many other men of the time, was summoned to help build the Great Wall of China. When winter arrived, Meng Jiangnü feared that her husband did not have enough warm clothing and walked all the way to the building site to bring him winter clothes, only to discover that he had died. Her grieving tears caused a section of the Great Wall to collapse, revealing the bones of those who died in the labouring. She used her blood to identify the bones of her husband and gave him a proper burial. This story is one of the four great Chinese folklore tales. Though numerous versions and developments have occurred at different historical periods, the power of her tears in collapsing the Great Wall has remained a common feature. In 1999 a British publisher Canongate started a project of revisiting myths and invited global writers to re-present a myth of their choice for the twenty-first-century readers. Su Tong’s response to the invitation was Binu and the Great Wall of China, a re-imagination and re-configuration of the story of Meng Jiangnü for the new century. This contemporary Meng Jiangnü has a beautiful name, and her tears are not only tears of suffering. Rather, they represent the power of her will. Her long journey in search of her husband is a contemporary rite-of-passage, at the end of which she reclaims her husband’s identity from the painful anonymity of the many dead bodies. The chapter examines this re-telling and argues that Binu’s experience is a contemporary reflection on the meaning of suffering, through which the complexities of gender identity are revealed. What is of particular interest in this reflection is the relationship between mankind and nature, as seen in Meng Jiangnü’s interaction with her constant companion the frog, and how animal and human beings present themselves as beings in a continuum at different points of her journey. With this re-presentation of human–nature relationship, Su Tong’s tale of Meng Jiangnü turns suffering into a means of human connection.

In contemporary multimedia landscape, a new breed of ancient myths has emerged, earning widespread popularity. Building upon traditional mythical narratives, popular culture in the digital age has innovatively expanded and reimagined the mythical space, continually shaping and reshaping individual and collective consciousness. This chapter delves into two digital recreations of popular mythical objects in Chinese folklore traditions, the Pot in the animation Goose Mountain (2023), and the Mirror in the video game Tales of the Mirror (2021). This research examines the spatiality of these modern retellings in three layers: the visualisation of the strangeness, the spatial structure of narratives, and the metaphysical reflection of the self-journey. Central to the construction of mythical space, rooted in textual and archaeological materials and extended to the digital landscape, are the mythical objects. Hence this chapter studies the visuality of Pot and Mirror, particularly in digital narratives, to examine how they redirect audience’s gaze towards the self. The mythical Pot spits out and swallows back the hidden self, the mythical Mirror swallows one’s sight and rebounds one’s image. The digital gazing pattern between the viewer, the mythical object, and the other (or the unknown self) is formed, and through repetition, it strengthens the consciousness of the otherness in the self. Mythical objects as the instrument, audience return to ancient traditions, and return to one’s newly recognised self, and in meta-return the self reaffirms the intrinsic self.