Search Results (966)

Amid accelerating global urbanization, the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, as a repository of multi-ethnic architectural heritage, plays a crucial role in preserving plateau cultural diversity and sustaining harmonious human–environment relationships. A critical research gap persists, however, in the systematic, comparable, and quantitative assessment of urban architectural character across plateau towns, particularly in high-altitude, ecologically sensitive, and multi-ethnic regions such as Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. This study takes the Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture as a case to address the specific paradox between the homogenization of urban architectural styles and the erosion of cultural authenticity in plateau towns. We develop and apply an innovative three-dimensional evaluation model—encompassing natural substrate, built environment, and cultural context—to 22 towns. For the first time in research on this region, a chained methodological approach integrating descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis is employed to systematically examine the spatial differentiation of architectural character. The analysis reveals three key findings. First, it delineates a regional composite landscape characterized by mountain-basin enclosures, seasonal arid rivers and lakes, small-scale towns with expansive layouts, and multi-ethnic cultural fusion. Second, it identifies a clear ternary differentiation in urban style dominance: nine towns are nature-dominated, nine are human-made (built environment) dominated, and only four are culture-dominated, quantitatively highlighting a significant weakness in the cultural dimension. Third, cluster analysis objectively classifies the towns into eight distinct character groups—for instance, Category I towns exhibit strong architectural regionalism and traditional continuity, whereas Category V towns integrate modern relics with adjacent mountain-water features. Methodologically, this study contributes by providing a replicable, chained quantitative framework that addresses a critical gap in comparative urban studies of high-altitude, underdeveloped regions. Empirically, it reveals the specific “nature > human-made > culture” dominance pattern in Haixi and offers a scientific foundation for formulating differentiated conservation and development strategies tailored to distinct town types in the ecologically fragile areas of western China. Full article

This research explores the development of a decoder-only speech language model (SLM) for Kazakh, a language currently characterized by limited computational resources. Our approach leverages discrete acoustic units synthesized from self-supervised speech representations. Specifically, we utilize a pretrained Wav2Vec 2.0 model to extract continuous latent features, which are then transformed into discrete semantic tokens via the k-means clustering algorithm. These tokens serve as the foundation for training a generative model designed to predict and maximize the likelihood of speech-unit sequences. To facilitate this study, we curated a specialized Kazakh speech corpus by synthesizing and refining multiple publicly available audio datasets. Given the constrained hardware resources available, we conducted large-scale feature extraction and tokenization to train the unit-based model. We evaluated the system’s efficacy using negative log-likelihood and perplexity metrics on independent test sets. The model captures Kazakh vowel harmony but struggles with long-range agglutinative chains. Key observations include the model’s high sensitivity to data quality, tokenization techniques, and specific training hyperparameters. Although constrained by data volume and training time relative to global benchmarks, the model successfully captures the underlying structural patterns in Kazakh speech. This work establishes a vital empirical baseline and suggests future improvements through refined unit discovery and integrated speech-text modeling. Full article

In the face of escalating ecological crises, this study explores the ecological wisdom embedded in Laozi’s concept of “Dao” and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s belief in the “Over-Soul,” conducting a systematic comparative analysis of their views on nature within the framework of ecological religion. Laozi’s “Dao” serves as the cornerstone of Daoist thought, emphasizing the unity of heaven, earth, and humans as the origin and governing law of the universe. It advocates “Dao follows nature” (道法自然), urging humans to relinquish excessive interference and utilitarian desires, humbly integrating into nature’s inherent rhythms for harmonious coexistence while inspiring reverence for nature’s sacredness and inherent worth. Emerson’s “Over-Soul,” central to New England Transcendentalism, posits a universal spirit permeating all existence, with nature as its outward manifestation and symbolic expression of the divine. Through direct engagement with nature, individuals access spiritual elevation, moral insight, and reverence for all life forms. Despite distinct cultural origins, both Laozi and Emerson sacralize nature, foster opposition to anthropocentric exploitation, and envision harmonious human–nature relations—albeit through different pathways: Wuwei and surrender for Laozi; intuitive communion for Emerson. While their metaphysical visions do not fully align with modern ecocentric notions of objective intrinsic value (as articulated in contemporary environmental ethics), they offer profound resources for reverent coexistence. This comparative study deepens cross-cultural understanding of ecological wisdom, challenging modernity’s instrumental worldview and providing philosophical insights for constructing a rational, reverent ecological ethic. By bridging Eastern and Western mystical traditions, it highlights their shared potential to inspire sustainable development, spiritual renewal, and a transformative shift toward coexistence with the non-human world. Full article

Islands are vital geographical units with significant economic, ecological, and sovereign value. However, their development often faces challenges such as fragile ecosystems, limited resources, and inadequate infrastructure. In response, China proposed the “Harmonious and Beautiful Islands” initiative in 2022, aiming to achieve a balance between production, living, and ecological functions on islands. This study evaluates the implementation of this initiative in Zhejiang Province, a key maritime region with numerous islands. Using a comprehensive indicator system comprising 7 first-level and 36 s-level indicators, we assessed 13 well-developed islands. Results show disparities in overall scores, which correlate with the economic development levels of their administering cities. Among the seven dimensions, Cultural Advancement and Development of Unique Local Industries performed best, while Ecological Protection and Restoration and Green and Low-Carbon Development lagged behind. The study highlights the importance of tailored policies, ecological restoration, and integrated planning in promoting sustainable island development. China’s experience offers valuable insights for global small island developing states (SIDS) seeking sustainable pathways. Full article

Harmonious interactions among multiple functions form the foundation of sustainable rural development. This study proposes an innovative network-based framework to analyze the relationship between the Concentrated-Contiguous Conservation and Utilization (CCU) of traditional villages and their socio-ecological functions. An empirical analysis of 432 traditional villages in the Wuling Mountain Area of Hunan Province, China, reveals that: (1) The Concentrated-Contiguous Conservation and Utilization Network (CCUN) exhibits low density, local clustering, and limited long-distance connections, with its spatial distribution closely corresponding to forested land. (2) The socio-economic functional system is characterized by unobstructed cultural exchange, a clustered spatial pattern, transportation-dependent development, and a scattered distribution of villages with high attribute values, while the central region serves a significant ecological conservation role. (3) Correlation analysis reveals an overall low level of synergy between the CCUN and the socio-economic system. Through a role matching analysis of core villages across various networks, diverse multifunctional combinations were identified and categorized into four primary types: Coordinated Development, Conflict, Restricted, and Potential. The proposed methodological framework provides a practical tool to guide local governments in steering CCU practices toward multifunctional coordination and sustainability. Full article

The main challenge of resource-poor languages—namely, the lack of sufficiently large and linguistically informed datasets for training neural models—is addressed in this paper by developing a dataset generation technology based on a Complete Set of Endings (CSE) morphological model for Turkic languages. Building on this technology, we propose a CSE-Guided Framework for morphology-aware statistical tokenization and neural model segmentation, with Kazakh as a case study. Applying the proposed CSE-guided approach to adapt well-known tokenizers for Kazakh leads to measurable reductions in neural model training time (up to approximately 33%) in our experimental setting, primarily due to shorter tokenized sentence lengths. In addition, we extend the SOTA FEMSeg-CRF architecture by incorporating Kazakh vowel–consonant harmony rules at the embedding generation stage. Within the proposed framework, training on a corpus of CSE-generated wordforms results in the FEMSeg_kaz_v2 model, which is evaluated using intrinsic segmentation metrics. Training on a CSE-segmented sentence corpus yields FEMSeg_kaz_v3, which is further assessed using intrinsic, extrinsic, and external evaluation on a manually prepared gold-standard dataset. The paper presents a CSE-guided framework for morphology-aware tokenization and segmentation for Turkic languages, supported by corpus construction, model extensions, and multi-level evaluation. The proposed CSE-Guided Framework can potentially be adapted for other Turkic languages. Full article

Daoist female alchemy (nüdan 女丹) texts articulate a bodily paradigm in which humans and nature mutually enfold one another, and in which yin and yang interact in harmonious complementarity. Through an analysis of three key dimensions, the yin-yang cosmology embedded in these texts, the ways menstruation, desire, and the female breasts are reconceived in the course of cultivation, and the ideal of gestating an a priori (xiantian 先天) embryo, this article argues that nüdan writings present a gender-symmetrical, pre-sexual symbolic culture. This culture both acknowledges gender difference and ultimately transcends it, seeking a return to the undifferentiated, yin-yang combined condition of primordial Dao. These texts reveal that women and men possess complementary yin and yang attributes that must be reintegrated in order to return to the a priori state and attain infinite vitality. They likewise suggest that both women and men harbor active, originary desire, and that only through equivalent processes of bodily transformation, reverting the sexualized, adult bodies into the unsexualized bodies of the girl and boy, can practitioners acquire the power to gestate the inner elixir, symbolizing inexhaustible vitality. In this sense, nüdan writings develop a pre-sexual narrative centered on vitality, offering a resonant response to concerns within postmodern feminism regarding how to dismantle centralized, phallogocentric narratives while enriching non-gender-centralized symbolic cultures. They thus provide a special path to reconsider gender not by advancing forward, but by stepping back into a more primordial, integrated ideal. Full article

The mandate of Heaven (tianming 天命) is one of the fundamental beliefs of ancient China. Its origin can be traced back to at least the Shang and Zhou dynasties. During the era of the Hundred Schools of Thought, it was developed into a philosophical concept by Confucianism. Nevertheless, its religiosity was still inherited and developed by Confucianism, particularly the form of Confucianism that served as the state religion since the Han Dynasty. Hence, these two distinct yet intertwined Confucian perspectives on tianming coexist harmoniously. This symbiotic relationship serves a dual purpose: it nurtures the humanistic spirit and belief among the intellectual elite while simultaneously offering a universal religious belief accessible to the common people. The underlying essence that enables Confucianism to accommodate these two disparate spiritual temperaments lies in its core tenets of unremitting self-improvement and profound humanistic concern. The Confucian concepts of tianming and related religious ideas inherently encapsulate a humanistic spirit that resonates with the ethos of modern society. Full article

As the importance of emotional interaction between humans and robots continues to gain attention, numerous studies have been conducted to identify the characteristics and effects of emotional HRI (Human–Robot Interaction) elements applied to robots. However, no study has yet combined various HRI elements into a single robot and conducted large-scale user experiments to determine which HRI element users prefer the most. This study selected four characteristics that facilitate attachment and emotional bonding between humans and animals: grooming, emotional transfer, imprinting, and cooperative hunting (play). These four characteristics were incorporated into the design and behavioral patterns of the robot EDIE as HRI elements. To allow users to effectively experience these elements, a 30 min runtime robot performance content featuring EDIE as the main character was developed. This large-scale experiment in the form of a performance enabled participants to engage with all four HRI elements and then respond to a survey identifying their most preferred element. Over two experiments involving a total of 3760 participants, this study examined trends in user preferences regarding the robot’s characteristics. By identifying the most effective HRI elements for fostering user attachment to robots, the findings aim to contribute to the harmonious coexistence of humans and robots. Full article

In recent years, greenwashing has been seen as a critical issue in the tourism and hospitality sector. This study is structured to systematically examine the literature on greenwashing in the tourism and hospitality industry and to establish a study identity. The study is based on the evaluation of 42 qualified articles from the WoS and Scopus databases using the SLR method, in harmony with the PRISMA protocol. As a result of the analyses, the research was classified into seven thematic headings: consumer perception and behavioral responses; employee behavior and internal effects; corporate communication and marketing strategies; strategic corporate social responsibility; critical approaches; greenhushing; and conceptual framework development. According to these findings, extensive study has been focused on consumer perceptions and behavioral responses, yet lacks information on environmentally friendly practices, employee behavior, and organizational structures. This study is important because it connects these different views, offering a practical model that works for both researchers and professionals. While the agricultural and retail dimensions have been well-documented, this study distinguishes itself by situating the analysis within the unique framework of tourism and hospitality. Full article

Multi-dimensional inequality among rural residents has become a major obstacle hindering the achievement of global poverty alleviation goals. This study utilized household sample data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) over four periods from 2014 to 2020 and applied them to a high-dimensional fixed effects model to estimate the impact of digital literacy on multi-dimensional inequality among rural residents. The results show that digital literacy can effectively alleviate the multi-dimensional inequality of rural residents. From the perspective of a mediating effect, digital literacy alleviates the multi-dimensional inequality of rural residents by improving the level of social capital and promoting social harmony. Moreover, the alleviation of multi-dimensional inequality among rural residents by digital literacy varies among different groups. The impact of digital literacy on the multi-dimensional inequality of agricultural workers and rural residents in western regions is relatively greater than that of non-agricultural workers and rural residents in other regions. Information processing literacy in digital literacy has the most significant impact on the multi-dimensional inequality of rural residents. This paper enriches the mechanism paths of digital literacy in alleviating the multi-dimensional inequality among rural residents in terms of both material and spiritual aspects, and provides a certain reference value for achieving the all-round development of rural residents and contributing to rural production practices. Full article

With the fast development of the 5G technology and IoV, a vehicle has become a smart device with communication, computing, and storage capabilities. However, the limited on-board storage and computing resources often cause large latency for task processing and result in degradation of system QoS as well as user QoE. In the meantime, to build the environmentally harmonious transportation system and green city, the energy consumption of data processing has become a new concern in vehicles. Moreover, due to the fast movement of IoV, traditional GSI-based methods face the dilemma of information uncertainty and are no longer applicable. To address these challenges, we propose a T2VC model. To deal with information uncertainty and dynamic offloading due to the mobility of vehicles, we propose a MAB-based QEVA-UCB solution to minimize the system cost expressed as the sum of weighted latency and power consumption. QEVA-UCB takes into account several related factors such as the task property, task arrival queue, offloading decision as well as the vehicle mobility, and selects the optimal location for offloading tasks to minimize the system cost with latency energy awareness and conflict awareness. Extensive simulations verify that, compared with other benchmark methods, our approach can learn and make the task offloading decision faster and more accurately for both latency-sensitive and energy-sensitive vehicle users. Moreover, it has superior performance in terms of system cost and learning regret. Full article

Against the backdrop of China’s comprehensive rural revitalization strategy and ongoing national park development, how universities can leverage scientific research innovation and talent resources to engage in sustainable development practices within local communities has become a focal point for both academia and policymakers. This study examines the “Harmonious and Beautiful Mountains and Seas” (HBMS) rural revitalization platform established by the Landscape Architecture discipline at Hainan University, summarizing its practical experience and analyzing its operational mechanisms. From the perspective of innovative governance, the study identifies three core values—“Nurturing Culture,” “Rural Brilliance,” and “Constructing Meaning”—and, on this basis, explores mechanisms for enhancing community resilience and pathways for brand-oriented operation in national park communities. The study aims to elucidate a novel model of university–rural collaborative revitalization. Research indicates that the “Mountain–Sea Synergy” model is not a singular community development solution, but rather a practical governance framework centered on multi-stakeholder collaborative governance mediated by universities. Its core value manifests across three dimensions: cultural revitalization, youth empowerment, and community-building significance. This model provides replicable endogenous development insights for national park communities operating under ecological conservation constraints, while also enriching university–rural collaborative research with practical case studies within the Chinese context. Full article

Buddhism has long maintained a fine tradition of establishing and preserving a hyper-stable institutional order. Historically, the Vinaya served as the institutional literature for the monasteries, but it gradually evolved into a sacred symbol of the public identity of the monks and became an object of scholastic study. Subsequently, as part of the internal monastic system, the rules governing monks transferred from being overseen by the Three Monastic Supervisors 三綱制—comprising an Elder (Sthavira), an Administrator (Vihārasvāmin), and a Discipline Master (Karmadāna)—to the Conglin system, a major innovation of Chinese Buddhism. However, the Conglin system, with more than a thousand years of history, had not experienced any major reforms. At the same time, it has also become an institutional culture within Chinese Buddhism, imbued with sacred symbolic significance. The excessive concentration of power inherent in the Conglin system, along with the lack of oversight over certain office-holding monks, represents a notable flaw within this system. The social environment of the time compelled Chinese Buddhism to adjust and reform its internal institutional construction. Only by developing institutions that align with both the vinaya and secular law; while embodying the Buddhist ideals of equality and fairness, could Chinese Buddhism remain in harmony with its era. Full article

Planning serves as a vital tool for achieving orderly land management and utilization. The success of conservation planning hinges on its ability to translate cultural heritage preservation needs into rational allocation and guidance of land resources, ultimately realizing a win–win outcome that fosters cultural continuity, social harmony, and economic development. Historic and cultural towns are highly representative urban and rural historic and cultural heritage sites. However, the participation components in the conservation planning of historic towns are complex, and the misalignment of the functions, rights and responsibilities, and interest demands of the participants often leads to a loss of actual benefits. To help achieve a reasonable transformation of the protection needs of historic towns and guide the cultural inheritance and socially harmonious development of urban and rural construction, based on game theory and the logic of planning rights games, this paper begins with an understanding of the relevant laws and regulations, conducts an empirical analysis of the game processes and situations of conservation planning in two provinces and four towns, and incorporates publicly available data from the internet for argumentation to explore the game states and operation mechanisms of conservation planning in historic and cultural towns. The findings reveal the following regarding historic town conservation planning: (1) it proceeds lawfully and rationally, reflecting collective rationality; (2) it exhibits two equilibrium modes: relatively static and dynamic; (3) game conflicts mainly manifest as multi-planning conflicts and the resulting conflicts among systems and inter-systems. The game dynamics are influenced by the value of the historic town, resource allocation, and the relationship between rights, responsibilities, and interests. To overcome the game dilemma, it is essential to establish effective cooperative mechanisms at the legal and regulatory levels based on the value of the historic town, allocate resources reasonably, and achieve a balance between rights, responsibilities, and interests. Full article