Search Results (529)

Over the years, macromycete fungi have been used as a source of food, part of religious rites and rituals, and as a medicinal remedy. Species with strong health-promoting potential include Hericium erinaceus, Cordyceps militaris, Ganoderma lucidum, Pleurotus ostreatus, Flammulina velutipes, and Inonotus obliquus. These species contain many bioactive compounds, including β-glucans, endo- and exogenous amino acids, polyphenols, terpenoids, sterols, B vitamins, minerals, and lovastatin. The level of some biologically active substances is species-specific, e.g., hericenones and erinacines, which have neuroprotective properties, and supporting the production of nerve growth factor in the brain for Hericium erinaceus. Due to their high health-promoting potential, mushrooms and substances isolated from them have found applications in livestock nutrition, improving their welfare and productivity. This phenomenon may be of particular importance in the nutrition of laying hens and broiler chickens, where an increase in pathogen resistance to antibiotics has been observed in recent years. Gallus gallus domesticus is a key farm animal for meat and egg production, so the search for new compounds to support bird health is important for food safety. Studies conducted to date indicate that feed supplementation with mushrooms has a beneficial effect on, among other things, bird weight gain; bone mineralisation; and meat and egg quality, including the lipid profile and protein content and shell thickness, and promotes the development of beneficial microbiota, thereby increasing immunity. Full article

This study presents a cross-cultural comparison of two fortified residences—Palazzo Farnese in Italy and Dong’s Fortified Compound in China—through a triadic analytical framework encompassing architectural form, symbolic ornamentation, and public perception. By combining field observation, iconographic interpretation, and digital ethnography, the research investigates how heritage meaning is constructed, encoded, and reinterpreted across distinct sociocultural contexts. Empirical materials include architectural documentation, decorative analysis, and a curated dataset of 4947 user-generated images and 1467 textual comments collected from Chinese and international platforms between 2020 and 2024. Methods such as CLIP-based visual clustering and BERTopic-enabled sentiment modelling were applied to extract patterns of perception and symbolic emphasis. The findings reveal contrasting representational logics: Palazzo Farnese encodes dynastic authority and Renaissance cosmology through geometric order and immersive frescoes, while Dong’s Compound conveys Confucian ethics and frontier identity via nested courtyards and traditional ornamentation. Digital responses diverge accordingly: international users highlight formal aesthetics and photogenic elements; Chinese users engage with symbolic motifs, family memory, and ritual significance. This study illustrates how historically fortified residences are reinterpreted through culturally specific digital practices, offering an interdisciplinary approach that bridges architectural history, symbolic analysis, and digital heritage studies. Full article

Within the Catholic liturgy and devotion, there exists a seemingly paradoxical notion of spirituality through materiality, religious practices that are equally tangible and intangible, concurrently present and absent. This paper explores the concept of ‘absent-presence’ in early modern Catholic devotional practices, with a focus on the Order of St John during the Counter-Reformation. Drawing on case studies from Malta and across the Hospitaller world, it investigates how religious materiality (sacred objects, spaces, and rituals) expresses divine agency. Anchored in the kinetic approach to religious history, the study examines how the movement of relics, the staging of processions, and the construction of sacred spaces fostered emotional and spiritual transformation among devotees. While belief may be elusive for historians, the devotional actions of the Hospitallers demonstrate a faith deeply intertwined with motion, matter, and memory as external forces that sought to move the soul through tangible forms. Full article

The Norwegian construction sector has long struggled with conflict, particularly in large-scale and complex projects, where adversarial practices, rigid procurement systems, and insufficient early collaboration are common. This study explores how partnering contracts, which are collaborative delivery models designed to align stakeholder interests, affect conflict dynamics in real-world settings. Employing a mixed-methods approach, it combines semi-structured interviews with 21 experienced Norwegian construction professionals and a structured survey of 33 industry experts. The findings reveal that partnering can foster trust, improve communication, and reduce adversarial behavior through mechanisms such as early contractor involvement, joint goal setting, and open dialogue. However, participants also identified critical risks: superficial collaboration rituals, ambiguous roles, and unresolved structural inequalities that can exacerbate tensions. Importantly, the study emphasizes that partnering success depends less on the contract itself and more on cultural alignment, stakeholder competence, and long-term relational commitment. These insights contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how collaborative contracting influences conflict mitigation in the Norwegian construction sector. Full article

Inscribed trays, plates, mortars, and pestles made of beautiful green chert bearing formulaic administrative textual formulae were found during excavations at the Persepolis Treasury in the 1930s. These implements and the enigmatic formulae inscribed upon them present scholars with a complex and unique challenge whose correct interpretation holds important implications for the study of Achaemenid history, imperial administration, and relations between ancient Arachosia (roughly modern-day Afghanistan) and the centers of power, as well as—as I argue in this article—for the symbiosis between administration and cult in antiquity. They continue to be hotly debated ever since their inauspicious initial publication by Bowman in 1970, yet they have thus far remained obscure. By comparing these finds with material and textual data from across the Achaemenid empire and early Parthian sources, this article offers a new comprehensive study of these objects. My analysis suggests that these objects are to be considered as a more systematized and tightly controlled Arachosian form of “informal taxation”—namely, regulated gifts—which are comparable to similar imperial donations found in the Treasury at Persepolis. Specifically, they take part in an “economy of fealty” demonstrating loyalty to king and empire through the adherence to the era’s Mazdean ritual orthopraxy. Full article

This study examines the complex process of Islam’s localization in Sudan, focusing on how hospitality, Sufi dhikr, and Mawlid celebrations integrate with Islamic practices. Drawing on three years of qualitative fieldwork, it demonstrates how Sudan’s geography, ethnic diversity, and historical heritage enable the blending of core religious principles with local customs. Sufi brotherhoods—particularly Qādiriyya, Tījāniyya, Shādhiliyya, and Khatmiyya—play a pivotal role in local culture by incorporating traditional musical, choreographic, and narrative art forms into their rituals, resulting in highly dynamic worship and social interaction. In Sudan, hospitality emerges as a near-sovereign social norm, reflecting the Islamic ethics of charity and mutual assistance while remaining deeply intertwined with local traditions. Islam’s adaptability toward local customs is further illustrated by the vibrant drumming, chanting, and dancing that enhance large-scale Mawlid al-Nabi celebrations, uniting Muslims under a religious identity that goes beyond dogmatic definitions. Beyond their spiritual meanings, these Sufi practices and networks also serve as tools for social cohesion, often functioning as support systems in regions with minimal state presence. They help prevent disputes and foster unity, demonstrating the positive impact of a flexible Islam—one that draws on both scripture and local traditions—on peacebuilding in Sudan. While highlighting the country’s social realities, this study offers insights into how Islam can function as a transformative force within society. Full article

Highway construction in China has bolstered Chinese claims of having the longest highways in the world, yet it has led to the involuntary relocation and resettlement of millions of people all over China. This study examines the interplay of power relationships in modernity and ethnic cultures. Using interviews with 201 Zhuang ethnic minority people and participant observations from two years in the Southwest of China, this paper presents findings that show both the positive and negative effects of urbanization and modernization as the consequence of highway expansion. By discussing the removal of a religious Sacred Rock which was in the way of the highway construction, the authors reveal the subtleties of the power interplay of majority–minority relations and the meanings of cultures and rituals in the face of modernity. In the process of modernization, highway construction reconstructs new communities while deconstructing the old one. The authors argue that recognizing the meanings of ethnic cultures as defined by ethnic people themselves is the first step to the reconciliation of social relationships between the majority and minority people in created new communities. To enhance social integration, religion has an important role to play in Chinese society. Full article

Sacrificial rituals provide a critical perspective for examining the fundamental characteristics and evolutionary trajectory of Chinese civilization. The Functionalist and Annales schools, through theoretical frameworks such as “natural necessity theory” and “social-centric theory”, have explored the origins of sacrificial practices and their role in social cohesion. When these schools investigate Chinese sacrificial rituals, they identify significant differences in the humanistic and ethical dimensions compared to in Western intellectual traditions, thereby revealing how these distinctions propelled China onto a unique civilizational path. The sacrificial system underwent a process of humanization and moralization during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, culminating in the recognition of benevolence–righteousness attributes within human nature, primarily characterized by affection and reverence. The interplay between intrinsic human dispositions and ritualized sacrificial practices established the foundational structure for the social order, spanning from familial units to political society in China. This synthesis ultimately shaped the distinctive philosophical characteristics of Chinese civilization, emphasizing the principles of benevolent love, reciprocal loyalty, and harmonious coexistence. Full article

This paper examines a previously unknown anonymous Hebrew letter inserted into a postwar edition of Shem HaGedolim, found in the library of the Jewish University in Budapest. The letter, composed in Győr in 1947, consists almost entirely of passages copied from Tiferet Chayim, a hagiographic genealogy of the Sanz Hasidic dynasty. Although derivative in content, the letter’s form and placement suggest it was not meant for transmission but instead served as a private act of mourning and historiographical preservation. By situating the letter within the broader context of post-Holocaust Jewish and Hasidic memory practices, including yizkor books, rabbinic memoirs, and grassroots commemorative writing, this study proposes that the document constitutes a “micro-yizkor”: a bibliographic ritual that aimed to re-inscribe lost tzaddikim into sacred memory. Drawing on theories of trauma, religious coping, and bereavement psychology, particularly the Two-Track Model of Bereavement, the paper examines the letter as both a therapeutic and historiographical gesture. The author’s meticulous copying, selective omissions, and personalized touches (such as modified honorifics and emotive phrases) reflect an attempt to maintain spiritual continuity in the wake of communal devastation. Engaging scholarship by Michal Shaul, Lior Becker, Gershon Greenberg, and others, the analysis demonstrates how citation, far from being a passive act, functions here as an instrument of resistance, memory, and redemptive reconstruction. The existence of such a document can also be examined through the lens of Maurice Rickards’ insights, particularly his characterization of the “compulsive note” as a salient form of ephemera, materials often inserted between the pages of books, which pose unique challenges for interpreting the time capsule their authors sought to construct. Ultimately, the paper argues that this modest and anonymous document offers a rare window into postwar Ultra-orthodox religious subjectivity. It challenges prevailing assumptions about Hasidic silence after the Holocaust and demonstarates how even derivative texts can serve as potent sites of historical testimony, spiritual resilience, and bibliographic mourning. The letter thus sheds light on a neglected form of Hasidic historiography, one authored not by professional historians, but by the broken-hearted, writing in the margins of sacred books. Full article

Templestay programs in South Korea represent a unique convergence of Buddhist ritual, cultural immersion, and wellness tourism. While often treated as niche cultural experiences, their broader significance within sustainable wellness tourism remains underexplored. This study examines participant reflections from the Beomeosa Templestay program through thematic analysis of over 600 reviews sourced from TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and handwritten guestbooks. Using a triangulated framework combining Grounded Theory, Symbolic Interactionism, and the Wellness Tourism Model, the research identifies four recurring experiential themes: spiritual development, emotional healing, cultural immersion, and conscious consumption. Findings reveal cross-cultural variations: non-Korean participants emphasized spiritual exploration and cultural learning, while Korean participants prioritized emotional renewal and reconnection with heritage. Yet, across all groups, participants reported transformative outcomes, including heightened clarity, inner calm, and enhanced self-awareness. These results suggest that Templestays serve as accessible, culturally grounded wellness retreats that align with rising global demand for intentional, mindful travel. This study contributes to sustainable tourism scholarship by framing Templestays as low-impact, spiritually resonant alternatives to commercialized wellness retreats. Practical recommendations are offered to expand participation while maintaining program authenticity and safeguarding the spiritual and cultural integrity of monastic hosts in an increasingly globalized wellness landscape. Full article

Daoist robes in the Ming Dynasty literature underwent a marked transformation from exclusive religious vestments to widespread secular attire. Originally confined to Daoist priests and sacred rites, these garments began to appear in everyday work, entertainment, and ceremonies across social strata. Drawing on a hand-coded corpus of novels that yields robe related passages, and by analyzing textual references from Ming novels, Daoist canonical works, and visual artifacts, and applying clothing psychology and semiotic theory, this study elucidates how Daoist robes were re-coded as secular fashion symbols. For example, scholar-officials donned Daoist robes to convey moral prestige, laborers adopted them to signal upward mobility, and merchants donned them to impersonate the educated elite for commercial gain. By integrating close textual reading with cultural theory, the article advances a three-stage model, sacred uniform, ritual costume, and secular fashion, that clarifies the semantic flow of Daoist robes. In weddings and funerals, many commoners flaunted Daoist robes despite sumptuary laws, using them to assert honor and status. These adaptations reflect both the erosion of Daoist institutional authority and the dynamic process of identity construction through dress in late Ming society. Our interdisciplinary analysis highlights an East Asian perspective on the interaction of religion and fashion, offering historical insight into the interplay between religious symbolism and sociocultural identity formation. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the practical effects of symbolic imagery on shamanic religious rituals, emotional modulation, belief deepening, and alterations in the state of consciousness. Thirty participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group for comparative investigation. The results indicated that participants in the experimental group showed significant increases in supernatural belief scores after the ritual, along with notable decreases in negative emotions such as tension, anger, and fatigue. Additionally, the state of consciousness of both groups of participants changed significantly after the ceremony, and the changes in the experimental group were more significant. These findings provide preliminary empirical support for the hypothesis that shamanic symbolic imagery promotes the transformation of consciousness, and affects emotion regulation and belief formation by activating visual perception and symbolic psychological mechanisms. This study not only provides preliminary empirical evidence for the effectiveness of image-based interventions in inducing altered states of consciousness (ASC), but also deepens the understanding of the role of religious symbolic mechanisms in consciousness transformation and provides a new theoretical direction for applied research in the field of religious psychology and consciousness research. Full article

This article examines Daoist ritual and meditative practices, primarily developed between the fourth and twelft centuries, as cosmotechniques: methods for engaging, recalibrating, and occasionally overturning the spatial and temporal order. It first outlines the cosmological framework of the pre-Qin and Qin–Han periods, in which space and time were conceived as correlative and qualitative, forming the grounds of Daoist practice. Daoist foundational practices elaborately aligned with this framework but also introduced subtle disruptions that discover the singular space–time for transformation. Through the investigation of bodily cultivation and communal rituals, this study argues for attention to the performative aspect of Daoist practices, aiming to access and enact alternative space–time, and suggesting a dynamic interplay between alignment and disruption. The study further analyzes internal alchemy and visionary practices that engage in radical reversals of natural rhythms—employing fire, dissolution, and systemic negation to reconfigure cosmic flow. As shown here, Daoist practice is not merely contemplative but performative, reconstituting space–time and body. Though not articulated in ecological terms, such practices demonstrate ways of modeling and modulating lifeworlds attuned to the rhythms of nature—pointing to the possibility of reshaping life under unplugged conditions. Full article

This article explores the transformative changes in Catholic liturgy during the twentieth century and their implications for the stability of religious meaning and cultural identity in the West. In critical dialogue with Chantal Delsol’s diagnosis of the decline of Christianitas, this study argues that the reform of ritual following the Second Vatican Council, rather than political entanglements, played a decisive role in weakening the public credibility of Catholic truth claims. Drawing on Roy A. Rappaport’s theory of ritual as a stabilizer of cultural meaning, the author analyzes how this postconciliar liturgical reform altered the semiotic structure of Catholic worship—shifting communication from indexical to symbolic forms and reorienting the liturgy from a vertical–concentric order to a more decentralized horizontal dynamic. The chosen method combines theoretical reflection with liturgical anthropology to assess how changes in the Roman Missal, ritual posture, and spatial arrangement disrupted the transmission of canonical messages. The conclusion suggests that this semiotic transformation undermined the liturgy’s capacity to ritually confirm the truths of faith, contributing to the broader civilizational disintegration observed by Delsol. Ultimately, this article contends that any future revitalization of Catholic culture will depend less on political influence and more on recovering the liturgy’s ritual capacity to sustain belief in transcendent truth. Full article

This study examines around 350 handwritten letters from semiliterate soldiers during the Spanish Civil War, focusing on written orality and its interaction with scriptural conventions. The theoretical framework combines epistolography research (in which 20th-century popular correspondence reveals oral-like features) with studying the oral–scriptural interface. As detailed in the methodology, including the corpus compilation process, I present the selection criteria for the letters, which were segmented using the Val.Es.Co. model of discourse units. Segmentation facilitates my analysis, which addresses two aspects of the oral–scriptural interface: ritualized politeness in salutations and procedural devices that structure discursive moves. After summarizing the key findings, I discuss the hybrid nature of these letters, in which oral and written conventions intertwine. Full article