Early use and production technologies of iron in Southwest China

This thesis studied the iron smelting technology of Southwest China. It introduces the natural and human environment of Southwest China and gives a systematic review on the important archaeological sites of Southwest China. A total of 75 iron smelting related sites of Southwest China were surveyed. Five of these sites were excavated and studied in detail including the furnace structures, smelting related materials and their smelting process. A statistical study of over 5,100 iron objects (and bronze and iron bi-metallic objects) in published excavation reports was carried out to understand the pattern and statistical distribution of iron objects excavated in Southwest China. This was followed by metallographic analysis of 66 samples taken from 42 iron objects and slags (mostly from the Lijiaba site, and from the Qiaogoutou site). The slag samples (from the Xuxiebian site) helped to identify the bowl-shaped furnaces, that discovered at the iron smelting sites of Southwest China, as refining furnaces. The results of the metallographic studies helped to characterise the range of technologies that developed in Southwest China primarily during the Han dynasty (202BC-220AD). According to these studies, some issues such as the origin and development of technology, the labourers’ identities, the origin of the blacksmiths, and the management and policy of iron production in Southwest China are discussed

Morphology and oil quality of introduced olive cultivars (Olea europaea L.) in southwest China

There are enormous benefits of olive cultivation in China. However, rare researches are reported about the morphological and oil qualitative characteristics of the introduced olive cultivars in southwest China. The characteristics of morphological and oil qualitative were investigated among seven introduced olive cultivars and an indigenous cultivar cultivated in southwest China. The results elucidated that all cultivars had adapted to a new environment and expressed unique characteristics. The Coratina, Koroneiki and Grossanne remained excellent oil cultivars with the fresh oil content of 20.42, 18.58 and 16.46%, respectively. The free acidity and peroxide value of olive oil were within the range of the extra virgin olive oil category. And the extracted olive oil was rich in unsaturated fatty acid, α-tocopherol, squalene, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and phenolic compounds. Moreover, the olive cultivated in southwest China exhibited a higher content of moisture, oleic acid and unsaturated fatty acid compared to scientific studies. Therefore, the region of southwest China (Jintang), a new environment, was a potential for cultivation and development of olive in the future. In addition, the results can provide theoretical guidance for olive planting and cultivar selection in southwest China

V

Several methods were used to estimate Vs30 from site profiles with borehole depths of about 20 m for the strong-motion stations located in Southwest China. The methods implemented include extrapolation (constant and gradient), Geomatrix Site Classification correlation with shear-wave velocity, and remote sensing (terrain and topography). The gradient extrapolation is the preferred choice of this study for sites with shear-wave velocity profile data. However, it is noted that the coefficients derived from the California data set are not applicable to sites in Southwest China. Due to the scarcity of borehole profiles data with depth of more than 30 m in Southwest China, 73 Kiknet profiles were used to generate new coefficients for gradient extrapolation. Fortunately, these coefficients provide a reasonable estimate of Vs30 for sites in Southwest China. This study showed Vs30 could be estimated by the time-average shear-wave velocity (average slowness) of only 10 meters of depth. Furthermore, a median Vs30 estimate based upon Geomatrix Classification is derived from the results of the gradient extrapolation using a regional calibration of the Geomatrix Classification with Vs30. The results of this study can be applied to assign Vs30 to the sites without borehole data in Southwest China

Investigation on the Distribution Status of Transboundary Ethnic Groups in the Mountainous Regions of Mainland Southeast Asia in Southwest China

Through the compilation and analysis of relevant research in the papers and works of international scholars, this study aims to understand the attention and research of international and domestic scholars on transboundary ethnic groups in the mountainous regions of Mainland Southeast Asia, and explore the significance of studying these groups in Southwest China. By investigating their distribution, the study focuses on the survival situation of transboundary ethnic groups from the mountainous regions of Mainland Southeast Asia in Southwest China, examining aspects such as population size, areas of residence, ethnic background information, socioeconomic conditions, and cultural characteristics. The goal is to contribute to the international development of research on transboundary ethnic groups in Southwest China and eliminate barriers by adopting an international perspective. Furthermore, it should be noted that the mountainous transboundary ethnic groups in Mainland Southeast Asia have long faced challenges related to politics, drugs, and socio-economic underdevelopment. However, since the last century, the Chinese government has been committed to the development of ethnic groups residing in the mountainous regions of Southwest China, achieving remarkable results. This development is set to positively impact the healthy growth of transboundary ethnic groups in the mountainous regions of Mainland Southeast Asia

Shangri-la: From Utopia to Wasteland?

The rapid urbanization movement in China’s uplands and up-streams, home to ethnic groups, are problematic for ecological and cultural reasons. Shangri-La County in southwest China is one such destination that has experienced such environmental and sociocultural challenges. The scale and speed of urbanization that has occurred in Shangri-La has outpaced what local communities can adapt to. As a consequence, a significant regional wetland as well as a culturally important water burial site are in serious distress

Early iron objects of southwest China: a case study of iron objects excavated from Qiaogoutou cemetery site, Sichuan Province

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.Iron objects excavated from the Qiaogoutou cemetery site provides an opportunity to study iron-making technology during the late Warring States period and the early Western Han dynasty in southwest China. Five metallographic samples were prepared and analysed. The results are discussed in relation to other studies of iron objects discovered in southwest China

Responses of seasonal indicators to extreme droughts in southwest China

Significant impact of extreme droughts on human society and ecosystem has occurred in many places of the world, for example, Southwest China (SWC). Considerable research concentrated on analyzing causes and effects of droughts in SWC, but few studies have examined seasonal indicators, such as variations of surface water and vegetation phenology. With the ongoing satellite missions, more and more earth observation data become available to environmental studies. Exploring the responses of seasonal indicators from satellite data to drought is helpful for the future drought forecast and management. This study analyzed the seasonal responses of surface water and vegetation phenology to drought in SWC using the multi-source data including Seasonal Water Area (SWA), Permanent Water Area (PWA), Start of Season (SOS), End of Season (EOS), Length of Season (LOS), precipitation, temperature, solar radiation, evapotranspiration, the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and data from water conservancy construction. The results showed that SWA and LOS effectively revealed the development and recovery of droughts. There were two obvious drought periods from 2000 to 2017. In the first period (from August 2003 to June 2007), SWA decreased by 11.81% and LOS shortened by 5 days. They reduced by 21.04% and 9 days respectively in the second period (from September 2009 to June 2014), which indicated that there are more severe droughts in the second period. The SOS during two drought periods delayed by 3~6 days in spring, while the EOS advanced 1~3 days in autumn. All of PDSI, SWA and LOS could reflect the period of droughts in SWC, but the LOS and PDSI were very sensitive to the meteorological events, such as precipitation and temperature, while the SWA performed a more stable reaction to drought and could be a good indicator for the drought periodicity. This made it possible for using SWA in drought forecast because of the strong correlation between SWA and drought. Our results improved the understanding of seasonal responses to extreme droughts in SWC, which will be helpful to the drought monitoring and mitigation for different seasons in this ecologically fragile region

Ruth: A Spiritual Role Model for the Religious Women of Southwest China

Aware of the need to address the existing challenges of the religious women of southwest China, I find inspiration and guidance in the Book of Ruth. This thesis suggests that the main challenge to women‘s religious life in southwest China is the lack of foundational religious formation and a vital spirituality of religious life. It argues that the character of Ruth embodies the spiritual principles of solidarity, initiative, and integration, and can therefore provide the religious women of southwest China with a model of holistic spirituality which fosters a formational renewal of spiritual and communal life and confirms religious identity. Chapter One presents an overview of the history of Chinese religious women, particularly the life and ministry of the religious sisters of southwest China. Chapter Two gives a brief introduction to the Book of Ruth, followed by an exegetical study of four passages through the lens of women‘s spirituality, conducting a close reading of these passages in relation to the three themes of solidarity, initiative, and integration. Chapter Three serves as a synthesis and conclusion, demonstrating the link between these spiritual features of the Book of Ruth and the needs of the religious sisters of southwest China for a renewal of religious life. With regard to methodology, the study employs historical analysis to trace the emergence of religious life in China, particularly the life and ministry of the religious women in the southwest region after the end of the Cultural Revolution. My approach to iii the Book of Ruth consists of a close reading of the character of Ruth through the lens of women‘s spirituality, using a formalist literary method that attends to what a character says and does in the text, how the narrator describes the character, and how other characters respond or react to this individual. In addition, it employs a socio-historical analysis of the character‘s social location in order to understand what it means for Ruth, a Moabite woman, to go to Bethlehem and to struggle for survival in the patriarchal culture of ancient Israel. The story of Ruth offers to the religious women of southwest China a source of inspiration, one which can be of great help in the process of exploring the charism and spirituality of our religious institutes. Ruth‘s qualities of solidarity, initiative, and integration, which reflect a biblical spirituality, can provide a spiritual model for the formation of the religious women of southwest China. Such a model could help us to fashion an integrative transformation of religious life, one that binds us together in solidarity and kinship, and renews our passion for the love of God and the service of God‘s people

The Terrorist Attack in Kunming, China: Does It Indicate a Growing Threat Worldwide?

At 9:00 pm on March 1, 2014, six men and two women, dressed in black and wielding knives, arrived at the Kunming train station, one of the largest in southwest China, and began slashing people at random. Before authorities could stop them, the assailants had killed 29 people and wounded another 143. It was the second worst terrorist attack in the history of the People’s Republic of China, not including a series of bombings in Shijiazhuang in 1998, which killed 108 people. These, however, were carried out for personal, not political reasons. It was also China’s second most lethal transportation attacks

Subtype distribution of lymphomas in Southwest China: Analysis of 6,382 cases using WHO classification in a single institution

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The subtype distribution of lymphoid neoplasms in Southwest China was analyzed according to WHO classifications. This study aims to analyze subtype distribution of lymphomas in southwest China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Lymphoid neoplasms diagnosed within 9 years in a single institution in Southwest China were analyzed according to the WHO classification.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>From January 2000 to December 2008, a total number of 6,382 patients with lymphoma were established, of which mature B-cell neoplasms accounted for 56%, mature T- and NK-cell neoplasms occupied 26%, and precursor lymphoid neoplasms and Hodgkin lymphomas were 5% and 13%, respectively. Mixed cellularity (76%) was the major subtype of classical Hodgkin lymphoma; and the bimodal age distribution was not observed. The top six subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma were as follows: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue, follicular lymphoma, precursor lymphoid neoplasms, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Extranodal lymphomas comprised about half of all cases, and most frequently involved Waldeyer's ring, gastrointestinal tract, sinonasal region and skin.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The lymphoid neoplasms of Southwest China displayed some epidemiologic features similar to those reported in literature from western and Asian countries, as well as other regions of China, whereas some subtypes showed distinct features. The high frequency of mature T/NK cell neoplasms and extranodal lymphomas, especially for extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, is the most outstanding characteristic of this series.</p