Digital Humanities Research

Panorama and Prospect:Digital Humanities and National Strategy for Digitalization of Culture—Overview of the 2022 China Digital Humanities Conference

Yang Zekun, Li Shaojian, Kai Limai

2023, 3(1): 3-17.

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Co-hosted by the School of Information Resource Management of Renmin University China,the Re- search Center for Digital Humanities of Renmin University China,and the Digital Humanities Professional Committee of the China Society of Indexers,the 2022 China Digital Humanities Annual Conference (CDH 2022) was held online from November 26th to 27th,2022. With the theme of " Panorama and Prospect:Digital Humanities and National Strat- egy for Digitalization of Culture" and under the background of the National Strategy for Digitalization of Culture,the conference discussed the long-term blueprint for the panoramic presentation of Chinese culture and the continuous ex- pansion and breakthrough of digital humanities in depth. The conference held eight general forums and two youth forums to present the papers,selected and awarded outstanding digital humanities papers and projects,and founded an education sub-forum. This paper summarizes the papers,projects,and the education sub-forum discussions of this an- nual conference and analyzes the current research trend and major research topics of Chinese digital humanities re- search.

Infrastructuring Digital Humanities:on Relational Infrastructure and Global Reconfiguration of The Field

Urszula Pawlicka Deger Trans, Guo Jianan

2023, 3(1): 24-37.

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How do the power dynamics of actors in digital knowledge production define the contours of global sci- ence and humanities? Where are scholars now in their efforts to improve a networked,global academic system based on the values of equal access to resources,inclusive participation,and the diversity of epistemologies? This article inter- venes in these questions by discussing social dimensions of global knowledge infrastructure—connection,standardiza- tion,and access—to understand the specification and materialization of global digital humanities ( DH). As digital practices expand across the world,the DH community struggles to ensure inclusive participation and equal opportunities in developing the field. This article shows that discrepancies in global DH lie at the root of existing infrastructure ine- qualities. Drawing on science and technology studies,it then argues that in order to overcome these imbalances,the aca- demic community can seek the ‘ infrastructuring’ of DH. Infrastructuring is an analytical concept that shifts attention from ‘structure’ to ‘process’ of co-creation in the vein of participatory design that foregrounds public engagement, shared interest,and long-term relationships with stakeholders to create networks from which equal opportunities and new forms of connections can emerge. This would involve building an inclusive network of unique nodes of local com- munities on top of the global knowledge infrastructure.

Establishment of C. P. C Organization History Database

Li Lei

2023, 3(1): 38-49.

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Qian Gu(钱榖) 's Painting Album of the Great Canal Journeys(《纪行图册》) was based on Wang Shizhen(王世贞)'s Shi Jin Ji Xing(《适晋纪行》) in the fourth year of the Longqing reign (1570) in June and was painted into 32 scenes from Cangshan Xiaozhi Garden(仓山小祗园) to Yangzhou Yangzi Bridge(扬州扬子桥). Zhang Fu(张复)'s Visual Travelogue of A Journey Through the Waterways(《水程图》)was drawn on the boat going north when Wang Shizhen entered the position of Taipu(太仆) in the second year of Wanli (1574) in February. He depicted 52 scenes from Shao Bo(邵伯)to Tongzhou(通州). Both works were done in a realistic style and are consid- ered exceptional in the Ming dynasty's painting history. This article uses the on-site study method to undertake three tasks. First,since Wang Shizhen's trip to the north coincided with the Great Canal's changing period during the comple- tion of the Longqing Xinhe(隆庆新河) and the discussion of the Jiahe(泇河),this article intends to digitize all the waterways they passed through. Second,Qian Gu stated that he wanted to record the true landscape at that time,so this article uses travel diaries,local gazetteers,ancient and modern maps,and my own research results through the on-site study to explain each illustration and verify the degree of realism depicted by the painters. Third,the value of the more than 80 scenes is like discovering a large box of Ming dynasty videotapes. This article will reveal the true appearance of the Great Canal in the Ming dynasty in a visual and expressive manner through the true nature of the scenes.

Naming taboo for Prince Yonglian, Hier Apparent Duanhui: An E-Textual Research Case Study

Huang Yi-Long

2023, 3(1): 61-78.

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This paper clarifies the naming taboo for Prince Yonglian,Hier Apparent Duanhui. By analyzing a large number of textual evidence in relation to this tabooing case,this study uses e - textual research to shed new light on the complex naming taboo practices during the Qing dynasty. The first known case of naming taboo on Yonglian's name occurred in the ninth year of Jiaqing reign. To show respect towards his late brother,Jiaqing emperor ordered the newly appointed prefect of Jinzhou,Shanlian,to change the second character of his name to another " lian. " However, any previously appointed officials with this character in their names were permitted to keep their names. The tabooing rule then applied to anyone who took the provincial level exams. But this regulation did not extend to lower level clerks and commoners. For this reason,the character " lian" was almost obsolete among higher level officials through the late Qing. Nevertheless,such taboo was not enforced in books ( both manuscript and print). While there were instances where authors avoided the character by using an alternative character or omitting the last stroke in the character,such tabooing practice was not consistent or commonplace. This proves that the naming taboo for Yonglian was nowhere regulated enough to be used as proof for dating texts. For example,Jia Lian,a major character in the Dreams of the Red Chamber shares the character " lian" with Prince Yonglian. But I argue that one cannot date a specific version of said book solely based on whether Jia Lian's name was altered (or not) in observation of the naming taboo.

Transcend the Generation Gap: A Computational Film Study on Chinese Films from the 1990s

Li Yi, Chen Tao

2023, 3(1): 79-94.

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The method of computational film studies promises a new approach to studying films with statistics and big data. It aims at analyzing formal characteristics of films systematically and digitally in order to fulfill alternative historical narratives and theoretical potential. In this approach,this paper,from the perspective of computational film studies,explores diachronic changes of the formal characteristics in Chinese films from the 1990s by using the online platform and its software,cinemetrics,which includes cutting rates,average shot length,and shot movements. Based on the visualization of relevant statistics,this paper not only re - examines the discourses on generation gaps among different directors throughout the history of contemporary Chinese films,but also re - maps the stylistic characteristics of different directors. It argues that the average shot length of the Chinese movies has declined since 1990s,which results from the market - oriented reform in Chinese film industry. In other words,the pace of contemporary Chinese films becomes faster and faster. During this period, contradictions and choices between " fast " and " slow " have transcended the classification of different generations,as well as its political preconditions,becoming a fundamental problem that all films and directors must solve. In this case,different solutions to this problem provide us new links and categories beyond traditional film studies,and eventually create two modes of acceleration aesthetics.

ROSSIO Infrastructure: A Digital Humanities Platform to Explore the Portuguese Cultural Heritage

Gonçalo M. d. Silva, Ana C. Glória, Ângela S. Salgueiro, Bruno Almeida, Daniel Monteiro, Marco R. d. Freitas, Nuno Freire, Trans. Liu Yusi

2023, 3(1): 95-112.

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The ROSSIO Infrastructure is developing a free and open-access platform for aggregating, organising, and connecting the digital resources in the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities provided by Portuguese higher education and cultural institutions. This paper presents an overview of the ROSSIO Infrastructure, its main objectives, the institutions involved, and the services offered by the infrastructure’s aims through its platform—namely, a discovery portal, digital exhibitions, collections, and a virtual research environment. These services rely on a metadata-aggregation solution for bringing the digital objects’ metadata from the providing institutions into ROSSIO. The aggregated datasets are converted into linked data and undergo an enrichment process based on controlled vocabularies, which are developed and published by ROSSIO. The paper will describe this process, the applications involved, and how they interoperate. We will further reflect on how these services may enhance the dissemination of science, considering the FAIR principles.

Evaluating the Use of Old Cadastral Maps

Carmen Femenia Ribera, Gaspar Mora Navarro, Luis J. Santos Pérez, Trans. Tian Qing

2023, 3(1): 113-128.

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The old cadastral maps of the Spanish General Directorate for Cadastre (DGC) have always been in great demand. It was decided in 2012 to make an initial inventory of these maps with the type of information available, physical location,and condition. Subsequently,to evaluate their possible use,the inventory was examined to investigate whether these maps could be geographically referenced and made available on a geoportal. Several years later,it was determined that the inventory needed to be updated with a series of improvements (expanding the fields so that they become clearer,homogeneous,and more easily handled by software). A questionnaire was issued to technical specialists on property boundaries. As a principal conclusion we can highlight that the use of old cadastral maps in Spain is of great importance. The information on these maps is widely demanded by technical and legal experts who consider that
an update and revision of the DGC inventory is essential. It is crucial that old cadastral maps are digitised and made available online,preferably free of charge and through an easy-to-use geoportal. The information on these maps helps to resolve property boundary disputes and has many other uses. Investment in the economic and human resources needed to preserve and publish these maps is essential given their great value.

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