This study examines the case of Chenjiagou, known as the birthplace of Tai chi in China, to explore the commodification of traditional culture and the mobility of both hosts and guests. Focusing on the individual practices of Tai chi masters. The study seeks to clarify how their activities have contributed to the sacralization and touristification of Chenjiagou. Conventional tourism studies have largely relied on a binary model of "mobile guests" and "stationary hosts." In contrast, this study challenges that framework by highlighting the active mobility and cultural practices of the hosts—namely, Tai chi masters. By doing so, it aims to provide a more multifaceted analysis of the internal dynamics within Chenjiagou. Since the 1980s, following the development of China's market economy, Tai chi has increasingly been utilized as a cultural resource. Within this context, Tai chi masters from Chenjiagou have engaged in various practices through their migration to urban areas, such as establishing training schools and recruiting disciples. Especially since the 2000s, the institutionalization of the master-disciple relationship and the formalization of initiation rituals have transformed these relationships into economic and tourism resources. Moreover, the emergence of home-based Tai chi class and small-scale events organized by individual masters have played a significant role in the creation of symbolic spaces and the attraction of tourism in local areas. Through this analysis, the study demonstrates that the commodification of traditional culture is not solely driven by national or local government policies, but is also shaped by the strategic mobility and relationship-building efforts of individual practitioners. This research offers a perspective that reinterprets host–guest relations in tourism as a more dynamic and reciprocal process. It also emphasizes the importance of focusing on individual-level practices in discussions of traditional culture and regional revitalization.

The expansion of global mobility has led to a growing number of women navigating childbirth and parenting across national borders. In Japan, the population of foreign residents surpassed 3.58 million in 2024. This study explores the experiences of Chinese immigrant women during pregnancy and childbirth, with a particular focus on the challenges posed by physical separation from their families due to migration. Key research questions include: What forms of support and constraints do Chinese immigrant women encounter during pregnancy and childbirth? How do they interpret these experiences? How does transnational mobility shape their childbirth-related narratives and practices? The findings highlight the pivotal role of kinship networks, the scarcity of spousal support, and limited public assistance in Japan. Case studies of two women illustrate how differing migration pathways influence their access to support networks. The analysis also uncovers contrasting views of traditional postpartum practices such as zuoyuezi: one perceives it as restrictive and unscientific, while the other embraces it as an expression of ethnic identity. Moreover, while public and private resources provided some support, traditional gender roles were often reinforced within immigrant families. These findings shed light on the complex interplay between international migration, women’s social status, and gender norms. While transnational mobility creates opportunities for transformation of social norms, it also perpetuates traditional values and exposes contradictions in evolving gender dynamics. This underscores the need for more inclusive and supportive systems to address the unique challenges faced by immigrant women in navigating pregnancy and childbirth.

The research site is located in Namor District, Oudomxai Province, in northern Laos. Oudomxai Province borders the Xishuangbanna region of Yunnan Province of China. This area has experienced significant population movement. Many Han Chinese, known as the Ho (also spelled Haw) , have settled in Laos since the 19th century. The Ho ethnic group originates from southwestern China, particularly Yunnan province. They are culturally and religiously diverse. While some of those collectively referred to as Ho are Chinese Muslims (particularly Hui), not all of them are Muslim. In Laos, the term “Ho” actually refers to a heterogeneous group of Chinese-origin residents, including Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists, and followers of Confucian traditions. Since the 2000s, there has been a notable increase in Chinese immigration. This trend is symbolized by the opening of National Route 13 in 2007 and the Laos-China Railway in 2021, reflecting the growing influence of China’s rapid economic development on Laos. Based on fieldwork data, this paper aims to elucidate changes in local societies in Laos through an analysis of Chinese immigration and reorganization of social relations. First, I introduce the field site and present case studies bases on interviews conducted during fieldwork. Then, I identify three distinct patterns among Chinese immigrants. In Ho society, mutual assistance among family members and kinship networks is commonly observed and forms a typical characteristic of their social organization.

This paper examines the changes in Laos society due to the expansion of the Sinophone world through interview surveys of restaurants, clinics, Chinese language schools, marriage agencies, and procedural agents in Oudomxay Province in northern Laos. This study focuses on the social relations between oldcomers Han Chinese of Lao nationality and newcomers Han Chinese of Chinese nationality.

This study explores the significance of villages from rural area, who do not live in their hometown, including female married out and migrant workers and so on, in sustaining rural communities, focusing on L Village in Anhui Province, China. By analyzing household registration data, fieldwork, and semi-structured interviews, the research investigates how migrants maintain connections with their native villages and families amidst challenges such as urbanization, depopulation, and aging. The findings highlight the centrality of land rights and clan relationships as mechanisms through which migrants continue to influence village society despite their geographic displacement. Migrants are shown to play vital economic and social roles in rural communities. Through remittances, caregiving, and participation in village and clan activities, they contribute to the maintenance of familial and communal structures. Their involvement underscores the persistence of symbolic and material ties to the village, which counterbalance the adverse effects of population outflows and agricultural decline. Moreover, the study reveals the dynamic interplay between traditional familial norms and evolving rural economic conditions, offering new perspectives on the reconfiguration of rural livelihoods. This research advances the discourse on rural sociology by shifting focus from resident populations to the overlooked yet indispensable contributions of migrants. By addressing their multifaceted roles in both the family and community spheres, the study underscores the necessity of including migrants in policy and theoretical discussions about rural sustainability and resilience. Future research should expand on these findings by conducting broader investigations into the socioeconomic impacts of migrants on rural systems. Such studies are essential for understanding the long-term implications of rural-urban linkages in the context of China’s rapid socio-economic transformation.

This paper utilizes the method of content analysis to examine the film Forgiven Children, focusing on a 13-year-old boy who committed murder. It investigates how the boy, as represented in the film, was treated by those around him and how his image was constructed by others. Through this analysis, two points were clarified. Firstly, within a societal context characterized by an escalating clamor for more stringent penalties for juvenile offenders, the boy's portrayal transcended the simplistic labels of "delinquent" or "perpetrator." Instead, his image was multifaceted, evolving in a manner contingent upon the specific circumstances. Secondly, while the boy's culpability for the murder was indisputable, the prevailing narrative surrounding his "innocence" remained tenuous. Instead, the concept of "innocence" persists in being reimagined by specific actors. This observation underscores the notion that perspectives on children are not monolithic or unidirectional, but rather, they are multifaceted and susceptible to variation depending on the context and the individuals involved.

Why do urban youngster approach religious facilities and engage in volunteer activities? What are the social motivations and causes behind their seemingly religious actions? This paper examines the relationship between urban youngster, religion, and religious activities from the subjective perspective of young people, taking the volunteer activities at urban temples in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China as example. The two temples surveyed had long-time and stable volunteer activities, and both had a certain number of urban youngsters participating in short-term or long-term volunteer activities. The research method used was fieldwork consisting of participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Based on interview data collected through fieldwork, this paper also attempts to categorize young volunteers in 6 types. Type 1 refers to volunteers who are expected to change their urban living situation. Type 2 is the volunteers driven by curiosity. Type 3 is the volunteers with some clearly social purpose. Type 4 is the volunteers who fills the free time in their life. Many of them are young housewives. Type 5 is the religious volunteers. Type 6 is the volunteer leader. Overall, from this perspective, it can be said that urban youngster's participation in volunteer activities is a strategy to respond to the situation of their urban life. This strategy includes two aspects: face the difficulties head-on and avoidance of difficulties. On the other hand, the motivation for urban youngster to participate in volunteer activities is directed more toward their own needs for urban life and a sense of special experience. Therefore, volunteering at temples actually constitutes a channel for urban youngster to develop, complement, and adjust their urban life. However, while urban youngster's participation in religious activities may not be simply a religious act, it also includes the possibility of an affinity with religion.

The aim of this study was to collect and analyze data posted by current truant pupils on SNS (X, formerly Twitter) to identify their characteristics and explore clues for providing effective support. The analysis revealed that characteristic words such as “like,” “live,” “hate,” “die,” and “fear” were frequently used, offering insight into their emotions and thoughts. Posts by truant pupils often expressed enthusiasm for their hobbies and interests, which not only provided them with temporary comfort and a sense of purpose but also served as a bridge to connect with the outside world. Conversely, contrasting expressions like “live” and “die” reflected their ongoing search for self-worth and the meaning of life. Many posts also highlighted struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, as well as a perceived lack of self-control, indicating that truancy negatively affects their self-esteem and social adjustment. It was suggested that applying resilience theory in support efforts could be effective in enhancing the self-efficacy of truant pupils. This study faced limitations, including incomplete data coverage and the inherently brief and non-contextual nature of SNS posts. Future research will incorporate complementary methods, such as interviews, to achieve a deeper understanding of the issues faced by truant pupils.

In China, a multi-ethnic country, the issue of ethnic minority education has been discussed for a long time. The Hui in Xi'an are a representative group of ethnic minorities living in urban areas, and their ethnic education is unique. The Hui people, who believe in Islam, have a distinct cultural and religious identity which are primarily preserved and transmitted through family education. However the increasing accessibility of compulsory education and higher enrollment rates of Hui students in universities suggest that school education may also influence their religious consciousness to some extent. This study focuses on both family education and school education among the Hui people. It analyzes the impact of family and school education on the religious consciousness of Hui college students, using Bourdieu's theories of "field" and "habitus" to analyse.