Journal articles on the topic 'Sri Lankan Manuscripts'

This paper is a philological study of twelve Sri Lankan medical manuscripts preserved in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and the Cambridge University Library. It shows the impact of Buddhism on the development of traditional medicine in South Asia and the important role played by South Indian Vaidyas in the propagation of medical knowledge in Sri Lanka. Those Vaidyas appear to have been well versed in Siddha medicine and proficient in both Sinhala and Tamil languages. Only the historical and cultural aspects revealed in these documents are dealt with here. The therapeutic aspect is no less important in view of the large number of medicinal prescriptions, some of which are said to be of proven efficacy. The material presented may be of interest to students of the history of medicine and medical anthropology.

This study analyzes the oral traditions of Sri Lanka Creole Portuguese as a syncretism of European, African, and Asian sources, evidenced in literary themes, linguistic practice, and cultural traditions. Resulting musical, dramatic, and textual practices play a central role in defining tradition and maintaining group identity in the creole communities. Both the co-existence and the interrelationship of oral texts establish traditions which contribute to a system of creole culture that spread throughout Asia. References are primarily to Sri Lankan and Indian materials collected by scholars in the late nineteenth century and during my field work in the 1970s and 1980s. Sri Lankan verses refer to the east coast Burghers of Bat-ticaloa and Trincomalee and to the Kaffirs of Puttalam. This study also presents for the first time a unique source for data and comparative analysis from the H. Nevill collection at the British Library, which is an extensive manuscript of Sri Lankan Creole texts from the 1870s or 1880s written in Dutch orthography and including material subsequently published by Schuchardt, Dalgado, and others. The theoretical focus concerns the translation of European, African, and Asian materials into a Eurasian discourse that displaces the originals, creating a new textual system of Portuguese Creole oral materials in Asia. The texts that give definition to creole culture have proved remarkably persistent, surviving in Sri Lanka from the seventeenth century to the present.

The palm leaf manuscripts are the sources of the cultural heritage of our ancestors. It is a very crucial part of the librarians or archivists or curators to conserve and preserve them from passing the information and knowledge to successive generations. Palm leaf manuscripts indicate previous documentary heritage and conservation, preservation and made them available shortly is a challenging and demanding task at present. Sri Lanka has a rich history of documentary heritage comprised of valuable palm-leaf collections. In eastern Sri Lanka, the palm leaf manuscripts are spread everywhere as personal holdings.There are many countries all over the world that put much effort into preserving them for the future. One of the potent methods of preserving those endangered documents like manuscripts is digitization. At this point, there is an urgent need to find the suitability of preserving those palm leaf manuscripts in the facets of digitization techniques.As the palm leaf manuscripts are shown as endangered through ages while tackling them to collecting and documenting them, several challenges were faced. Therefore identifying the solutions to overcome those challenges and barriers is important to further the documentation and digitization process of palm leaf manuscripts. The study aims to find the challenges and barriers in collecting, documenting and digitizing those palm leaf collections in eastern Sri Lanka.

The Portuguese presence in Sri Lanka dates back to the early sixteenth century and lasted some hundred and fifty years. It gave rise to a Creole language based on Portuguese, Sri Lanka Portuguese Creole (SLPC), which Dalgado (1936) considered to be the most vigorous of the Portuguese Creoles.

AbstractOla leaf manuscripts from Sri Lanka date back to several centuries. While they have been well preserved over the last century, their condition has worsened in recent years when black dots caused by microorganisms started occurring on their surface. In this study, the current state of preservation and the factors causing deterioration are examined using microscopy techniques. Microscopic images clearly show that the manuscripts are contaminated by microorganisms which penetrated deeply into the carrier material, destroying the internal structure. A Penicillium griseofulvum strain was recognized as the most active microorganism in xylan degradation. Sri Lanka’s climate provides favorable conditions for the growth of these fungi. Therefore, it is suggested that temperature and humidity of the archival space should be better controlled in order to ensure the Ola leaf manuscripts’ long-term preservation.

Beyond the boundaries of what is typically considered the Indonesian-Malay world, a small community known today as the Sri Lanka Malays continued to employ the Malay language in writing and speech long after its ancestors left the Indonesian archipelago and Malay peninsula for their new home. Although it is reasonable to assume that the ancestors of the Malays spoke a variety of languages, at least initially, no traces of writing in another Indonesian language have ever been found. Below I present the first evidence of such writing, in Javanese, encountered in an early nineteenth century manuscript from Colombo.

The People who have not only multi ethnic, multi -religious and multi -languages in Sri Lanka but also, they follow different beliefs and cultural traditions as well. Hindu and Buddhist religious and cultural traditions are very prominent in Sri Lanka. Even though India is the root cause for the prevailing Hindu and Buddhist traditions in Sri Lanka, both the traditions and its worships and beliefs have unique and independent characteristics different from India. Small deity worship comprises of unique and independent characteristics in Sri Lanka. Small Deity worship in Hindu tradition: Kazhippu ritual, temple ritual, Kumara Deiva worship, Vairava worship, Pathini Amman worship, tree worship, Naga thampiran worship and small deity worship in Buddhist tradition: Thovil, Magapirith, katharagama deio, Bahirava, Pathini Deio, Bothi tree, Maga Naga are compared and identified unique and innovative characteristics among them. In this research, historical method, comparative method and descriptive method have been used. Data gathered from field work are considered as primary sources and data gathered from literature, research articles, manuscripts, etc. considered as secondary sources. Knowing origin and background of Hindu and Buddhist religion, identifying characteristics of small deity worship in Hindu and Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka, discovering unique and innovative characteristics of small deity worship of Hindu and Buddhist traditions and evaluating values revealed by the two traditions are objectives of the research. Research area for this study is Magoya Divisional Secretary and Eravur Pattu Divisional Secretary. The conclusion of the research is that the small deity worships of the above two traditions fulfills psychological needs of the concerned people and small deity worship beliefs and traditions of Hindu and Buddhist religions will continue for long time.

This article offers further support for Lance Cousins’ thesis that the P?li canon, written down in the first century BCE in Sri Lanka, was based largely on a Theriya manuscript tradition from South India. Attention is also given to some of Cousins’ related arguments, in particular, that this textual transmission occurred within a Vibhajjav?din framework; that it occurred in a form of ‘proto-P?li’ close to the Standard Epigraphical Prakrit of the first century BCE; and that that distinct Sinhalese nik?yas emerged perhaps as late as the third century CE.

Business Management and Strategy (BMS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether BMS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 11, Number 2Eddie John Paul Fisher, Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, United KingdomPaulo Gonçalves Pinheiro, Beira Interior University, PortugueseChaminda Prasanna Karunarathne, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaVenugopal Gubbi, RV Institute Of Management, IndiaSulaiman Sheik Abdullah, PASUMPON MUTHURAMALINGA THEVAR COLLEGE, IndiaAnsar Abbas, Banking Officer, Muslim Commercial Bank Pakistan, PakistanShalini Sahni, Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Professional Studies (Affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi), India Jean LeeBusiness Management and StrategyMacrothink Institute*************************************Add: 5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesTel: 1-702-953-1852 ext.508Fax: 1-702-420-2900E-mail1: bms@macrothink.orgE-mail2: bms@macrothink.comWebsite: http://bms.macrothink.org

Communities in Sri Lanka own a remarkable fund of under-utilized, under-appreciated, and unidentified indigenous knowledge and skills, which mostly become obsolete or extinct due to various reasons. The indigenous knowledge (IK) system, particularly in medicine, mainly remains of a tacit nature. Therefore, managing indigenous knowledge of indigenous medicine is a great challenge. It is believed that economic independence and sustainability can be achieved through a hybrid system of development by amalgamating existing IK and modern technologies. The management of IK will revalidate the dying cultures and promote community-based involvement in development programmes of a country. The objectives of the study were to identify existing formats of IK on indigenous medicine, available policies to manage IK of indigenous medicine, and barriers to manage IK of the indigenous medicine in Sri Lanka. Government institutions such as departments, universities, museums, and libraries have a moral responsibility to identify, collect, preserve, and disseminate indigenous knowledge for the benefit of the local and global community. The selected institutional heads and librarians of the most relevant government institutes in the country represented the target population of the study and the data collection was done through documentary survey, interviews and observations. The study identified much valuable tangible and intangible IK of indigenous medicine, scattered throughout the country. Ola-leaf manuscripts are identified as the basic written format of IK of indigenous medicine, while the rest of the knowledge remains as personnel memories. Government intervention, and formulation and implementation of policies and strategies for the management of IK, were the fundamental recommendations made based on findings of the study, whereas active collaboration among related institutes was considered the second. The potential of information and communication technologies was recognized in the process of IK management.

Business Management and Strategy (BMS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether BMS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 12, Number 1Agha Usama Hasan, University of West London, United KingdomAnsar Abbas, Banking Officer, Muslim Commercial Bank Pakistan, PakistanChaminda Prasanna Karunarathne, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaDio Caisar Darma, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Samarinda, IndonesiaEddie John Paul Fisher, Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, United KingdomGamlath Mohottige Mudith Sujeewa, University of Kelaniya, Sri LankaHalimahton Borhan, Universiti Teknologi Mara, MalaysiaIzabella Manukyan, Russian-Armenian University, ArmeniaJawon Kim, Chung-Ang University, Korea, Republic ofNicholas Renaldo, Institut Bisnis dan Teknologi Pelita Indonesia, IndonesiaOusman Jallow, Gambia Participates, GambiaShalini Sahni, Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Professional Studies (Affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi), IndiaSteliana Rodino, National Institute of R&D for Biological Sciences / Institute of Research for Agriculture Economy and Rural Development, Bucharest, Romania, RomaniaSulaiman Sheik Abdullah, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar College, IndiaVenugopal Gubbi, RV Institute Of Management, IndiaJean LeeBusiness Management and StrategyMacrothink Institute*************************************Add: 5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesTel: 1-702-953-1852 ext.508Fax: 1-702-420-2900E-mail1: bms@macrothink.orgE-mail2: bms@macrothink.comWebsite: http://bms.macrothink.org

Sustainable Agriculture Research wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal are greatly appreciated.Sustainable Agriculture Research is recruiting reviewers for the journal. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, we welcome you to join us. Please find the application form and details at http://www.ccsenet.org/reviewer and e-mail the completed application form to sar@ccsenet.org. Reviewers for Volume 7, Number 1Aftab Alam, Vice President Agriculture (R&D), Edenworks Inc. New York, United StatesAhmed Ghannam, University of Strasbourg, FranceAmor Slama, Science Faculty of Bizerte, TunisiaBed Mani Dahal, Kathmandu University, NepalBenedict Jonathan Kayombo, Botswana College of Agriculture, BotswanaBeye Amadou Moustapha, Rice Research Center, Cote d'IvoireCarlos Enrrik Pedrosa, Alis - Bom Despacho - MG, BrazilClara Ines Pardo Martinez, University of La Salle, ColombiaCristina Bianca Pocol, University of Agricultural Sciences & Veterinary Medicine of Cluj Napoca, RomaniaEntessar Mohammad Al JBawi, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, SyriaFrancesco Sunseri, Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria - Italy, ItalyGema Parra, Universidad de Jaén, SpainInder Pal Singh, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University (GADVASU), IndiaJanakie Shiroma Saparamadu, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaJiun-Yan Loh, UCSI University, MalaysiaKatarzyna Panasiewicz, Pozna? University of Life Sciences, Department of Agronomy, PolandManuel Teles Oliveira, University Tras os Montes Alto Douro (UTAD), PortugalMarcelo Augusto Gonçalves Bardi, Universidade Sao Francisco, BrazilMaren Langhof, Julius Kühn-Institut, GermanyMehmet Yagmur, Ahi Evran University, TurkeyMrutyunjay Swain, Sardar Patel University, IndiaMukantwali Christine, Rwanda Agriculture Board, RwandaMurtazain Raza, Subsidiary of Habib Bank AG Zurich, PakistanPelin Günç Ergönül, Celal Bayar University, TurkeyRaghuveer Sripathi, Advanta US, Inc., USARam Swaroop Jat, ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, IndiaRoberto José Zoppolo, Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (Uruguay), UruguaySilviu Beciu, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Bucharest, RomaniaStefano Marino, University of Molise, ItalySubbu Kumarappan, Ohio State ATI, United StatesSubhash Chand, Central Agricultural Research Institute CARI Port Blair, IndiaTenaw Workayehu, Hawassa Research Center, Southern Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), Ethiopia

Journal of Agricultural Studies (JAS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether JAS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 7, Number 4Ali Fawzy Hamza, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, EgyptAngel Ramon Sanchez Delgado, Universidade federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BrazilAnil Kumar Matta, KLEF, IndiaBabak Mohammadi, University of Tehran, IranBenjamin Mudiwa, African Evaluation Association (AfriEA), ZimbabweCamilla H. M. Camargos, University of Campinas, BrazilEliana Mariela Werbin, National University of Cordoba, ArgentinianElizabeth Amélia Alves Duarte, College Maria Milza-FAMAM, BrazilEwa Moliszewska, Opole University, PolandFábio Cassola, UNICAMP, BrazilFabrício Oliveira Fernandes, State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho - FCAV, BrazilJeferson Coutinho, Federal Institute of Science, BrazilJiban Shrestha, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, NepalJuliana Nneka Ikpe, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, NigeriaMaryanne O. Egbeadumah, Federal University Wukari, NigeriaMohamed Mattar, King Saud University, Saudi ArabiaMohammed El Basuini, Kagoshima University, JapanServet Aras, Bozok University, TurkeySina Nabaei, Azad University, IranSomaia Alkhair, Alzaeim Alazhari University, SudanSudu Hakuruge Pushpa Malkanthi, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaZakaria Fouad Abdallah, National Research Centre, EgyptZeinab Mohammadi Shad, University of Arkansas, USAZhao Chen, Clemson University, USAZsolt Domozi, Obuda University, Hungary Richard WilliamsEditorial AssistantJournal of Agricultural Studies--------------------------------------Macrothink Institute5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesPhone: 1-702-953-1852 ext.521Fax: 1-702-420-2900Email: jas@macrothink.orgURL: http://jas.macrothink.org

Journal of Agricultural Studies (JAS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether JAS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 8, Number 1Abhishek A. Cukkemane, Bijasu Agri Research Laboratory LLP, IndiaAngel Ramon Sanchez Delgado, Universidade federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BrazilAriel Reinaldo Soto Caro, Universidad de Concepción, ChileBabak Mohammadi, University of Tehran, IranBenard Kiplangat Rop, University of Nairobi, KenyaBoumahdi Merad Zoubeida, University Blida, AlgeriaCamilla H. M. Camargos, University of Campinas, BrazilEben von Well, Agricultural Research Council, South AfricaEliana Mariela Werbin, National University of Cordoba, ArgentinianEric Krawczyk, University of Michigan, USAEwa Moliszewska, Opole University, PolandFabrício Oliveira Fernandes, State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho - FCAV, BrazilFortune Ogo-ndah Awala, University of Port Harcourt, NigeriaHedayatollah K. Soureshjani, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, IranJeferson Coutinho, Federal Institute of Science, BrazilMohammed El Basuini, Kagoshima University, JapanRafael Cardoso Rial, Federal Institute of Mato Grosso do Sul, BrazilSahar Bahmani, University of Wisconsin at Parkside, USAServet Aras, Bozok University, TurkeyShakirudeen Abimbola Lawal, University of Cape Town, South AfricaShubha Kumari, ICAR-RCER, IndiaSina Nabaei, Azad University, IranSomaia Alkhair, Alzaeim Alazhari University, SudanSudu Hakuruge Pushpa Malkanthi, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaToncho Gospodinov Penev, Trakia University, BulgariaZakaria Fouad Abdallah, National Research Centre, EgyptZhao Chen, Clemson University, USA Richard WilliamsEditorial AssistantJournal of Agricultural Studies--------------------------------------Macrothink Institute5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesPhone: 1-702-953-1852 ext.521Fax: 1-702-420-2900Email 1: jas@macrothink.orgEmail 2: jas@macrothink.comURL: http://jas.macrothink.org

AbstractIn profiling Asian societies, such classical authors as Hegel, Marx, and Wittfogel have had considerable influence on the subject. They adopted power-centered approaches in characterizing Asian societies. This manuscript adopts the evidence-based approach with a bottom-up angle in constructing a people-centered typology of Asian societies. People's daily life satisfaction in 29 Asian societies is factor-analyzed with varimax rotation, society by society. Using the first two dimensions of factor analysis for each society, five types of Asian society are constructed: Ab, Ac, Ba, Bc, and Ca, where A means materialism in the primary, b means postmaterialism in the secondary, B means postmaterialism in the primary, a means materialism in the secondary, c means public sector dominance in the secondary, and C means public sector dominance in the primary. Ab societies include: Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Ac societies include: China, South Korea, Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Mongolia. Ba societies include: Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Kyrgyzstan. Bc includes Brunei, the Philippines, Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan. Ca societies include: Singapore and the Maldives. Responses to questions about lifestyle priorities are also provided to corroborate and reinforce the above typology. Applicability of this method is open to non-Asian as well as Asian societies.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an Alphavirus belonging to the family Togaviridae. In 2006, CHIKV infection struck the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, with an attack rate of 60%. There were more than 10 cases with acute flaccid paralysis simulating the Guillian Barre Syndrome. The majority of the patients presented severe joint pain. The cause for such an explosive nature of the outbreak with increased morbidity was not known. The isolation of CHIKV was attempted and succeeded from nine subjects presenting clinical symptoms of Chikungunya fever. The cDNA of all the isolates was sequenced for partial E1 and nsP1 genes. Sequences were aligned based on the double locus sequence typing concept. The phylogenetic analysis shows that sequences of Andaman isolates grouped with the East, Central, and South African genotype of virus isolates from India, Sri Lanka, and Réunion. The genetic distance between Andaman isolates and the Réunion isolates was very small. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the origin of the isolates responsible for the first ever confirmed CHIKV outbreak in these islands to be the East, Central, and South African genotype. In this manuscript, we discuss the involvement of the East, Central, and South African strain with the Chikungunya fever outbreak in this archipelago and double locus sequence typing as a first time approach.

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Epidemics of chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) are occurring on the Pacific coast of Central America, in Sri Lankan and Indian agricultural communities, and in other hotspots around the world. CKDu primarily affects male agricultural workers, and traditional risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension are not involved in the pathogenesis. Although a causal factor has not yet been identified, culprits include repeated volume depletion-induced kidney injury, as well as exposure to agrichemicals, heavy metals and nephrotoxins contained in drugs, beverages, and traditional medications. Multiple risk factors may interact in a synergistic fashion thus resulting in chronic kidney damage. The absence of undefined protective factors may amplify the risk. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> This review focuses on the current understanding of CKDu by analyzing epidemiology, potential risk factors, and clinical and pathological features as well as geographical peculiarities of each disease. We also focus our attention on the etiology of these conditions in which multiple factors may synergistically contribute to the development and progression of the disease. The last part of the manuscript is dedicated to the research agenda and practical recommendations. <b><i>Key Messages:</i></b> Since renal replacement therapy is not extensively available in areas where CKDu is widespread, prevention by avoiding all known potential risk factors is crucial. Innovative healthcare solutions and social policies in endemic areas along with collaborative clinical research projects are needed to better identify factors involved in disease promotion and progression.

Journal of Agricultural Studies (JAS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether JAS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 8, Number 2AncaLuiza Stanila, CPA, RomaniaAngel Ramon Sanchez Delgado, Universidade federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BrazilAriel Reinaldo Soto Caro, Universidad de Concepción, ChileArnaud Z. Dragicevic, IRSTEA, FranceBabak Mohammadi, University of Tehran, IranBenard Kiplangat Rop, University of Nairobi, KenyaBoumahdi Merad Zoubeida, University Blida, AlgeriaCamilla H. M. Camargos, University of Campinas, BrazilChenlin Hu, The Ohio State University, USACleber Duarte, University of Guararapes, BrazilEben von Well, Agricultural Research Council, South AfricaEliana Mariela Werbin, National University of Cordoba, ArgentinianElizabeth Amélia Alves Duarte, College Maria Milza-FAMAM, BrazilEric Krawczyk, University of Michigan, USAEwa Moliszewska, Opole University, PolandFábio Cassola, UNICAMP, BrazilFortune Ogo-ndah Awala, University of Port Harcourt, NigeriaGuitong Li, China Agricultural University, ChinaHedayatollah K. Soureshjani, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, IranJanerson Jose Coelho, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, BrazilJeferson Coutinho, Federal Institute of Science, BrazilJuliana Nneka Ikpe, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, NigeriaMd. Sadique Rahman, ShereBangla Agricultural University, BangladeshMohamed Mattar, King Saud University, Saudi ArabiaMohammed El Basuini, Kagoshima University, JapanNkemkanma Vivian Agi, Rivers State University Port Harcourt, NigeriaRafael Cardoso Rial, Federal Institute of Mato Grosso do Sul, BrazilSabatino Cuomo, University of Salerno, ItalySahar Bahmani, University of Wisconsin at Parkside, USAServet Aras, Bozok University, TurkeyShakirudeen Abimbola Lawal, University of Cape Town, South AfricaShubha Kumari, ICARRCER, IndiaSina Nabaei, Azad University, IranSomaia Alkhair, Alzaeim Alazhari University, SudanSudu Hakuruge Pushpa Malkanthi, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaToncho Gospodinov Penev, Trakia University, BulgariaTugay Ayasan, East Mediterrenaen Agricultural Research Institute, TurkeyUtkarsh R. Moon, Mahatma Gandhi College of Science, IndiaWossenie Shibabaw Mebratie, Bahir Dar University, EthiopiaZakaria Fouad Abdallah, National Research Centre, EgyptZeinab Mohammadi Shad, Iowa State University, USAZhao Chen, Clemson University, USA Richard WilliamsEditorial AssistantJournal of Agricultural Studies--------------------------------------Macrothink Institute5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesPhone: 1-702-953-1852 ext.521Fax: 1-702-420-2900Email 1: jas@macrothink.orgEmail 2: jas@macrothink.comURL: http://jas.macrothink.org

Journal of Agricultural Studies (JAS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether JAS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 9, Number 3Ahmad Reza Pirali Zefrehei, Gorgan University, IranAlessandra M. Lima Naoe, Federal University of Tocantins, BrazilAlexandru Ioan Apahidean, Univ. of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, RomaniaAna Daniela Lopes, Universidade Paranaense, BrazilAnca-Luiza Stanila, ICPA, RomaniaAndré Luiz Rodrigues Magalhães, UFAPE, BrazilAngel Ramon Sanchez Delgado, Universidade federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BrazilArnaud Z. Dragicevic, IRSTEA, FranceBenard Kiplangat Rop, University of Nairobi, KenyaCamilla H. M. Camargos, University of Campinas, BrazilCleber Duarte, University of Guararapes, BrazilDarwin Pangaribuan, University of Lampung, IndonesiaEben von Well, Agricultural Research Council, South AfricaEliana Mariela Werbin, National University of Cordoba, ArgentinianEmmanuel E. Omeje, University of Nigeria, NigeriaEric Krawczyk, University of Michigan, USAEric Owusu Danquah, CSIR-Crops Research Institute, GhanaFernando Rodrigues de Amorim, State University of Paulista (UNESP), BrazilGuitong Li, China Agricultural University, ChinaHabu Saleh Hamisu, National Horticultural Research Institute, NigeriaHedayatollah K. Soureshjani, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, IranJacquelin Teresa Camperos Reyes, São Paulo State University (UNESP), BrazilJorge A. López, University Tiradentes, BrazilJuliana Nneka Ikpe, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, NigeriaLuh Suriati, Warmadewa University, IndonesiaMahyar Gerami, Sana Institute of Higher Education, IranMaría Francisca Perera, ITANOA, EEAOC-CONICET, ArgentinaMariana Esteves, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture University of Sao Paulo, BrazilMohamed Mattar, King Saud University, Saudi ArabiaMohammed El Basuini, Kagoshima University, JapanMohammed Jamal Uddin, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), BangladeshNkemkanma Vivian Agi, Rivers State University Port Harcourt, NigeriaOlga Mykhailenko, National University of Pharmacy, UkraineRadu Liviu Sumalan, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary, RomaniaRaul Pașcalău, Banat's University, RomaniaSaiful Irwan Zubairi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), MalaysiaSarir Ahmad, Abdul Wali Khan University, PakistanShubha Kumari, ICAR-RCER, IndiaSina Nabaei, Azad University, IranSudu Hakuruge Pushpa Malkanthi, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaSybelle Mesquita Silva, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, BrazilToncho Gospodinov Penev, Trakia University, BulgariaTugay Ayasan, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, TurkeyUtkarsh R. Moon, Mahatma Gandhi College of Science, IndiaZakaria Fouad Abdallah, National Research Centre, EgyptZeinab Mohammadi Shad, Iowa State University, USAZhao Chen, Clemson University, USA Richard WilliamsEditorial AssistantJournal of Agricultural Studies--------------------------------------Macrothink Institute5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesPhone: 1-702-953-1852 ext.521Fax: 1-702-420-2900Email 1: jas@macrothink.orgEmail 2: jas@macrothink.comURL: http://jas.macrothink.org

In this manuscript, the authors aim to explore firstly the association between entrepreneurial mindset and co-creation experience, secondly the association between co-creation experience and entrepreneurial intentions, and thirdly the association between entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial intentions within the sustainability context. In this paper, the authors present the results of the pilot study. Primary data were collected from 500 university students from China, Georgia, Poland, Romania, and Sri Lanka by using a convenient sampling technique, and a literature review was the primary method of the concept development. The authors selected the above-mentioned countries to collect primary data by using a convenient sampling technique based on accessibility; they also visited all analysed countries in order to conduct the pilot survey personally. Descriptive statistics and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were applied as primary statistical methods. The findings reveal that there is a very strong association between co-creation experience and entrepreneurial intentions, a very weak negative association between entrepreneurial mindset and co-creation experience, and, surprisingly, a weak association between entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial intentions. The added value of the conducted pilot research involves filling in a gap regarding the relationship between experience and the subjective norm. In the presented pilot research, co-creation experience was compared with not only entrepreneurial mindset but with entrepreneurial intentions as well. An additional value of this exploratory research is compiling an international comparison. The main contribution of this pilot study is examining the symbiotic mutualism between co-creation and entrepreneurship. Among many platforms of associations, the following can be differentiated: creativity, innovativeness, openness, engagement, awareness, motivation, trust (level of social capital), and recognizing the significance of social and sustainable development objectives. Due to the small sample size, the results cannot be generalised. Results refer only to the respondents. However, the findings of the pilot study are the basis for further research studies on symbiotic mutualism between entrepreneurship and co-creation.

International Business Research wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal are greatly appreciated. International Business Research is recruiting reviewers for the journal. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, we welcome you to join us. Please contact us for the application form at: ibr@ccsenet.org Reviewers for Volume 13, Number 8 &nbsp; Anca Gabriela Turtureanu, &ldquo;DANUBIUS&rdquo; University Galati, Romania Andrea Carosi, University of Sassari, Italy Andrei Buiga, &ldquo;ARTIFEX University of Bucharest, Romania Anna Maria Calce, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Italy Anna Paola Micheli, Univrtsity of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Italy Antonio Usai, University of Sassari, Italy Anuradha Iddagoda&nbsp;&nbsp; , University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka Ashford C Chea, Benedict College, USA Ayoub Taha Sidahmed, SIU, Sudan Benjamin James Inyang, University of Calabar, Nigeria Chokri Kooli, International Center for Basic Research applied, Paris, Canada Dionito F. Mangao, Cavite State University &ndash; Naic Campus, Philippines Duminda Kuruppuarachchi, University of Otago, New Zealand Farouq Altahtamouni, Imam AbdulRahman Bin Fisal University, Jordan Fawzieh Mohammed Masad, Jadara University, Jordan Federico de Andreis, &quot;UNIVERSITY &ldquo;GIUSTINO FORTUNATO&rdquo;Benevento&quot;, Italy Filomena Izzo, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Italy Florin Ionita, The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania Hanna Trojanowska, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland Hillary Odor, University of Benin, Nigeria L. Leo Franklin, Bharathidasn University, India Marco Valeri, Niccol&ograve; Cusano University, Italy Maria Teresa Bianchi, University of Rome &ldquo;LA SAPIENZA&rdquo;, Italy Maria-Madela Abrudan, University of ORADEA, Romania Maryam Ebrahimi, Azad University, Iran Michele Rubino, Universit&agrave; LUM Jean Monnet, Italy Mihaela Simionescu, Institute for Economic Forecasting of the Romanian Academy, Romania Mohsen Malekalketab Khiabani, University Technology Malaysia, Malaysia Mongi Arfaoui, University of Monastir, Tunisia Ouedraogo Sayouba, University Ouaga 2, Burkina Faso Pascal Stiefenhofer, University of Exeter, UK Rafiuddin Ahmed, James Cook University, Australia Roberto Campos da Rocha Miranda, Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, Brazil Rossana Piccolo, University of Campania &quot;Luigi Vanvitelli&quot;, Italy Sachita Yadav, Manav Rachna University, Faridabad, India Sara Saggese, University of Naples Federico II, Italy Sumathisri Bhoopalan, SASTRA Deemed to be University, India Tatiana Marceda Bach, Centro Universit&aacute;rio Univel (UNIVEL), Brazil Yan Lu, University of Central Florida, USA

This edition is the first issue of Dewa Ruci’s Journal, in which all articles are in English. We deliberately changed the language of publication to English to facilitate information delivery to a wider audience. We realize that English is the official language for many countries rather than other languages in this world. The number of people who have literacy awareness and need scientific information about visual and performing arts regarding the archipelago’s cultural arts is also quite large.The decision to change the language of publication to English does not mean that we do not have nationalism or are not in love with the Indonesian language. This change is necessary to foster the intensity of scientific interaction among writers who are not limited to Indonesia’s territory alone. We desire that the scientific ideas outlined in Dewa Ruci’s Journal are read by intellectual circles of the arts internationally. We also want to express our scientific greetings to art experts from countries in New Zealand, the USA, Australia, Europe, especially Britain, and other English-speaking countries such as the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Canada. Of course, a change in English will also benefit intellectuals from countries that have acquired English as a second language, such as Malaysia, Brunei, Israel, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. In essence, Dewa Ruci’s Journal editor wants to invite writers to greet the scientific community at large.We are grateful that six writers can greet the international community through their articles. The first is Tunjung Atmadi and Ika Yuni Purnama, who wrote an article entitled “Material Ergonomics on Application of Wooden Floors in the Interior of the Workspace Office.” This article discusses office interiors that are devoted to workspaces. The purpose of this study is to share knowledge about how to take advantage of space-forming elements in the interior design of a workspace by utilizing wooden floors like parquet. The focus is on choosing the use of wood by paying attention to the elements in its application. This research result has a significant meaning in the aesthetics, comfort, and safety of wooden floors in the workspace’s interior and its advantages and disadvantages.The second writer who had the opportunity to greet the Dewa Ruci Journal audience was intellectuals with diverse expertise, namely Taufiq Akbar, Dendi Pratama, Sarwanto, and Sunardi. Together they wrote an article entitled “Visual Adaptation: From Comics to Superhero Creation of Wayang.” This article discusses the fusion and mixing of wayang as a traditional culture with comics and films as contemporary culture products. This melting and mixing have given birth to new wayang creations with sources adapted from the superhero character “Avenger,” which they now call the Avenger Wayang Kreasi. According to them, Wayang Kreasi Avenger’s making maintains technical knowledge of the art of wayang kulit. It introduces young people who are not familiar with wayang kulit about the technique of carving sungging by displaying the attributes in the purwa skin for Wayang Kreasi Avenger. This creativity is an attempt to stimulate and show people’s love for the potential influence of traditional cultural heritage and its interaction with the potential of contemporary culture.The next authors are Sriyadi and RM Pramutomo, with an article entitled “Presentation Style of Bedhaya Bedhah Madiun Dance in Pura Mangkunegaran.” This article reveals a repertoire of Yogyakarta-style dance in Mangkunegaran, Surakarta, namely the Bedhaya Bedhah Madiun. The presence of this dance in Mangkunegaran occurred during the reign of Mangkunegara VII. However, the basic character of the Mangkunegaran style dance has a significant difference from the Yogyakarta style. This paper aims to examine the Bedhaya Bedhah Madiun dance’s presentation style in Mangkunegaran to determine the formation of its presentation technique. The shape of the Bedhaya Bedhah Madiun dance style in Mangkunegaran did not occur in an event but was a process. The presentation style’s formation is due to a problem in the inheritance system that has undergone significant changes. These problems arise from social, political, cultural, and economic conditions. The responses to these problems have shaped the Bedhaya Bedhah Madiun dance's distinctive features in Mangkunegaran, although not all of them have been positive.Hasbi wrote an article entitled “Sappo: Sulapa Eppa Walasuji as the Ideas of Creation Three Dimensional Painting.” This article reveals Hasbi’s creative process design in creating three-dimensional works of art, named Sappo. He got his inspiration from the ancient manuscripts written in Lontara, namely the manuscripts written in the traditional script of the Bugis-Makassar people on palm leaves, which they still keep until now. Sappo for the Bugis community is a fence that limits (surrounds, isolates) the land and houses. Sappo’s function is to protect herself, her family, and her people. Sulapa Eppa means four sides, is a mystical manifestation, the classical belief of the Bugis-Makassar people, which symbolizes the composition of the universe, wind-fire-water-earth. Walasuji is a kind of bamboo fence in rhombus rituals. Eppa Walasuji’s Sulapa is Hasbi’s concept in creating Sappo in the form of three-dimensional paintings. The idea is a symbolic expression borrowing the Lontara tradition's idiom to create a symbolic effect called Sappo.Mahdi Bahar and his friends wrote an article entitled “Transformation of Krinok to Bungo Krinok Music: The Innovation Certainty and Digital-Virtual Contribution for Cultural Advancement.” Together, they have made innovations to preserve Krinok music, one of Jambi’s traditional music themes, into new music that they call Bungo Krinok. He said that innovation is a necessity for the development of folk music. In innovating, they take advantage of digital technology. They realize this music’s existence as a cultural wealth that has great potential for developing and advancing art. The musical system, melodic contours, musical grammar, and distinctive interval patterns have formed krinok music’s character. This innovation has given birth to new music as a transformation from Jambi folk music called “Bungo Krinok” music.Finally, Luqman Wahyudi and Sri Hesti Heriwati. They both wrote an article entitled “Social Criticism About the 2019 Election Campaign on the Comic Strip Gump n Hell.” They explained that in 2019 there was an interesting phenomenon regarding the use of comic strips as a means of social criticism, especially in the Indonesian Presidential Election Campaign. The title of the comic is Gump n Hell by Errik Irwan Wibowo. The comic strip was published and viral on social media, describing the political events that took place. In this study, they took three samples of the comic strip Gump n Hell related to the moment of the 2019 election to analyze their meaning. From the results of this study, there is an implicit meaning in the comic strip of pop culture icons' use to represent political figures in the form of parodies.That is the essence of the issue of Volume 16 Number 1 (April Edition), 2021. Hopefully, the knowledge that has been present in this publication can spur the growth of visual and performing art science in international networks, both in the science of art creation and in scientific research of art in general. We hope that the development of visual and performing art science can reveal the various meanings behind various facts and phenomena of art life. Therefore, the growth of international networks is an indispensable need.Thank you.

Sri Lanka has unique heritage of own medical system handed down from generation to another over a period of 3,000 years. Native medical practitioners in different disciplines are inherited within a family tradition and their treatments are still effective and accepted by the Sri Lankan community. Nagaraja Guliya is one of traditional preparations prescribed as internal or external medicaments by the traditional physicians in the southern province in Sri Lanka since ten decades for poisons of animal origin. The study has been focused to standardize the herbo mineral formula in respect of quality, safety and analyze the potential of Nagaraja Guliya. The formulation consists of the eight herbo mineral ingredients; Aconitum ferox, Zingiber officinale, Myristica fragrans, Syzygium aromaticum, Mercury, Arsenic trisulfide, Copper sulphate and Luffa cylindrica. Authentication of the ingredients was carried out at Bandaranayaka Memorial Ayurveda Research Institute, Nawinna, Sri Lanka. Data has been gathered from Sri Lankan traditional manuscripts, Ayurveda authentic texts and different scientific journals. The results revealed that the Nagaraja Guliya contains secondary plant metabolites like Alkaloids, Tannins, Saponin and Phenols. The pH of the formulation was found to be 5.28 and is in acceptable range for oral administration and external application. Further, heavy metal contents of Mercury and Arsenic in the preparation was not reached to the harmful level to the human body. In Ayurveda view point; pharmacodynamic properties of the formula showed that maximum number of ingredients consist of Katu Rasa (pungent taste) Laghu Guna (Light property), Ushna Veerya (Hot in potency) and Katu vipaka with properties of pacification of Kapha and Vata dosha. Kushtagna, Vedanastapana, Raktashodaka, Shotahara and Vishahara. Hence, future studies should be planned to evaluate the existing data on traditional use of Nagaraja Guliya, along with experimental and clinical trials.

Abnormal pigmentation in cutaneous wound healing has become a major cosmetic issue in the current society. Rising popularity of green labeled cosmetics which are environmentally sustainable with minimum side effects have greater demand in the world cosmetic market. Standardization of herbal formula is essential in order to assess the quality of drugs. Hence, the research study was designed to standardize the selected herbs based on comprehensive literary study on selected Varnaya Dravya (complexion promoting herbs) mentioned in Ayurveda authentic texts and Sri Lankan traditional manuscripts comprising of Terminalia chebula Retz, Terminalia belerica (Gaertn). Roxb, Phyllanthus emblica Linn, Rubia cordifolia Linn, Curcuma longa Trim, and Sesamum indicum Linn. Authentication of herbal ingreedients has been carried out at Bandaranayaka Memorial Ayurveda Research Institute, Nawinna, Sri Lanka. Microscopic identification, Moisture content, pH value, Total ash content and Colouring matter were tested determind through paper chromatography under WHO (2011) guidelines. Microscopic identification revealed that the poly herbal cosmetic formula in powder form contains yellow colour cells, stone cells, group of elongated stone cells, transparent cells, pitted vessels, spiral vessels, vessels filled with red, small fibers, oil globules, starch granules, needle shape crystals, hair and Trichoid. Moreover, moisture content of the formula was 6.3%, pH - 5.92 and total ash value - 4.45%. Determination of colouring matter indicated formula does not contain synthetic dyes. In addition, secondary plant metabolites like phenolic, tannins and saponins were present. Pharmacodynamics potential of the formula showed 25% kashaya (astringent) and tiktta (bitter) rasa (taste) accordingly. Further, 46% and 27% of formula showed ruksha (dryness) and laghu (lightness) guna (properties) along with 83% and 67% indicated ushna virya. (hot in potency) and madura (sweet) vipaka respectively. Due to presence of secondary metabolites, the poly herbal formula has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-oxidant potentials which will be favorable for skin complexion protection from bacteria and fungi. Moreover, Lekhana action gives scraping effect which is important for removing the scar. The study suggested that parameters found to be sufficient to evaluate the herbal cosmetic powder and could be used as reference standards and applicability of this formulae should be validated with a preclinical and clinical trials.

The Palm leaf manuscripts are seen as documents that preserve the cultural heritage of the people. In that respect, palm leaf manuscripts have been maintained by the Eastern Tamil people for a long time. These palm leaf manuscripts can be classified into three types; literature, medicine and astrology. Literary palm leaf manuscripts include Ammanai, Drama etc. Palm leaf manuscripts related to astrology contain information such as Similarly, medical palm leaf manuscripts contain much medical information. It is noted that a medical palm leaf manuscript was discovered for in the East recently. This study is intended to introduce the structure, medical information and herbs of this palm leaf manuscript. This palm leaf manuscript has solutions for many ailments such as headaches, asthma, cough peenisam, pittam and rheumatism. There is also information on the preparation of sanjeevi legiyam. Neem, Milk, Honey Basil, etc. have been identified as having high Medicinal properties.

Objective: To investigate the effects of heating on phytonutrients of cooked Vigna unigulculata. Methods: The consequences of heating on V. unigulculata were investigated by phytochemical analysis (qualitatively and quantitatively), alongside analysis of proximate contents. Five phytochemicals were quantified and nutrient contents determined. Results: Results revealed that phytochemicals in raw sample were significantly (p<0.05) higher than cooked sample. Alkaloids, saponins and flavonoids in raw black-eyed bean (RBEB) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than cooked black-eyed bean (CBEB). Meanwhile, apart from crude fat content, others (carbohydrate content, ash content, protein and fiber content) of CBEB V. unigulculata were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than RBEB V. unigulculata. Conclusions: Cooking by heating influenced a reduction of phytochemicals but an increase in proximate content in V. unigulculata. Peer Review History: Received 11 May 2021; Revised 18 June; Accepted 29 June, Available online 15 July 2021 Academic Editor: Dr. Asia Selman Abdullah, Al-Razi university, Department of Pharmacy, Yemen, asia_abdullah65@yahoo.com UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Dr. Dennis Amaechi, MrsFoluBabade Mini Estate , Flat 5 by Old Soldiers Quarter, Sabongari/Bwari, Abuja- Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. amaechitoexcel@yahoo.com Dr. Nagalingam Varnakulenthiren, Siddha Medicine, Unit of Siddha Medicine, Trincomalee Campus, EUSL, Sri Lanka, drvarnan@gmail.com Julie Ann S. Ng, Blk 18 Lot 6 Grandville 3 Subdivision Mansilingan, Bacolod City, Philippines. julieann_ng@yahoo.com Similar Articles: A REVIEW: EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE TO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND HCN LEVEL IN CASSAVA (MANIHOT ESCULENTA CRANTZ) LEAVES HEATING EFFECT ON PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PROXIMATE CONTENTS OF COOKED AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS (KIDNEY BEANS)

The curtain rose. The howling of desert wind filled the performance hall in the Shanghai Grand Theatre. Into the center stage, where a scenic construction of a mountain cliff and a desert landscape was dimly lit, entered the character of the Daoist priest Wang Yuanlu (1849–1931), performed by Chen Yizong. Dressed in a worn and dusty outfit of dark blue cotton, characteristic of Daoist priests, Wang began to sweep the floor. After a few moments, he discovered a hidden chambre sealed inside one of the rock sanctuaries carved into the cliff.Signaled by the quick, crystalline, stirring wave of sound from the chimes, a melodious Chinese ocarina solo joined in slowly from the background. Astonished by thousands of Buddhist sūtra scrolls, wall paintings, and sculptures he had just accidentally discovered in the caves, Priest Wang set his broom aside and began to examine these treasures. Dawn had not yet arrived, and the desert sky was pitch-black. Priest Wang held his oil lamp high, strode rhythmically in excitement, sat crossed-legged in a meditative pose, and unfolded a scroll. The sound of the ocarina became fuller and richer and the texture of the music more complex, as several other instruments joined in.Below is the opening scene of the award-winning, theatrical dance-drama Dunhuang, My Dreamland, created by China’s state-sponsored Lanzhou Song and Dance Theatre in 2000. Figure 1a: Poster Side A of Dunhuang, My Dreamland Figure 1b: Poster Side B of Dunhuang, My DreamlandThe scene locates the dance-drama in the rock sanctuaries that today are known as the Dunhuang Mogao Caves, housing Buddhist art accumulated over a period of a thousand years, one of the best well-known UNESCO heritages on the Silk Road. Historically a frontier metropolis, Dunhuang was a strategic site along the Silk Road in northwestern China, a crossroads of trade, and a locus for religious, cultural, and intellectual influences since the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.–220 C.E.). Travellers, especially Buddhist monks from India and central Asia, passing through Dunhuang on their way to Chang’an (present day Xi’an), China’s ancient capital, would stop to meditate in the Mogao Caves and consult manuscripts in the monastery's library. At the same time, Chinese pilgrims would travel by foot from China through central Asia to Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, playing a key role in the exchanges between ancient China and the outside world. Travellers from China would stop to acquire provisions at Dunhuang before crossing the Gobi Desert to continue on their long journey abroad. Figure 2: Dunhuang Mogao CavesThis article approaches the idea of “abroad” by examining the present-day imagination of journeys along the Silk Road—specifically, staged performances of the various Silk Road journey-themed dance-dramas sponsored by the Chinese state for enhancing its cultural and foreign policies since the 1970s (Kuang).As ethnomusicologists have demonstrated, musicians, choreographers, and playwrights often utilise historical materials in their performances to construct connections between the past and the present (Bohlman; Herzfeld; Lam; Rees; Shelemay; Tuohy; Wade; Yung: Rawski; Watson). The ancient Silk Road, which linked the Mediterranean coast with central China and beyond, via oasis towns such as Samarkand, has long been associated with the concept of “journeying abroad.” Journeys to distant, foreign lands and encounters of unknown, mysterious cultures along the Silk Road have been documented in historical records, such as A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms (Faxian) and The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions (Xuanzang), and illustrated in classical literature, such as The Travels of Marco Polo (Polo) and the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West (Wu). These journeys—coming and going from multiple directions and to different destinations—have inspired contemporary staged performance for audiences around the globe.Home and Abroad: Dunhuang and the Silk RoadDunhuang, My Dreamland (2000), the contemporary dance-drama, staged the journey of a young pilgrim painter travelling from Chang’an to a land of the unfamiliar and beyond borders, in search for the arts that have inspired him. Figure 3: A scene from Dunhuang, My Dreamland showing the young pilgrim painter in the Gobi Desert on the ancient Silk RoadFar from his home, he ended his journey in Dunhuang, historically considered the northwestern periphery of China, well beyond Yangguan and Yumenguan, the bordering passes that separate China and foreign lands. Later scenes in Dunhuang, My Dreamland, portrayed through multiethnic music and dances, the dynamic interactions among merchants, cultural and religious envoys, warriors, and politicians that were making their own journey from abroad to China. The theatrical dance-drama presents a historically inspired, re-imagined vision of both “home” and “abroad” to its audiences as they watch the young painter travel along the Silk Road, across the Gobi Desert, arriving at his own ideal, artistic “homeland”, the Dunhuang Mogao Caves. Since his journey is ultimately a spiritual one, the conceptualisation of travelling “abroad” could also be perceived as “a journey home.”Staged more than four hundred times since it premiered in Beijing in April 2000, Dunhuang, My Dreamland is one of the top ten titles in China’s National Stage Project and one of the most successful theatrical dance-dramas ever produced in China. With revenue of more than thirty million renminbi (RMB), it ranks as the most profitable theatrical dance-drama ever produced in China, with a preproduction cost of six million RMB. The production team receives financial support from China’s Ministry of Culture for its “distinctive ethnic features,” and its “aim to promote traditional Chinese culture,” according to Xu Rong, an official in the Cultural Industry Department of the Ministry. Labeled an outstanding dance-drama of the Chinese nation, it aims to present domestic and international audiences with a vision of China as a historically multifaceted and cosmopolitan nation that has been in close contact with the outside world through the ancient Silk Road. Its production company has been on tour in selected cities throughout China and in countries abroad, including Austria, Spain, and France, literarily making the young pilgrim painter’s “journey along the Silk Road” a new journey abroad, off stage and in reality.Dunhuang, My Dreamland was not the first, nor is it the last, staged performances that portrays the Chinese re-imagination of “journeying abroad” along the ancient Silk Road. It was created as one of many versions of Dunhuang bihua yuewu, a genre of music, dance, and dramatic performances created in the early twentieth century and based primarily on artifacts excavated from the Mogao Caves (Kuang). “The Mogao Caves are the greatest repository of early Chinese art,” states Mimi Gates, who works to increase public awareness of the UNESCO site and raise funds toward its conservation. “Located on the Chinese end of the Silk Road, it also is the place where many cultures of the world intersected with one another, so you have Greek and Roman, Persian and Middle Eastern, Indian and Chinese cultures, all interacting. Given the nature of our world today, it is all very relevant” (Pollack). As an expressive art form, this genre has been thriving since the late 1970s contributing to the global imagination of China’s “Silk Road journeys abroad” long before Dunhuang, My Dreamland achieved its domestic and international fame. For instance, in 2004, The Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteśvara—one of the most representative (and well-known) Dunhuang bihua yuewu programs—was staged as a part of the cultural program during the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. This performance, as well as other Dunhuang bihua yuewu dance programs was the perfect embodiment of a foreign religion that arrived in China from abroad and became Sinicized (Kuang). Figure 4: Mural from Dunhuang Mogao Cave No. 45A Brief History of Staging the Silk Road JourneysThe staging of the Silk Road journeys abroad began in the late 1970s. Historically, the Silk Road signifies a multiethnic, cosmopolitan frontier, which underwent incessant conflicts between Chinese sovereigns and nomadic peoples (as well as between other groups), but was strongly imbued with the customs and institutions of central China (Duan, Mair, Shi, Sima). In the twentieth century, when China was no longer an empire, but had become what the early 20th-century reformer Liang Qichao (1873–1929) called “a nation among nations,” the long history of the Silk Road and the colourful, legendary journeys abroad became instrumental in the formation of a modern Chinese nation of unified diversity rooted in an ancient cosmopolitan past. The staged Silk Road theme dance-dramas thus participate in this formation of the Chinese imagination of “nation” and “abroad,” as they aestheticise Chinese history and geography. History and geography—aspects commonly considered constituents of a nation as well as our conceptualisations of “abroad”—are “invariably aestheticized to a certain degree” (Bakhtin 208). Diverse historical and cultural elements from along the Silk Road come together in this performance genre, which can be considered the most representative of various possible stagings of the history and culture of the Silk Road journeys.In 1979, the Chinese state officials in Gansu Province commissioned the benchmark dance-drama Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road, a spectacular theatrical dance-drama praising the pure and noble friendship which existed between the peoples of China and other countries in the Tang dynasty (618-907 C.E.). While its plot also revolves around the Dunhuang Caves and the life of a painter, staged at one of the most critical turning points in modern Chinese history, the work as a whole aims to present the state’s intention of re-establishing diplomatic ties with the outside world after the Cultural Revolution. Unlike Dunhuang, My Dreamland, it presents a nation’s journey abroad and home. To accomplish this goal, Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road introduces the fictional character Yunus, a wealthy Persian merchant who provides the audiences a vision of the historical figure of Peroz III, the last Sassanian prince, who after the Arab conquest of Iran in 651 C.E., found refuge in China. By incorporating scenes of ethnic and folk dances, the drama then stages the journey of painter Zhang’s daughter Yingniang to Persia (present-day Iran) and later, Yunus’s journey abroad to the Tang dynasty imperial court as the Persian Empire’s envoy.Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road, since its debut at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the first of October 1979 and shortly after at the Theatre La Scala in Milan, has been staged in more than twenty countries and districts, including France, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Russia, Latvia, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and recently, in 2013, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.“The Road”: Staging the Journey TodayWithin the contemporary context of global interdependencies, performing arts have been used as strategic devices for social mobilisation and as a means to represent and perform modern national histories and foreign policies (Davis, Rees, Tian, Tuohy, Wong, David Y. H. Wu). The Silk Road has been chosen as the basis for these state-sponsored, extravagantly produced, and internationally staged contemporary dance programs. In 2008, the welcoming ceremony and artistic presentation at the Olympic Games in Beijing featured twenty apsara dancers and a Dunhuang bihua yuewu dancer with long ribbons, whose body was suspended in mid-air on a rectangular LED extension held by hundreds of performers; on the giant LED screen was a depiction of the ancient Silk Road.In March 2013, Chinese president Xi Jinping introduced the initiatives “Silk Road Economic Belt” and “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” during his journeys abroad in Kazakhstan and Indonesia. These initiatives are now referred to as “One Belt, One Road.” The State Council lists in details the policies and implementation plans for this initiative on its official web page, www.gov.cn. In April 2013, the China Institute in New York launched a yearlong celebration, starting with "Dunhuang: Buddhist Art and the Gateway of the Silk Road" with a re-creation of one of the caves and a selection of artifacts from the site. In March 2015, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planning agency, released a new action plan outlining key details of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Xi Jinping has made the program a centrepiece of both his foreign and domestic economic policies. One of the central economic strategies is to promote cultural industry that could enhance trades along the Silk Road.Encouraged by the “One Belt, One Road” policies, in March 2016, The Silk Princess premiered in Xi’an and was staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing the following July. While Dunhuang, My Dreamland and Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road were inspired by the Buddhist art found in Dunhuang, The Silk Princess, based on a story about a princess bringing silk and silkworm-breeding skills to the western regions of China in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) has a different historical origin. The princess's story was portrayed in a woodblock from the Tang Dynasty discovered by Sir Marc Aurel Stein, a British archaeologist during his expedition to Xinjiang (now Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region) in the early 19th century, and in a temple mural discovered during a 2002 Chinese-Japanese expedition in the Dandanwulike region. Figure 5: Poster of The Silk PrincessIn January 2016, the Shannxi Provincial Song and Dance Troupe staged The Silk Road, a new theatrical dance-drama. Unlike Dunhuang, My Dreamland, the newly staged dance-drama “centers around the ‘road’ and the deepening relationship merchants and travellers developed with it as they traveled along its course,” said Director Yang Wei during an interview with the author. According to her, the show uses seven archetypes—a traveler, a guard, a messenger, and so on—to present the stories that took place along this historic route. Unbounded by specific space or time, each of these archetypes embodies the foreign-travel experience of a different group of individuals, in a manner that may well be related to the social actors of globalised culture and of transnationalism today. Figure 6: Poster of The Silk RoadConclusionAs seen in Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road and Dunhuang, My Dreamland, staging the processes of Silk Road journeys has become a way of connecting the Chinese imagination of “home” with the Chinese imagination of “abroad.” Staging a nation’s heritage abroad on contemporary stages invites a new imagination of homeland, borders, and transnationalism. Once aestheticised through staged performances, such as that of the Dunhuang bihua yuewu, the historical and topological landscape of Dunhuang becomes a performed narrative, embodying the national heritage.The staging of Silk Road journeys continues, and is being developed into various forms, from theatrical dance-drama to digital exhibitions such as the Smithsonian’s Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottes at Dunhuang (Stromberg) and the Getty’s Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on China's Silk Road (Sivak and Hood). 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