A Studv Of Chinese Historical Discourse Of Diaovu Islands

The issue of Diaoyu Islands between China and Japan can be regarded as not just over political, economic and maritime disputes, but also a form of cultural discourse. International scholars have not paid sufficient attention to the historical discourses involved that the issue deserves. This paper will try to examine it from a cultural-discursive and historically-conscious perspective.After critically reviewing the mainstream theories and approaches of discourse analysis, the thesis moves onto outlining a cultural notion of and a cultural approach to human discourses. Then, the paper sets out to analyzing the Chinese discourse of Diaoyu Islands from a historical perspective. Specifically, this thesis identifies and classifies the textual forms and processes of the relevant Chinese ancient records of Diaoyu Islands at different historical times.Through detailed and systematic analysis of the historical documents, the Chinese side has valid records on Diaoyu Islands of different kinds over a long historical period. Further, the Chinese side has adopted multiple discursive strategies to respond to and resist against the Japanese side solemnly and methodically, which plays a significant part on the territorial disputes. This study has implications not only for the understanding of the historical discourses of Diaoyu Island, but also hopefully for resolving the current territorial disputes.