• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.83-89
• /
• 2019

Zhang yimou's film "the shadow" adopts a lot of modern literary symbolic content in the story structure. The novel has been greatly modified, abandoning the setting of the original work and making up the historical background of the story, thus completing the discourse practice of aerial literature rather than historical literature. The film expresses the historical story poetically and even writes the personal mind. In this way, the audience's sense of substitution is increased, and a large number of traditional Chinese cultural symbols are adopted visually. In terms of clothing, the most traditional is sought, which advocates loyalty to history, and adds cultural connotation and depth. The audience can feel the bold and unfettered artistic creation spirit of the main creator, as well as the novel and unique visual expression style, which makes his works have both traditional visual perception and modern story content. The combination of traditional vision and modern drama forms a new visual and cultural experience.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.558-571
• /
• 2023

In recent years, young Chinese consumers have become more favorably inclined toward products relating to traditional culture. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a textile design that incorporates traditional Chinese patterns and cultural symbolism that will appeal to consumers from the MZ generation (millennials and Generation Z). Through a literature search for traditional Chinese patterns and symbols regarded as auspicious, our design concept and motives were established. We selected peony, lotus, and frog motifs as representative of a "wealth and eternal prosperity" design theme. In textile design work 1, we used hand drawing and watercolor techniques, color transformation with Adobe Photoshop, and colorway and end-use 3D simulation with TexPro. The 3D simulation work suggests that this textile pattern is suitable for women's outerwear, mufflers, and tote bags. Textile design work 2 conveyed the 'wealth and eternal prosperity' design theme and had a graceful mood that embodied the nobility of the lotus flower whilst also encompassing the symbolism of money and status. The end design is a modern reinterpretation of traditional Chinese patterns and motifs. As such, it is hoped that it will satisfy the needs of young consumers for cultural values yet offer a unique new aesthetic distinct from existing textile designs. These qualities can be expected to enhance the competitive market value of textiles bearing this design.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.23-42
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of the Chinese Miao people's Batik patterns and provide data in the field of fashion design for the utilization of the traditional patterns. This study investigated and analyzed the regional characteristics of Batik dyeing, which was listed on China's national intangible cultural heritage list; Danzhai, Anshun, Huangping, and Gonghyeon. The expressive characteristics were classified into four categories: symbolism, abstraction, decorativeness, and playfulness. The results are as follows. First, symbolism can be classified into the origins of the Miao, symbols of faith, history of migration, and the symbols of status with Batik patterns from different regions, seemingly involving various symbolic implications. Due to the absence of letters, Miao people expressed their emotions and history in the design patterns. A series of developments in recent years has led to incorporating the temperament of the Miao people, history of migration, expression of emotions, and ideal hopes in Batik dyed design patterns and the symbolic functions have been significantly emphasized. Second, the decorativeness is mainly characterized by repeated patterns of the Miao Batik dyeing design. The overall patterns demonstrate design features characterized by regularization and simplification, along with a sense of rhythm with the unique arrangement of patterns. Third, the abstractness of the Batik dyeing design patterns is often found in plant and animal patterns, properly delivering new designs created by Miao women by extracting and rearranging various elements, including dots, lines, and faces shown in natural images. Fourth, playfulness is expressed by the transformation and distortion of Miao Batik patterns, and were created by applying patterns or other elements to original forms to express animal or plant patterns in a playful way.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.59 no.1
• /
• pp.29-46
• /
• 2009

Aiming at finding symbolistic meanings and characteristics of makeup in Chinese Beijing Opera("BO"), this study formulated a theoretical framework mainly from literature in the Symbolism and symbolistically analyzed materials related to BO makeup from literature, internet web pages and illustrated news concerning performing arts. Main objects to analyze are the characteristics of four main roles in BO and the patterns, symbols, ornaments and traditions of Beijing Opera facial makeup("BOFM"). Four main roles are Sheng, Tan, Ching and Chou, categorized by gender, age, social position and personality. The result to analyze symbolistic meanings and characteristics of makeups for the roles in BO are as follows: the patterns and colors of BOFM function as explanations to help audiences understand each role's personality and dramatic situations as well as provide hints about the development and ending of an opera: that is, BO makeup is a communicative intermediary between audiences and actors in BO. It tends to follow the stereotypes, which conventionally dress and exaggerate the characters of roles, and copy the traditional Chinese perception about colors. Thus, by the metaphysical and typical expression of BOFM, Chinese people have not been pursuing the realism in opera but applying BO makeup to a mutual communication method between audiences and performing artists as to share their collective cultural heritages and spirits. Threfore, BO makeup has been an interacting language between the two entities and grown within the history of BO as a beauty art to highlight a BO by its unique systems, ornaments and beauty.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.21
• /
• pp.271-288
• /
• 2010

In their everyday life, people form social phenomena and relations through the shapes and habits of animals. Therefore, animals contain the idea of the way of life of certain nations, spiritual and cultural feelings, and the symbolic meaning which can be recognized between the members of the unique nation. The symbolism of animals varies depending on different nations, because the adages are the essence of the language including their culture, thought, custom, and life. Examining their own adages can be one of the ways to find out what the animals symbolize in different nations. Another reason is that they are the dictionaries, reflecting their own way of thinking and traditional values, so to speak. The research shows that, between Korean and Chinese adages, it is in a similar frequency, using materials such as mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles, and insects. The adages are focused on the 12 animals which is familiar to both nations, a rat, an ox, a tiger, a rabbit, a dragon, a snake, a horse, a lamb, a monkey, a rooster, a dog and a boar. We compared the symbolism, the surface meanings in adages, and the figurative meanings of these animals in Korea and China. As a result, it is found that some are almost the same in usage. However, some are totally different such as expressions related to the animals, the cultural differences and clear understanding. It is necessary to do comparative researches in a detailed and various way by studying the issues derived from verbalism.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
• /
• s.51
• /
• pp.129-158
• /
• 2018

China has had many excellent Chinese-style animation since the 1950s. These animations are of distinctive Chinese national characteristics. They have won many awards both at home and abroad, such as "Feelings of Mountains and Waters", "Uproar In Heaven", "Why is the Crow Black-Coated" and so on. But nowadays, Chinese animations that mimics Japanese and American animation are very often, and there are few animation works with rich traditional Chinese culture. There are some works in the name of Chinese style, but they have not been fully accepted by the audiences. If one wants to create animated works of Chinese style, the author must have an in-depth understanding of Chinese traditional and folk art. Animation can not be designed only on the surface. This paper mainly studies the traditional five color concept in China and its application in animation. The purpose is to provide some references to differentiate Chinese animation from other countries in terms of style and color. The main content of this paper is to understand the concept and history of Chinese traditional five color views, and to know that this color system has reflected the ancestors' concept of nature and society. On the basis of five monochromatic colors, red, yellow, green, white and black, it is a kind of complex color concept that has been developed and perfected continuously after a long period of accumulation and precipitation in the practice of life. It is the theoretical basis of Chinese traditional color system and a complete set of historical, cultural, philosophical and religious theories. Finally, this paper analyzes the colors and their symbolic meanings of the main roles in "Uproar In Heaven", a color long animation produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio, including Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor and Na Zha. Color is the first visual language. The use of color symbols to express the inner feelings, status, good and evil of the characters will affect the audience's emotions, behaviors and opinions imperceptibly. The traditional Chinese five color concept has gone through such a long history, and its symbolic meaning has a more profound impact on Chinese people. Applying the color concept and symbolic meaning of Chinese traditional five color concept will further highlight the personalities and emotions of the roles in Chinese style animations. This paper takes the five-color view as the theoretical basis, and through the analysis of cartoons with traditional Chinese color, the author finds ways to flexibly use traditional Chinese culture.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.38
• /
• pp.83-100
• /
• 1998

The purpose of this study is to figure out how stage costume of Peking Opera communicates what the character wants to inform to spectator. The stage costume means the clothing, shoes, headdress, accessory that the cast is worn for communicating personality of character. Stage costume not only reveals the character of new spirit who the director and the work is like to create, but also makes the style of play harmonizing with the atmosphere of the work. So, the stage costume in the play is a sort of symbol system that forms the depth of play. The stage costume of Peking Opera was formed on the basis of the Chinese traditional stage costume in the Qing period, however the style of stage costume was beautified the costume of Ming period and here contained the factors of successive costumes. But the stage costume of Peking Opera don't have the same rank system with real history costume and don't have demarcation according to period and history. Only it is that transformed and created the real history costume with Chinese fine view and made how they wear Chinese fine view and made how they wear the costume according to position, age, personality of character in the play. In the stage costume of Peking Opera, the color is cultural language that director can communicate to spectators and can inform spectator of sex, age, personality, position of the character. The color of the stage costume of Peking Opera reflects the principles of Yin and Yang and the five elements of the Chinese cosmogony. The pattern of decoration also makes the personality and characteristic of the character. The dragon pattern symbols the authority and majesty, so only the character of high position can use it. The pattern of tiger and leopard symbols bravery, so the military officer can use it. Civil officer decorates with the pattern of Japanese apricot, orchid, chrysanthmum, bamboo that symbols integrity and honor. The stage costume of Peking Opera communicates the identity of character with the special form of costume. Kanjien is a costume of the young priestess, Houyi is the Sunwukong'costume. Chayi is a costume of boatman. Lingzi, Sweixiu, Kaoqi is the props for the foramtive effect of stage costume, also they play an important part in expressing the emotion situation. In the result of study, we could know that the form, color, pattern of the stage costume and props of Peking Opera play important parts in communicating informations that let spectator can understand the play. So, the stage costume of Peking Opera is an‘picturizing costume’that the form, color, pattern of the stage costume is a sort of symbol system. It makes spectator feels actually the viewing Peking Opera.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.348-354
• /
• 2023

A tattoo is a cultural form that has been handed down to mankind for a long time. Traditional tattoo customs that have been handed down and developed in the various cultures of mankind have the important value of academic research in various fields such as history, art, society, etc. The Derung people, one of the minorities living in Yunnan Province and nearby areas in the southwest of China, have 'facial tattoo' customs. The traditional culture of the Derung people, which had maintained the form of primitive society until 1949 when the People's Republic of China was established, was passed down through oral tradition, so there are no preserved materials about their tattoo culture, showing the need for research on the culture. Therefore, it was conducted in two ways: a research on modern and contemporary literature and a field trip to Yunnan Province. The exact reason and time of facial tattoo customs are unknown, but the customs disappeared after being banned in 1966 due to the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The symbols and functions of facial tattoos can be largely divided into four categories, including religious worship, coming-of-age ceremonies, aesthetic decorations, and ethnic and social history, through an on-site survey and research by modern and contemporary scholars. And, it is known that women of the Derung People get tattoos from the age of 7 to 8. The design of facial tattoos became more complicated for upper-class women and simpler for lower-class women depending on the area they live. Tattoos are mainly performed by relatives, and mainly bamboo skewers and lixivium extracted from the bottom of the pot are used as the materials. Currently, there are fewer than 25 women of the Derung people with facial tattoos, and most of them are elderly. Therefore, they seem to disappear altogether within a few decades. Therefore, it is urgent to have documentation on the unique facial tattoo culture of the Derung people.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2012

This study aimed at learning the values and meanings of the letters carved on the rocks all over Mt. Sangdu located at the boundary between Kimje-si and Jeongeup-si of Jeollabuk-do by grasping the current state of them, investigating the patterns and contents of them, and understanding the spatial and landscape properties of the region where the rocks are scattered. The results of this study are as follows; The name of Mt. Sangdu came from the mountain with the same name located in India where Buddha were seeking the truth, and means auspicious. With the recognition of ancient maps and books, various propitious spots also made the landscape symbols of Mt. Sangdu solidify. Whoam, Chaangsuk-Kim, Weolgye Young-Cho Song and the members of Cheonggye Society like Dongcho Seok-Gon Kim led the creation of the rocks, and the 41 letter-carved rocks all over four water systems were found out and all of them were carved with Chinese characters. The letters were usually carved on flat and broad rocks, and they mainly had the shape of a small waterfall and a wide waterfall of under 1 meter height. 25(60.9%) of the carved letters were about moral training, and it seemed that they wanted to protect their pride under the shackle of the Japanese colonization over Korea. The styles of handwriting are Hangseo and Jeonseo except for names, and show various and complex styles. The mix composition of the carved letters of 'Yusubulbu(流水不腐)' of Choseo and the rocks of Takjok(濯足) is extraordinary, and the letters carved as the shape of Nakkwan(落款) have artistic value and degree of finishing. It seemed that intellectuals during the Japanese colonization over Korea in the 1930s considered Mt. Sangduasa highly valuable region because they expressed their hope and wish for the new world on the rocks. The letters on the rocks of Mt. Sangdu are invaluable cultural landscaping elements for the improvement of landscaping symbolism of Mt. Sangdu because of colliding values and spirits of the time of 'the anguish and pain of intellectuals' and 'the status of living joyfully outside of the mundane world.'

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.26-37
• /
• 2015

This paper aims to review all landscaping elements of Donggwoldo by building and identify the palatial garden landscaping characteristics and landscaping methods in a bid to explore landscaping methods applicable for modern-time gardens of Korea through Succession of Tradition. The research methodology was adopted by which the palatial gardens appearing in Donggwoldo were observed according to garden elements to identify their characteristics. Garden elements in Donggwoldo include oddly shaped stones, ponds, buildings and Madang, borders and areas, and trees. Their characteristics were analyzed, and as a result they are outlined as follows. Location : Buildings in Donggwoldo were located in the optimal areas within the Myungdang (the best location), with the building sites being created by transforming the natural topography positively according to the existing topography and uses. Tree planting : The construction of the buildings involved using the existing trees. There were no specific principle and method of planting trees, and no specific criteria for choosing the kind of tree. Symmetrical planting was adopted and its is considered embracing the viewpoint of making gardens based on the expression of Yin and Yang. Strongly symbolical kinds of trees were also adopted. Bangji : it takes a nearly circular shape in palatial gardens, and such shapes represent conceptual and abstract symbols. They were also frequently used as the place of public entertainment. Pavilions : they did not take a certain standard shape. They had diverse shapes, including a triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, and octagon and cross. Oddly shaped stones : Oddly shapes stones and stone cases were deployed mainly near the bedroom and the crow prince's residence and in the rear garden. Hwagye : it appeared mainly in the back of the bedroom, the crown prince's residence, the princess's residence, and other women's quarters. Chwibyeong : it was installed for the purpose of drawing the natural energy like a natural inlet instead of being the nature-dividing wall. Korea's garden composition method was very different from the Western and Chinese method. Overall, Chosun palatial garden style was characterized by strict and Confucian features, while the garden construction method adopted the Taoism thought. Yet, the gardens had a carefree aspect.