Artistic heritage conservation: the relevance and cultural value of Guangzhou clan building paintings to traditional rituals from a kinship perspective through perceptual assessment and data mining

• Published in: Heritage science 2024-06, Vol.12 (1), p.216-19, Article 216
• Main Authors: Li, Weicong, Ma, Shangbing, Shi, Wenwen, Lin, Haopai, Liu, Yueling, Cui, Yitong, Ao, Jinghui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ancestral hall; Arousal; Art exhibits; Chemistry and Materials Science; Conveying; Data mining; Decoration; Decorative art; Emotions; Exudation; Heritage; Kinship culture; Materials Science; Mural; Murals; Patriarchal rituals; Resonance
• ISSN: 2050-7445; 2050-7445
• DOI: 10.1186/s40494-024-01328-9

The study of clan paintings reveals a shift in perspective from art aesthetics to cultural connotations to cultural identity, yet literature seldom discusses the relationship between art and kinship culture. Taking the murals of ancestral hall architecture in Guangzhou as an example, this paper utilizes text mining to identify factors influencing its decorative art. It reveals the traditional rites' artistic expression through dimensions of characters' demeanor and the transmission of content values, offering a fresh perspective for heritage value research. Findings: (1) themes and implications are mostly oriented towards positive value transmission, transitioning from idealistic layman life to the realism of lower-class existence, emphasizing humanization; (2) the extroverted portrayal of characters contrasts with the dignified, restrained etiquette of traditional rites, with some characters' portrayal and facial expressions exuding approachability; (3) murals conveying positive emotions are mostly related to longevity, auspiciousness, fortune, and heroic deeds, while those conveying negative emotions mainly involve elderly male figures, reflecting a content bias related to characters; (4) historical allusion murals with complex content reduce the emotional resonance and arousal efficiency of the viewer; (5) incomplete mural content increases negative emotions in perceivers, highlighting the impact of mural preservation on emotional resonance. To delve into the formation of clan painting art, it is essential not only to interpret the diversity of its patterns but also to demonstrate the representation of its social attributes in decorative art. The formation of clan painting decorative art exhibits kinship cultural attributes, epitomizing the essence of traditional ceremonial thought.