A STUDY ON THE VISUAL SYSTEM AND CULTURAL TRANSLATION OF THE DECORATIVE ART OF ANCESTRAL HALLS IN GUANGZHOU

Abstract

Under the dual context of the global wave of cultural heritage digitization and the national strategy of rural revitalization, the decorative art of ancestral halls in Guangzhou is undergoing a paradigm shift from "clan symbol" to "cultural IP". Based on a field survey conducted in 2023-2024 on the Lai Clan Ancestral Hall in Zhengtian Village, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou, and 43 other Ming and Qing dynasty ancestral halls in the surrounding area, this paper proposes for the first time an analytical framework of a visual system consisting of "three carvings, two sculptures, and one painting", and constructs a four-stage research model of "historical accumulation - symbol extraction - digital translation - cultural and creative derivation". Through high-precision 3D scanning, semantic deconstruction of patterns, and user experience experiments, this paper: (1) systematically reviews the evolution of the form and decoration of ancestral halls in Lingnan since the Ming and Qing dynasties; (2) reveals the clan ethics, feng shui cosmology, and commercial spirit behind the decorative motifs; and (3) experimentally develops digital/physical cultural and creative products to verify the acceptance and emotional premium of traditional visual symbols in modern cultural tourism consumption scenarios. The research results provide a replicable paradigm for the digital restoration, intangible cultural heritage revitalization, and international academic dialog of Lingnan ancestral halls.

Keywords: Lingnan Ancestral Halls, Architectural Decorative Art, Three Carvings, Two Sculptures and One Painting, Digital Design, Intangible Cultural Heritage Creative Products