Traditional New Year Pictures of Tantou, Hunan Province : Re-invention of Tradition in the Process of China Intangible Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures is rooted in the folklore and daily life of the common people in Tantou, constructing people's feelings and perceptions, and becoming a popular folk art. It was conceived in the Han and Tang dynasties, started in the Song dynasty, flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and has undergone decline in the Republic of China, reform in the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China, suspension during the Cultural Revolution, revival after the reform and opening up, decline at the end of the 20th century, and finally became a China Intangible Cultural Heritage at the beginning of this century. It can be seen that social transformation is inextricably linked to the change of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures.

After the founding of New China, the state has attached great importance to traditional culture and formulated relevant national policies on Intangible Cultural Heritage.Because Intangible Cultural Heritage is an important part of the excellent Chinese traditional culture, a vivid testimony of the continuity of Chinese civilization. It is an important foundation for linking national emotions and maintaining national unity. The research objective of this research is 1. To study the history and development that New Year Pictures is a kind of traditional culture in Tantou Town.2. To study the re-invention of Tradition of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures in the process of China Intangible Cultural Heritage.3. To study the re-invention of Tradition of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures after it becoming China Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Focusing on the research objective mentioned above, this study used qualitative research methods.The research results are as follows:

In this study, Zhong Jiantong, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures, and Yin Dongxiang, a Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor in Hunan Province, were used as the unit of analysis.They have all made their own unique contributions to the heritage and development of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures.Zhong Jiantong focuses on the re-invention of content and techniques, while Yin Dongxiang focuses on the reinvention of production objects and methods.Through their works we can find the re-invention of traditional of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures.

As an excellent traditional Chinese culture, Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures have been expanding their functions in the course of its historical development, such as from folk beliefs for the New Year to daily decoration to gift symbols to maintaining the relationship between people and society. At present, Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures are becoming more and more influential and have been exhibited overseas for many times, gaining wide recognition from the society and eventually becoming one of the representative cultures of Chinese traditional culture.

After becoming China Intangible Cultural Heritage, Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures has faced new demands and challenges, and New Year Pictures artists have, to varying degrees, re-invented the tradition to meet the new demands and challenges of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures.

In conclusion, the re-invention of tradition of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures is based on the inherent pattern of tradition, and the core of Tantou Traditional New Year Pictures has not changed, but its function has been expanded in modern times, which is the contemporary inheritance of modern society.

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