Lacquer Culture in China: A Case of Cultural Heritage
Loading...
Authors
Han, Hanbai
Date
2025-04-02
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Lacquer tree , Lacquerware , Cultural heritage , China , Official recognition
Alternative Title
Abstract
This research addresses the gaps and deficiencies in current scholarship on lacquer culture, specifically analyzing how the official recognition of lacquer culture as an intangible cultural heritage has impacted established practices. Lacquer culture is considered to have three components: lacquer tree cultivation, lacquerware production, and consumption. Each component has distinct actors, whose interactions determine how lacquer culture is preserved and transmitted.
This research finds out that: 1) the official recognition changed lacquer culture in lacquer tree planting (regarding nature), lacquerware production (regarding standardization), and lacquerware consumption (regarding authenticity) from traditional norms to a mixture of traditional and new norms. 2) The changes corresponded to the incentives and disincentives introduced by the official recognition (reflecting official policy objectives) and provided by the free market economy (competition and profit-driven). 3) The direction, scope, scale, and pace of change were influenced by the political power (formal and informal), resource distribution, and social status of the actors involved (planters, lacquerware producers and consumers) with the producers having the greatest impact.
Anthropological methods were used to collect field data, including participant observation and semi-structured interviews, conducted in several provinces of China. The data are presented as nine cases focused on lacquer tree planters, lacquerware producers, and lacquerware consumers. The study demonstrates that cultural concepts of nature, standardization, and authenticity are theoretically robust. They are relevant to events and interactions in the emerging realm of cultural heritage protection. Furthermore, this research illustrates how official recognition of lacquer culture as an intangible cultural heritage influences the established practices in lacquer tree cultivation, lacquerware production, and consumption. These insights are crucial for designing effective cultural heritage preservation measures.
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International