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From “Chinoiserie” to “Localization”: A Study on the Morphological Evolution and Cultural Translation of Jingdezhen Export Porcelain in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Author(s)

Yanfang Chang

Affiliation(s)

Jingdezhen Vocational University of Art, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China

Abstract

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Jingdezhen export porcelain served as a significant commodity along the Maritime Silk Road, witnessing the collision and integration of Chinese and Western cultures. Taking “from Chinoiserie to localization” as the core narrative thread, this paper examines the three stages of morphological evolution of export porcelain. By employing methods of image comparison, technological tracing, and semantic analysis, it reveals the internal mechanisms of cultural translation in export porcelain. The study demonstrates that the “localization” of export porcelain was not a simple cultural compromise, but an active creation through retaining core identifying features, adjusting visual grammar, and adapting to usage scenarios.

Keywords

Jingdezhen Export Porcelain (Ming and Qing Dynasties); Chinoiserie; Localization; Digital Genealogy; Cultural Translation

References

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