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Research on the Visual Translation and Illustration of Huxiang Folk Narratives from a Semiotic Perspective: A Case Study of the Panhu Legend

Author(s)

Yuning Wang, Zhouyan Dou*, Zhe Wen, Ruihao Guo

Affiliation(s)

Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, Hunan, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The visual construction and illustrative representation of Huxiang folk tales serve as vital channels for preserving regional culture and fostering cultural exchange. Taking The Legend of Panhu as a central case study, this paper employs semiotics and cultural memory theory as an analytical framework. By distilling visual symbols such as the patterns found in Yao ethnic silver ornaments and clothing, as well as the regional landscapes of the Yuan River, the study explores the artistic methods of illustration in folk tales. From a semiotic perspective, the visual construction of The Legend of Panhu can be viewed as a process of meaning encoding, wherein creators transform oral narratives into a perceptible visual symbolic system by strategically configuring visual signifiers，such as color, patterns, and composition，with their signifieds, including the supernatural, loyalty, and ancestors. From the perspective of cultural memory, this process of visualization serves to solidify communicative memory into stored memory, thereby facilitating cultural recreation through intergenerational transmission. The narrative framework of human-divine coexistence in The Legend of Panhu, the symbolic significance of ethnic attire, and the emotional resonance of natural imagery collectively embody the Huxiang cultural philosophy of harmony and ethnic cohesion.

Keywords

Huxiang Folk Tales; Visual Translation; Illustrative Expression; The Legend of Panhu; Semiotics; Cultural Memory

References

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