SYMBOL AND POWER: CROSS-CULTURAL ADAPTATION IN GIUSEPPE CASTIGLIONE’S ART
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v6i5.817Keywords:
Lang Shining, cross-cultural adaptation, semiotics, Qing dynasty court painting, cultural negotiationAbstract
This research aims to analyse and interpret the visual reproduction and symbolic information in Lang Shining’s paintings of the ancient Chinese imperial court from the dual perspectives of semiotics and acculturation theory. As an Italian Jesuit who served during the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns of the Qing dynasty, Lang Shining’s paintings reflect a fusion of Chinese and Western styles, combining Western realistic techniques with the aesthetic and political symbolism of the ancient Chinese imperial court. Based on qualitative case study analysis, this research selects six artworks: One Hundred Horses, Portrait of the Qianlong Emperor in Court Robes, Ten Fine Hounds, The Qianlong Emperor’s Grand Military Review, Ten Complete Military Achievements (Shiquan Wugong Tu), and Hunting Scene as samples for analysis. It also uses a conceptual framework that combines semiotics and cross-cultural adaptation models to deeply analyse how Lang Shining’s artistic creation reflects the stages of deculturation, acculturation, and assimilation. The study found that Lang Shining’s paintings are not only a reflection of his personal acculturation, but also an important part of the Qing Dynasty’s visual political project. In his works, he skilfully translates symbols such as imperial power, military conquest, royal life, and religious exchanges into visual expressions that conform to the ideology of ancient dynasties. Lang Shining’s artistic practice highlights the multiple functions of visual art in cultural negotiation, political mediation, and symbol construction, providing new theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of cross-cultural art history and semiotics. Through this research, we can gain a deeper understanding of how art becomes a dynamic field of negotiation of power, identity, and cultural boundaries in imperial and colonial contexts.
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Copyright (c) 2025 CHEN QIU, ISSAREZAL ISMAIL, HAMIDI HADI, ISHAK RAMLI, PAN WEIQIN, LI JIANAN, YANG FANG, CHEN MI
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