From State Mandates to Indigenous Expression

Cultural Ecology and the Evolution of Sanjiang Dong Farmer Life Paintings in Modern China

Resumo

This study aims to analyse the association and educational inheritance of Sanjiang’s cultural ecology through the lens of Sanjiang Dong farmer life paintings amidst modern social change in China. Employing a qualitative research method, the study focuses on Sanjiang County, Guyi Town, and Nanning City. The participants include the president and vice president of the Guangxi Art Association and Sanjiang County Art Association, the governor of Sanjiang County, the tutors and creators of Sanjiang Dong farmer life paintings, and the principals of primary and secondary schools in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County in Guangxi. The findings reveal a dynamic evolution of the art form across three distinct periods. In the pre-1978 era, state mandates and socialist ideologies channelled artistic production into politically driven narratives. With the advent of reform and opening up, local cultural and natural influences began to reassert themselves, resulting in an art form that increasingly celebrated indigenous aesthetics and rural life. In the contemporary 21st century, enhanced educational initiatives, interdisciplinary collaborations, and professional training have fostered an autonomous artistic vision that reflects historical continuity and contemporary dynamism. The study uses cultural ecology to interpret how visual form, compositional density, modelling practices, colour choices, and subject matter emerged through changing relations among state policy, local environment, ethnic craft traditions, artistic mentorship, and market conditions. The study therefore argues that Sanjiang Dong farmer life paintings are cultural-ecological artefacts shaped by negotiation among political power, indigenous expression, and changing modes of production. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to cultural ecology theory and its practical implications for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders seeking to safeguard and promote traditional art forms in an era of rapid social and technological change.