Negotiating Cultural Meaning in the Market: Semiotic Transformations of Guangzhou Jade Carving in Contemporary China

Negotiating Cultural Meaning in the Market: Semiotic Transformations of Guangzhou Jade Carving in Contemporary China | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Negotiating Cultural Meaning in the Market: Semiotic Transformations of Guangzhou Jade Carving in Contemporary China Yuanyuan Huang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6590846/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In contemporary China, the centuries-old tradition of Guangzhou jade carving is undergoing a profound transformation as it intersects with the dynamics of commercial markets and digital consumption. This study investigates how the cultural meanings historically embedded in jade carving are being reshaped—visually, linguistically, and symbolically—through modern retail platforms and lifestyle branding. Drawing on a comparative semiotic analysis of traditional and commercial jade artifacts, alongside discourse from online advertising and consumer commentary, the research identifies patterns of symbolic simplification, reinterpretation, and recontextualization. While market forces often dilute ritual and philosophical associations, they also create new channels for cultural engagement and symbolic expression. Rather than framing this shift as cultural decline, the study proposes a model of cultural negotiation, in which heritage meanings are continuously adapted across shifting social and economic landscapes. This perspective offers a critical contribution to ongoing debates on how intangible heritage is mediated, reimagined, and sustained within the dynamics of design, commerce, and popular culture. Humanities/Cultural and media studies Humanities/Language and linguistics Social science/Anthropology Social science/Sociology Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 1. Introduction For centuries, jade carving in Guangzhou has stood as one of China’s most enduring cultural crafts, reflecting not only artistic mastery but also deeply rooted spiritual and moral traditions. Far beyond its decorative value, jade has long served as a medium through which ideas of virtue, harmony, and cosmological balance are materialized. In southern China, the distinctive “Guang-style” of carving evolved as a highly symbolic language, often linked to Confucian ethics, Taoist philosophy, and ancestral veneration. Recognized as part of China’s national intangible cultural heritage, Guangzhou jade carving continues to embody regional identity and traditional cultural values. However, in contemporary China, this centuries-old practice is undergoing profound change. As jade carving moves into online marketplaces and consumer-driven platforms, its symbolic dimensions are being challenged by new aesthetic and economic logics. Traditional motifs—once tied to rituals, ethical narratives, or spiritual systems—are increasingly being rebranded through popular language and visual simplification. Jade pendants are now sold as lifestyle accessories, marketed for luck, love, or wealth, often disconnected from their historical meanings. These developments point to more than a change in surface presentation; they reflect a deeper shift in how cultural meaning is produced, exchanged, and understood in modern society. This paper investigates two key questions. First, in what ways are the original meanings of jade carving being reshaped or diluted as the craft enters the marketplace? Second, how do these shifts reflect larger patterns of cultural negotiation between heritage and commerce? To explore these questions, the study adopts a twofold approach: visual analysis of jade artifacts—comparing traditional pieces with commercial designs—and discourse analysis of promotional texts and user commentary on Chinese digital platforms. This combined method aims to trace how symbols move across contexts, and how cultural meaning is transformed through design, language, and consumption. The paper is organized as follows. The next section reviews literature on intangible heritage, semiotics, and the cultural effects of commercialization. This is followed by a description of the research methods and data sources. The findings section presents visual and linguistic evidence of symbolic transformation. The discussion then introduces a framework of cultural negotiation, offering an alternative to loss-based views of cultural change. The conclusion reflects on how heritage continues to evolve in the interplay between tradition, design, and market logic. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Intangible Cultural Heritage and Commercialization Intangible cultural heritage (ICH), as defined by UNESCO, includes practices, expressions, knowledge, and skills that communities recognize as part of their cultural identity. Crafts such as jade carving are not only valued for their aesthetic qualities, but also for the meanings, beliefs, and social relationships they carry. In recent years, efforts to preserve ICH have expanded beyond documentation and museum display, encouraging more active forms of transmission that keep these traditions alive in modern contexts. However, the growing interaction between heritage practices and commercial markets has sparked a wide-ranging debate in both policy and academic circles. One line of thought views commercialization as a necessary and even beneficial process for heritage survival. Proponents of this view argue that engaging with the market allows traditional practices to gain visibility, attract new generations, and find relevance in contemporary life. In this sense, commercial products based on ICH are not seen as betrayals of tradition, but as ways to make it adaptable and economically sustainable. From this perspective, commercialization supports the revitalization of heritage by providing incentives for artisans, expanding audience access, and allowing innovation within tradition. On the other hand, critics argue that market-driven adaptation can strip away the cultural depth that gives heritage its meaning. According to this view, commercialization tends to flatten complex symbolic systems, turning rich traditions into consumer-friendly images or empty slogans. When heritage is reduced to branding or simplified for sale, key elements—ritual context, craftsmanship knowledge, or philosophical meaning—may be overlooked or erased. Commercial interests often prioritize what sells over what matters, creating a gap between cultural insiders and broader consumer audiences. In this sense, commercialization can result in what some scholars call the distortion or commodification of heritage. The tension between these two views reflects a deeper uncertainty: should heritage change to meet the world, or should the world change to protect heritage? While the debate remains unresolved, it highlights the need for more careful analysis of how meaning shifts when traditional practices are placed in new settings. Rather than seeing commercialization as purely good or bad, many recent studies have called for frameworks that examine the specific ways in which meaning is shaped, negotiated, or lost in commercial exchange. This study builds on that middle ground by treating commercialization not simply as a threat or a cure, but as a process of cultural negotiation. For Guangzhou jade carving, the central concern is not simply whether the tradition survives in commercial settings, but how its symbolic content is carried forward, reshaped, or contested in the process. 2.2 Semiotics and Cultural Symbolism Semiotics, the study of signs and symbolic meaning in culture, has become increasingly relevant in the analysis of how heritage practices evolve in mediated and commercialized settings. Recent scholarship emphasizes that symbols do not carry fixed meanings; instead, their interpretation is shaped by context, audience, and social conditions. As Zhao and Xue ( 2023 ) explain, symbols tied to traditional values often undergo rhetorical transformation when adapted for contemporary communication, particularly in gift-giving, marketing, and social performance. This highlights the dynamic nature of cultural meaning, which is not merely preserved but actively reinterpreted as it moves across domains. In the digital and commercial environment, traditional cultural symbols face new pressures to remain visible and relatable. According to a 2023 study on Chinese short videos and intangible heritage, many heritage forms—including jade carving—are reworked to match visual preferences and simplified messages for broad online audiences (Wang, Li & Chen, 2023). These processes often lead to the condensation of complex symbolic systems into compact, emotionally resonant signs, more easily shared through short-form media and visual commerce. Semiotic analysis allows researchers to trace this shift from historically rooted meanings to new, hybrid interpretations shaped by consumer expectations and algorithmic mediation. Jade, in the Chinese context, is a deeply symbolic material. Beyond its aesthetic value, jade has long embodied a moral and cosmological worldview. Traditional texts describe jade as representing the “Five Virtues” (五德): benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, integrity, and courage—qualities associated with the cultivated individual. Jade was also central to cosmological thought, expressing the alignment between heaven, earth, and humanity. Objects like bi discs and cong tubes were not merely decorative, but designed to reflect this cosmic order: circles symbolized heaven, squares represented earth, and the human was positioned as a mediator between them. Jade also functioned as a marker of social status. As recent research on Chinese ritual objects has shown, access to specific forms and materials—particularly white nephrite—was historically restricted to elite groups (Zhao & Xue, 2023 ). Motifs like dragons or phoenixes were not only artistic designs but coded indicators of hierarchy, gender, and ancestral lineage. In this way, jade operated as a visual language, articulating one’s moral standing, spiritual alignment, and social rank. Understanding these traditional layers of meaning is essential for analyzing how jade carving is reinterpreted in modern marketplaces. When these symbols are adapted for mass-produced jewelry, lifestyle products, or promotional campaigns, the issue is not only whether they remain visible, but whether their meanings are transformed in the process. A semiotic perspective helps reveal how cultural heritage is reshaped—not just in form, but in function and interpretation—as it enters new social and economic environments. 2.3 Cultural Negotiation and Meaning-Making Contemporary debates on cultural heritage and representation often return to a central question: how is meaning constructed, and who gets to define it? One of the most influential frameworks for exploring this issue is the theory of cultural negotiation, developed by cultural theorist Stuart Hall. Although Hall’s foundational work dates back to the late 20th century, recent scholars have extended his ideas into new domains, including digital media, cultural branding, and identity politics (Cooper, 2025 ; Platonov, 2024 ). At the core of Hall’s theory is the idea that meaning is not passively received, but actively interpreted, contested, and rearticulated across different social positions. Hall’s method of articulation highlights that cultural signs are never fixed in their meaning. Instead, they function within an ongoing process of negotiation among creators, media environments, and audiences. This dynamic becomes especially visible when traditional cultural symbols are moved into new spaces—such as when heritage objects are commercialized, stylized, or circulated on digital platforms. In these cases, meaning is not simply preserved or erased; it is reshaped through tension, adaptation, and reinterpretation. Hall’s perspective moves beyond binary debates over “authentic” versus “inauthentic” culture, inviting a more nuanced understanding of how symbols function under changing conditions. This perspective helps frame two dominant approaches in recent studies of cultural transformation: cultural re-signification and cultural erosion. The first sees commercial engagement as a space for symbolic renewal, where traditional meanings are embedded in new forms that resonate with modern audiences. Even when symbols appear simplified, they may still retain connections to their historical roots, especially when those symbols are invested with new relevance by users, designers, or communities. Recent research on digital heritage expression, particularly through short video platforms, suggests that traditional symbols can be creatively adapted while preserving key aspects of their cultural logic (Wang, Li & Chen, 2023). In contrast, the cultural erosion view argues that commercialization leads to symbolic flattening. According to this view, when heritage is commodified, signs often lose their connection to ritual, ethics, or cosmology, becoming decorative tokens stripped of deeper meaning. Critics suggest that such processes reduce cultural forms to fragments—visually appealing, but disconnected from the knowledge systems that originally shaped them. In cases like Guangzhou jade carving, these two processes may even coexist—some elements are actively reinterpreted, while others are stripped of depth for visual appeal. While both frameworks offer valuable insights, neither fully explains how cultural meaning is shaped in motion. This study draws from Hall’s articulation method to suggest that cultural meaning is not a fixed inheritance, but the result of an ongoing process of negotiation. For Guangzhou jade carving, what matters is not simply what has changed, but how meaning is actively produced, contested, and recoded through the interactions among artisans, marketers, and consumers. Rather than reducing cultural change to questions of gain or loss, this approach shifts attention to the process through which meaning is created, circulated, and redefined across shifting social dynamics. 3. Methodology This research adopts a qualitative, multi-method approach to explore how traditional symbolic meanings in Guangzhou jade carving are transformed in contemporary consumer settings. The study integrates multimodal semiotic analysis, platform-based discourse analysis, and comparative visual case studies. These methods are designed to capture not only the visual and linguistic dimensions of meaning-making, but also the broader social contexts in which these meanings are negotiated, adapted, or lost. 3.1 Research Design and Methods Multimodal semiotic analysis provides the central analytical framework. It examines how meaning is created through the interaction of visual elements—such as shape, color, material, and motif—with textual framing and cultural context. In jade carving, this allows for a deeper reading of how symbolic references operate both on the surface and beneath it. The analysis distinguishes between denotation (the literal content of a symbol) and connotation (its implied or culturally constructed meaning). For example, a traditional dragon motif may denote imperial power in a historical artifact but connote generalized good fortune in a commercial setting. To complement this, digital discourse analysis was conducted on textual content from major Chinese platforms: Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. These platforms not only dominate the visibility of cultural products but also shape how heritage is algorithmically framed and emotionally performed. The analysis focused on product descriptions, hashtags, and user comments, identifying recurring rhetorical strategies, simplified metaphors, and emotionally charged keywords. These discursive features reveal how language is used to repackage cultural symbols in ways that prioritize appeal, familiarity, and marketability. A comparative case study further supports the visual analysis. Images were gathered from two categories: traditional jade artifacts found in museum collections and heritage publications, and commercial jade products displayed on e-commerce and social media platforms. These visuals were then compared side by side. This allowed the study to trace how specific features—such as motif design, symbolic layering, and material emphasis—are preserved, transformed, or omitted as jade moves from ritual object to lifestyle commodity. The comparison also addressed how presentation and context alter the perceived meaning of the object. These three methods work together to reveal different layers of how cultural meaning is adapted. Before turning to the analytical process, it is important to outline where and how the data was sourced. 3.2 Data Sources The study draws on both visual and textual data to investigate the symbolic transformation of Guangzhou jade carving in the context of digital commercialization. These materials were carefully selected to represent two contrasting modes of cultural expression—heritage-based and market-driven—and to capture how meaning is produced, displayed, and interpreted across different platforms and publics. The visual dataset consists of two primary groups. The first includes traditional jade carving examples, primarily sourced from institutional archives such as the Palace Museum Digital Collection, museum exhibition catalogs, and academic publications that focus on material culture and ritual art. These images were selected for their high symbolic density and formal complexity. Many of the pieces feature canonical motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, bi discs, and cong tubes, which historically signified cosmic order, virtue, and ancestral authority. Care was taken to include works from different historical periods, particularly the Warring States, Han, and Qing dynasties, to reflect a range of symbolic forms and functions. These artifacts are typically photographed in neutral lighting with minimal digital alteration, preserving their material texture and contextual presentation. The second visual group consists of screenshots of commercial jade products collected from three major Chinese digital platforms: Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. These images were captured manually over a three-month sampling period to reflect current visual trends and product categories. Selection criteria included popularity (based on likes, views, or sales rankings), clarity of image, and representativeness of product type. The screenshots document not only the object itself but also its framing—angles, backgrounds, filters, and overlays—which together shape its visual meaning. Preference was given to listings that included lifestyle photography or branding elements, as these often convey embedded cultural assumptions through design and tone. The textual data were collected in parallel from the same platforms. Three types of text were examined: product descriptions written by sellers, user comments posted in review sections, and hashtags accompanying product posts. Samples were filtered based on engagement metrics and thematic relevance. Only entries that contained interpretive or symbolic language were retained for analysis. The final corpus includes approximately 500 textual entries. These texts were analyzed for patterns in symbolic framing, emotional emphasis (e.g., “healing,” “lucky”), tone of voice, and references—whether direct or implicit—to traditional values. The goal was not simply to track word usage, but to understand how language constructs meaning within a market logic. Together, the visual and textual data capture the two major channels through which symbolic value circulates today: the image and the caption. By juxtaposing institutional representations with commercial ones, the dataset enables a grounded, comparative analysis of how jade carving is reframed in response to new technological formats, audience expectations, and aesthetic conventions. 3.3 Analytical Approach The analysis in this study was guided by a two-level interpretive model grounded in semiotic theory, adapted to the specific context of heritage reinterpretation in digital markets. At the first level, the denotative meaning of each sample was identified—what is directly presented, described, or shown in the material. This included literal motifs in jade imagery, straightforward product descriptions, and observable platform design features. At the second level, connotative meanings were explored—those implied or culturally charged associations that emerge from how symbols are framed, stylized, or emotionally coded. These two layers were not treated as fixed categories but as analytical entry points into the process by which meaning shifts when cultural artifacts are repositioned for commercial consumption. For visual materials, the analysis focused on several formal and symbolic dimensions. Each jade piece was assessed based on motif complexity, composition style, and material presentation. Images were examined for how they employed lighting, color saturation, filtering effects, and background staging to enhance or suppress symbolic elements. Particular attention was paid to whether the imagery maintained references to ritual aesthetics—such as symmetry, balance, and natural texture—or instead adopted a lifestyle framing centered on emotion, intimacy, or fashion. In textual materials, analysis focused on framing language, emotional registers, and symbolic substitutions. Product titles, descriptions, and user comments were coded for recurrent rhetorical patterns, including metaphorical constructs (e.g., “energy stone,” “relationship charm”), affective markers (e.g., “peaceful,” “healing,” “blessing”), and the presence or absence of references to tradition (e.g., virtue, ancestry, ritual). Rather than merely quantifying term frequency, the study aimed to understand how words carry symbolic weight and participate in the recoding of heritage. To ensure coherence across modalities, visual and textual samples were analyzed in tandem, especially in cases where the same product was represented in both image and language. Each product was treated as a discrete analytical unit, with its associated image(s) and textual content analyzed in combination to capture the full semiotic context. This allowed for the identification of recurring meaning strategies—such as simplification, personalization, or aesthetic abstraction—that cut across representational forms. Key patterns were documented through comparative mapping, linking visual design decisions with symbolic reframing in text. By integrating visual semiotics, discourse analysis, and cultural interpretation, the research has shown that jade carving is not merely repackaged, but re-signified—its symbolic load lightened, redirected, and hybridized in ways that speak to the emotional logics and algorithmic rhythms of digital consumer culture. 4. Findings and Analysis 4.1 From Ritual Significance to Lifestyle Marketing Guangzhou jade carving has historically carried deep ritual and symbolic meanings. In traditional Chinese society, jade was not simply ornamental—it functioned as a ceremonial medium for expressing cosmic harmony, moral virtue, and social status. Ritual objects such as bi discs and cong tubes embodied the balance between heaven and earth, while carvings of dragons, phoenixes, and auspicious plants conveyed ideals rooted in Confucian ethics and ancestral reverence. These objects were not designed for display or consumption, but for spiritual alignment and moral cultivation. The value of jade lay not only in its material qualities, but in its capacity to materialize belief. In contemporary consumer settings, however, the symbolic function of jade has undergone a significant transformation. As jade carving enters online marketplaces and lifestyle-oriented branding, its meaning shifts from collective ritual to personal expression. The products are reframed through commercial language and visual strategies that emphasize emotion, style, and symbolic convenience. Jade pendants are now marketed as “lucky charms,” “protection stones,” or “couple gifts,” presented as tools for enhancing personal fortune, love, or well-being. For instance, a product listing on Xiaohongshu might describe a pendant as “natural jade to attract positive energy and strengthen love bonds,” accompanied by hashtags such as #spiritualcharm and #dailyblessing. These phrases are emotionally resonant but often stripped of specific cultural reference or historical depth. These symbolic changes are also reinforced through visual design and presentation, especially in how products are photographed, filtered, and framed for online platforms. Traditional jade pieces are typically displayed in balanced compositions, with minimal background distraction, highlighting the craftsmanship and symbolic complexity. In contrast, commercial jade products are often shot in bright lighting, placed in trendy contexts, and digitally enhanced to emphasize gloss, delicacy, and tactile appeal. The visual language is no longer one of reverence, but of desire and immediacy. To illustrate this transformation, the following comparative table highlights key differences between traditional and commercial jade in terms of function, symbolism, aesthetic treatment, and marketing discourse: Dimension Traditional Jade Carving Commercial Jade Products Primary Function Ritual object; moral cultivation Lifestyle accessory; emotional appeal Symbolic Focus Cosmology, virtue, ancestral reverence Luck, love, protection, personal energy Motif Use Dragons, phoenixes, bi, cong, ritualized forms Hearts, couples, zodiac signs, minimalist pendants Color/Material Subdued, natural jade tones; rough or matte finish Polished surface, bright filters, glossy effect Marketing Language “Balance of heaven and earth,” “honor and loyalty” “Brings good luck,” “protects from harm,” “love charm” These shifts reflect more than a change in visual or linguistic style; they represent a reorientation in cultural logic. The role of jade has moved from collective memory and ritual function toward symbolic personalization and emotional branding. What once served as a medium for spiritual transmission is now reimagined as a tool for self-expression, adapted to the rhythms of digital marketplaces and platform aesthetics. This evolution does not necessarily signal cultural loss. Rather, it invites us to consider how symbolic value is remade in response to changing audiences, technologies, and economies. As traditional meaning gives way to lifestyle relevance, jade carving becomes a site where heritage is negotiated—not erased, but reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary desire.As visually illustrated in Fig. 1 , the stylistic contrast between traditional and contemporary jade objects underscores the symbolic shift from ritual complexity to lifestyle-oriented design. Left: White jade pendant with spiral dragon motifs, categorized under "Jade and Stoneware," dated to the Warring States Period, sourced from the Palace Museum Digital Collection (Cultural Relic No. Gu00102424). Right: Contemporary white jade pendants marketed on Taobao as “lucky charms” and “couple gifts,” featuring simplified contours and polished surface. The contrast illustrates a symbolic shift from ritual complexity to emotional branding and lifestyle consumption. Image sources: Left – Palace Museum Digital Relics Database : https://digicol.dpm.org.cn/cultural/detail?id=abd8b99a2b8f462ca157f853d9c4449e Right – Screenshot taken from Taobao.com, used under fair academic use for research illustration. 4.2 Symbolic Reduction and Visual Simplification Beyond shifts in symbolic meaning and marketing discourse, jade carving in the commercial sphere also undergoes significant changes at the visual level. These changes reflect a broader trend of symbolic reduction and aesthetic simplification, in which complex cultural motifs are visually streamlined to meet the expectations of contemporary markets. Two key dimensions of this transformation are the simplification of patterns and the commercialization of color and material presentation. Traditionally, jade carvings were rich in intricate patterns and dense symbolic layering. Motifs such as dragons and phoenixes were rendered with fine detail, often integrated into larger visual systems that referenced cosmology, ethics, or historical allegory. A dragon, for instance, was not simply a mythical creature—it embodied power, divine legitimacy, and masculine virtue, often expressed through complex body forms, cloud curls, and embedded inscriptions. These features required both technical mastery and symbolic literacy to interpret. In the commercial market, these historically dense motifs are often distilled into simplified, minimalist designs. The dragon becomes a curved silhouette or a single-line emblem; the phoenix is reduced to a winged form, detached from its original symbolic context. This simplification is partly aesthetic, serving modern design preferences, but also strategic—simpler designs are easier to reproduce, photograph, and sell in volume. The emphasis shifts from symbolic depth to visual clarity and stylistic coherence. What once invited contemplation now aims for instant recognition. Color and material presentation have also changed under the influence of digital commerce. In traditional jade carving, the color and texture of the material were valued for their natural irregularities and subtle tonal variations. White nephrite and green jade were prized, but so were stones with cloudy inclusions, varied hues, and signs of natural formation. These imperfections were often seen as markers of authenticity and individuality. Today, commercial platforms often promote a highly stylized vision of jade—one that emphasizes uniformity, brightness, and polish. High-gloss finishes, bright lighting, and digital filters are commonly used to enhance the product’s appeal. White jade, in particular, has gained visibility due to its strong contrast against backgrounds and its alignment with minimalist design trends. Images are curated to maximize shine and smoothness, sometimes at the expense of the material’s organic feel. As a result, the look of jade shifts from natural artifact to perfected lifestyle object, designed to match digital aesthetics and aspirational taste. These visual reductions do more than streamline the object—they reshape the viewer’s relationship to meaning. When motifs are flattened and materiality is glossed over, the carved object loses some of its historical density and symbolic ambiguity. It becomes less a carrier of layered cultural reference and more a polished symbol of trend-conscious identity. The carved object no longer invites slow contemplation—it delivers instant readability. It no longer builds meaning through symbolic layers, but through surface effect and visual impact. This transformation reflects a broader shift in how heritage is visualized in the age of digital display. What remains is not the erasure of tradition, but a change in how tradition is packaged, seen, and valued in image-driven consumer spaces. 4.3 Audience Perception and Cultural Misalignment While shifts in design and marketing play a visible role in the transformation of jade carving, audience perception ultimately shapes how meaning is received, reinterpreted, or misunderstood. As jade products are increasingly sold through digital platforms, their cultural significance becomes entangled with the language, expectations, and emotional frameworks of online consumers. The meanings attached to jade are no longer rooted solely in heritage or craftsmanship, but shaped by how users engage with the object through reviews, hashtags, and personal narratives. An analysis of user-generated content across Xiaohongshu, Taobao, and Douyin reveals a noticeable gap between traditional symbolic systems and consumer interpretations. Although certain motifs—such as dragons, circles, or green tones—are still present, their meanings are often detached from their original context. For example, many buyers describe jade as a source of “positive energy,” “stress relief,” or “good vibes,” with little reference to its historical or ritual value. Others focus on its aesthetic properties, referring to it as “clean,” “minimal,” or “elegant,” aligning it more with contemporary fashion than cultural depth. To visualize this trend, a word frequency analysis was conducted on a sample of 500 product reviews and social media posts. The resulting word cloud highlights recurring themes in how consumers frame their purchases. High-frequency terms include “lucky,” “beautiful,” “calming,” “healing,” “couple,” and “white jade.” In contrast, culturally significant terms such as “virtue,” “ancestry,” “ritual,” or “Confucian” appear rarely or not at all. This suggests a shift in the symbolic center—from collective, ethical frameworks to personal, emotional benefit. As visualized in Fig. 2 , the most frequently used terms in consumer reviews reveal a clear shift toward emotional and lifestyle-oriented language, with traditional symbolic vocabulary largely absent. This word cloud visualizes the frequency of terms extracted from 500 consumer reviews collected across Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. Prominent emotional and lifestyle keywords such as “lucky,” “healing,” and “couple” dominate the visual field, while culturally embedded terms like “virtue,” “ritual,” and “Confucian” are minimal or absent. The result illustrates a symbolic realignment from traditional heritage language toward emotionally charged consumer framing. Data source: Original dataset compiled by the authors from publicly accessible consumer comments on Chinese e-commerce and social media platforms, 2024. Below is an illustrative comparison between traditional symbolic vocabulary and terms commonly used by consumers: Traditional Symbolic Terms Frequency Commercial User Terms Frequency Virtue (德) Low Lucky (转运) High Ancestry (祖先) Rare Calming (安神) High Ritual (礼) Rare Healing (疗愈) Medium Confucian (儒) Absent Couple / Love (情侣) High Cosmology (天地人) Absent White Jade (白玉) High This mismatch is not necessarily the result of ignorance, but of symbolic reorientation. In digital platforms, meaning becomes highly contextual and individualized. Buyers interpret jade through the lens of wellness culture, emotional branding, and personal identity. While this may offer new forms of engagement, it also creates a fragmented understanding of jade’s cultural roots. The object becomes a mirror for consumer desire, less a link to tradition than a tool for self-expression. This disconnect points to a broader tension in the transmission of intangible heritage: as cultural symbols move into digital and commercial spaces, their meanings are filtered through audience expectations shaped by trend cycles, algorithmic exposure, and lifestyle aesthetics. The jade carving, once embedded in a network of moral and cosmological associations, is now remade through online interaction—shaped not by shared memory, but by market-driven perception. 5. Discussion 5.1 Cultural Negotiation in Commercial Spaces In this study, “platform mediation” refers to the algorithmic, visual, and interactive structures of digital marketplaces that shape how heritage is curated, promoted, and perceived. The commercial marketplace is often viewed as a force that erodes traditional culture—flattening symbols, simplifying narratives, and repackaging heritage for profit. While such concerns are not without merit, this study suggests a more nuanced perspective: that commercial platforms function as spaces of cultural negotiation rather than cultural destruction. In these spaces, meaning is not simply lost or diluted, but continuously reshaped through interactions among artisans, consumers, technologies, and design norms. The findings of this study show that symbolic transformation in jade carving is not a one-directional process. While traditional meanings may be obscured or simplified, they are also reinterpreted and reimagined in ways that reflect the values, desires, and visual sensibilities of contemporary users. Many of the new symbolic layers—such as luck, healing, or romantic meaning—are not imposed solely by marketers, but co-created through grassroots engagement. User-generated content, informal tag systems, and spontaneous reinterpretations contribute to a growing pool of cultural meanings that circulate beyond institutional or academic definitions of heritage. This process represents a form of “vernacular creativity,” where individuals reinterpret tradition on their own terms, often through humor, emotion, or everyday context. At the same time, these acts of reinterpretation do not occur in a neutral environment. Platform structures—such as recommendation algorithms, visual formatting rules, and keyword-based visibility—shape what kinds of meanings rise to prominence. Certain aesthetic choices, such as bright lighting, white jade, or minimalist composition, are favored by digital platforms because they generate higher engagement. Over time, these algorithmic preferences influence not only how jade is displayed but also how it is designed, described, and ultimately understood. As such, cultural negotiation in the commercial sphere is not just between people, but between human expression and platform logic. This layered process challenges the binary view of commercialization as either a threat or a savior of cultural tradition. Instead, it supports a more dynamic framework: one in which cultural meaning is continuously constructed through negotiation—between past and present, between maker and audience, and between tradition and the logic of digital circulation. In this light, the marketplace becomes not just a site of cultural editing, but a stage for semiotic agency—where heritage is selectively activated, reassembled, and circulated under new conditions of visibility and value. 5.2 Towards a Semiotic Ecology of Heritage The findings of this study suggest the need for a broader framework to understand how cultural meaning is negotiated in contemporary commercial environments. Rather than viewing heritage as a linear transmission from past to present, this paper proposes a semiotic ecology: a dynamic system in which cultural symbols move, shift, and adapt through interactions among traditional values, market logics, and digital mediation. In this model, meaning does not originate from a single source—nor is it defined solely by the consumer. Instead, cultural symbols circulate through a triangular field of negotiation: (1) inherited traditions and symbolic systems; (2) evolving consumer needs and aesthetic preferences; (3) mediating agents such as designers, marketers, and digital platforms. This triangulated process of interaction is illustrated in Fig. 3 , where cultural meaning emerges not from a single source, but through sustained interaction across symbolic, commercial, and technological dimensions. This diagram visualizes the semiotic ecology proposed in this study. Cultural meaning is not linearly transmitted but continuously negotiated among three interdependent forces: traditional symbolic systems, consumer demand, and platform mediation. The circular structure reflects how meaning is dynamically shaped and reshaped through design adaptation, user interpretation, and algorithmic visibility. Each node influences the others. Designers respond to platform trends and user expectations; users reinterpret symbolic motifs based on personal narratives; platforms elevate certain forms through algorithmic visibility. Meaning emerges from this ongoing process—not as a fixed property, but as a negotiated outcome shaped by cultural memory, market responsiveness, and technological design. This semiotic ecology is not inherently negative or corrosive. It allows for continuity and innovation to coexist. Symbols are neither preserved intact nor entirely erased; they are reframed, layered, or hybridized. In this process, heritage gains new life—not as static authenticity, but as elastic relevance. What matters is not whether a carving perfectly replicates its historical counterpart, but whether it carries forward symbolic resonance in a form that speaks to contemporary audiences. Such elasticity is key to what this study calls resilient cultural regeneration: a mode of heritage transmission that can adapt to new formats and pressures without severing its symbolic roots. This requires not just institutional support, but openness to grassroots creativity, cross-generational dialogue, and adaptive design. Platforms and producers alike can play a role in fostering this ecology—by designing for depth, encouraging layered meaning, and resisting the total flattening of cultural form into trend. In moving toward this model, we move beyond the binary of preservation versus commodification. Instead, we begin to see heritage as an evolving process of symbolic negotiation—one that calls for ongoing reflexivity, design sensitivity, and cultural stewardship across all levels of production and circulation. 6. Conclusion This study has explored how Guangzhou jade carving, as a form of intangible cultural heritage, is being reshaped in the context of digital commerce and visual consumer culture. Rather than treating commercialization as a simple force of cultural loss, the findings suggest that jade carving is undergoing a process of symbolic reinvention. Through changes in visual style, marketing language, user interpretation, and platform design, the meanings attached to jade are not erased—they are reassembled in response to shifting aesthetic values, emotional needs, and digital attention economies. The analysis shows that this transformation is not unidirectional. While some symbolic depth is indeed flattened or simplified, new layers of meaning also emerge. Consumers assign personal value, artisans adjust designs, and platforms filter visibility—all contributing to a semiotic ecology in which tradition and innovation interact. In this system, heritage becomes a negotiated process, where symbols move between history and desire, ritual and branding, depth and immediacy. These findings highlight the need to rethink how heritage is approached in contemporary contexts. Rather than relying solely on frameworks of preservation and authenticity, there is a growing need to consider cultural redesign—a process that allows heritage to remain meaningful while adapting to new forms of engagement. Protecting cultural meaning today requires more than conservation; it requires creative mediation, design sensitivity, and an openness to vernacular reinterpretation. The concept of cultural negotiation, as developed in this study, offers a useful lens for understanding how meaning is formed in motion—not frozen in time. Future research could expand this framework through cross-cultural comparison, examining how different societies reinterpret heritage symbols in response to commercial and digital pressures. Another valuable direction would be to investigate the role of algorithmic systems in shaping symbolic visibility—analyzing how platform logics selectively elevate certain meanings while marginalizing others. Studies that combine ethnographic insight with data-driven platform analysis may provide deeper understanding of how culture is curated at scale. In sum, Guangzhou jade carving illustrates not the end of tradition, but its evolution. In the marketplace, symbols do not disappear—they adapt. The challenge is not to preserve culture in a fixed form, but to cultivate its relevance by redesigning how it circulates, connects, and resonates in everyday life. Declarations Disclosure of Interest The author declares no competing financial or non-financial interests related to the subject matter of this article. Ethics Statement This study did not involve human or animal participants. All visual and spectroscopic data were sourced from open-access institutional repositories and published literature. The research adhered strictly to non-invasive and ethical principles in cultural heritage analysis and did not involve the handling, alteration, or physical sampling of any artifacts. Funding This research received no external funding. Author Contribution Y.H. conceived and designed the study, conducted data collection and analysis, prepared all figures, and wrote the manuscript. Y.H. reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript. Data Availability Statement The dataset supporting this study is available from the research team upon reasonable request. 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Scientific Reports 14: Article 4960. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55454-2 Zhao, X. & Xue, C. (2023). Semiotic rhetoric of gift giving in ancient China . Language and Semiotic Studies , 9(3), 425–442. https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/lass-2023-0024/html?lang=en Zheng, Yue, Zhi Li, Wenjian Gao, and Jianhua Guo. 2021. "Spectroscopic Analysis of Neolithic Jade Artifacts from Liangzhu Culture." Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 39: 103152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.103152 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6590846","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":608451281,"identity":"90cf518b-b807-4ffa-a207-4265e0eed62c","order_by":0,"name":"Yuanyuan Huang","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Sains Malaysia","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuanyuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Huang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-05-05 03:08:14","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6590846/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6590846/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104969108,"identity":"ca4ec9f0-7cc0-42be-9057-12c411aff92b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-19 10:33:36","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":117885,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTraditional and Contemporary Jade Carving: A Visual Comparison\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeft: White jade pendant with spiral dragon motifs, categorized under \"Jade and Stoneware,\" dated to the Warring States Period, sourced from the Palace Museum Digital Collection (Cultural Relic No. Gu00102424).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRight: Contemporary white jade pendants marketed on Taobao as “lucky charms” and “couple gifts,” featuring simplified contours and polished surface. The contrast illustrates a symbolic shift from ritual complexity to emotional branding and lifestyle consumption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImage sources: Left – Palace Museum Digital Relics Database:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttps://digicol.dpm.org.cn/cultural/detail?id=abd8b99a2b8f462ca157f853d9c4449e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRight – Screenshot taken from Taobao.com, used under fair academic use for research illustration.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6590846/v1/edbe37ab5f6a750da3607d37.jpg"},{"id":104969109,"identity":"65b3cf12-ea57-44ce-9775-5380340acf70","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-19 10:33:36","extension":"jpg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":92144,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWord Cloud of Consumer Language in Jade Product Reviews\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThis word cloud visualizes the frequency of terms extracted from 500 consumer reviews collected across Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. Prominent emotional and lifestyle keywords such as “lucky,” “healing,” and “couple” dominate the visual field, while culturally embedded terms like “virtue,” “ritual,” and “Confucian” are minimal or absent. The result illustrates a symbolic realignment from traditional heritage language toward emotionally charged consumer framing.\u003cbr\u003e\nData source: Original dataset compiled by the authors from publicly accessible consumer comments on Chinese e-commerce and social media platforms, 2024.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6590846/v1/6f5a57480ee2de11ff3accff.jpg"},{"id":104969110,"identity":"f46f7f6e-ff30-45b8-81bd-631a360823be","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-19 10:33:36","extension":"jpg","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":41771,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCultural Negotiation Model of Heritage Meaning\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThis diagram visualizes the semiotic ecology proposed in this study. Cultural meaning is not linearly transmitted but continuously negotiated among three interdependent forces: traditional symbolic systems, consumer demand, and platform mediation. The circular structure reflects how meaning is dynamically shaped and reshaped through design adaptation, user interpretation, and algorithmic visibility.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6590846/v1/6b29eba4b630a74e325e3310.jpg"},{"id":107006401,"identity":"754a0808-4045-45f0-96b9-e3dba82508dc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-15 16:26:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1302676,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6590846/v1/bf384cd4-0d94-4fe7-95dd-69f73d2c09b9.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Negotiating Cultural Meaning in the Market: Semiotic Transformations of Guangzhou Jade Carving in Contemporary China","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eFor centuries, jade carving in Guangzhou has stood as one of China\u0026rsquo;s most enduring cultural crafts, reflecting not only artistic mastery but also deeply rooted spiritual and moral traditions. Far beyond its decorative value, jade has long served as a medium through which ideas of virtue, harmony, and cosmological balance are materialized. In southern China, the distinctive \u0026ldquo;Guang-style\u0026rdquo; of carving evolved as a highly symbolic language, often linked to Confucian ethics, Taoist philosophy, and ancestral veneration. Recognized as part of China\u0026rsquo;s national intangible cultural heritage, Guangzhou jade carving continues to embody regional identity and traditional cultural values.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, in contemporary China, this centuries-old practice is undergoing profound change. As jade carving moves into online marketplaces and consumer-driven platforms, its symbolic dimensions are being challenged by new aesthetic and economic logics. Traditional motifs\u0026mdash;once tied to rituals, ethical narratives, or spiritual systems\u0026mdash;are increasingly being rebranded through popular language and visual simplification. Jade pendants are now sold as lifestyle accessories, marketed for luck, love, or wealth, often disconnected from their historical meanings. These developments point to more than a change in surface presentation; they reflect a deeper shift in how cultural meaning is produced, exchanged, and understood in modern society.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis paper investigates two key questions. First, in what ways are the original meanings of jade carving being reshaped or diluted as the craft enters the marketplace? Second, how do these shifts reflect larger patterns of cultural negotiation between heritage and commerce?\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo explore these questions, the study adopts a twofold approach: visual analysis of jade artifacts\u0026mdash;comparing traditional pieces with commercial designs\u0026mdash;and discourse analysis of promotional texts and user commentary on Chinese digital platforms. This combined method aims to trace how symbols move across contexts, and how cultural meaning is transformed through design, language, and consumption.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe paper is organized as follows. The next section reviews literature on intangible heritage, semiotics, and the cultural effects of commercialization. This is followed by a description of the research methods and data sources. The findings section presents visual and linguistic evidence of symbolic transformation. The discussion then introduces a framework of cultural negotiation, offering an alternative to loss-based views of cultural change. The conclusion reflects on how heritage continues to evolve in the interplay between tradition, design, and market logic.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Literature Review","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 Intangible Cultural Heritage and Commercialization\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntangible cultural heritage (ICH), as defined by UNESCO, includes practices, expressions, knowledge, and skills that communities recognize as part of their cultural identity. Crafts such as jade carving are not only valued for their aesthetic qualities, but also for the meanings, beliefs, and social relationships they carry. In recent years, efforts to preserve ICH have expanded beyond documentation and museum display, encouraging more active forms of transmission that keep these traditions alive in modern contexts. However, the growing interaction between heritage practices and commercial markets has sparked a wide-ranging debate in both policy and academic circles.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOne line of thought views commercialization as a necessary and even beneficial process for heritage survival. Proponents of this view argue that engaging with the market allows traditional practices to gain visibility, attract new generations, and find relevance in contemporary life. In this sense, commercial products based on ICH are not seen as betrayals of tradition, but as ways to make it adaptable and economically sustainable. From this perspective, commercialization supports the revitalization of heritage by providing incentives for artisans, expanding audience access, and allowing innovation within tradition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, critics argue that market-driven adaptation can strip away the cultural depth that gives heritage its meaning. According to this view, commercialization tends to flatten complex symbolic systems, turning rich traditions into consumer-friendly images or empty slogans. When heritage is reduced to branding or simplified for sale, key elements\u0026mdash;ritual context, craftsmanship knowledge, or philosophical meaning\u0026mdash;may be overlooked or erased. Commercial interests often prioritize what sells over what matters, creating a gap between cultural insiders and broader consumer audiences. In this sense, commercialization can result in what some scholars call the distortion or commodification of heritage.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe tension between these two views reflects a deeper uncertainty: should heritage change to meet the world, or should the world change to protect heritage? While the debate remains unresolved, it highlights the need for more careful analysis of how meaning shifts when traditional practices are placed in new settings. Rather than seeing commercialization as purely good or bad, many recent studies have called for frameworks that examine the specific ways in which meaning is shaped, negotiated, or lost in commercial exchange.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study builds on that middle ground by treating commercialization not simply as a threat or a cure, but as a process of cultural negotiation. For Guangzhou jade carving, the central concern is not simply whether the tradition survives in commercial settings, but how its symbolic content is carried forward, reshaped, or contested in the process.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Semiotics and Cultural Symbolism\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSemiotics, the study of signs and symbolic meaning in culture, has become increasingly relevant in the analysis of how heritage practices evolve in mediated and commercialized settings. Recent scholarship emphasizes that symbols do not carry fixed meanings; instead, their interpretation is shaped by context, audience, and social conditions. As Zhao and Xue (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) explain, symbols tied to traditional values often undergo rhetorical transformation when adapted for contemporary communication, particularly in gift-giving, marketing, and social performance. This highlights the dynamic nature of cultural meaning, which is not merely preserved but actively reinterpreted as it moves across domains.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the digital and commercial environment, traditional cultural symbols face new pressures to remain visible and relatable. According to a 2023 study on Chinese short videos and intangible heritage, many heritage forms\u0026mdash;including jade carving\u0026mdash;are reworked to match visual preferences and simplified messages for broad online audiences (Wang, Li \u0026amp; Chen, 2023). These processes often lead to the condensation of complex symbolic systems into compact, emotionally resonant signs, more easily shared through short-form media and visual commerce. Semiotic analysis allows researchers to trace this shift from historically rooted meanings to new, hybrid interpretations shaped by consumer expectations and algorithmic mediation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eJade, in the Chinese context, is a deeply symbolic material. Beyond its aesthetic value, jade has long embodied a moral and cosmological worldview. Traditional texts describe jade as representing the \u0026ldquo;Five Virtues\u0026rdquo; (五德): benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, integrity, and courage\u0026mdash;qualities associated with the cultivated individual. Jade was also central to cosmological thought, expressing the alignment between heaven, earth, and humanity. Objects like bi discs and cong tubes were not merely decorative, but designed to reflect this cosmic order: circles symbolized heaven, squares represented earth, and the human was positioned as a mediator between them.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eJade also functioned as a marker of social status. As recent research on Chinese ritual objects has shown, access to specific forms and materials\u0026mdash;particularly white nephrite\u0026mdash;was historically restricted to elite groups (Zhao \u0026amp; Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Motifs like dragons or phoenixes were not only artistic designs but coded indicators of hierarchy, gender, and ancestral lineage. In this way, jade operated as a visual language, articulating one\u0026rsquo;s moral standing, spiritual alignment, and social rank.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnderstanding these traditional layers of meaning is essential for analyzing how jade carving is reinterpreted in modern marketplaces. When these symbols are adapted for mass-produced jewelry, lifestyle products, or promotional campaigns, the issue is not only whether they remain visible, but whether their meanings are transformed in the process. A semiotic perspective helps reveal how cultural heritage is reshaped\u0026mdash;not just in form, but in function and interpretation\u0026mdash;as it enters new social and economic environments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.3 Cultural Negotiation and Meaning-Making\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eContemporary debates on cultural heritage and representation often return to a central question: how is meaning constructed, and who gets to define it? One of the most influential frameworks for exploring this issue is the theory of cultural negotiation, developed by cultural theorist Stuart Hall. Although Hall\u0026rsquo;s foundational work dates back to the late 20th century, recent scholars have extended his ideas into new domains, including digital media, cultural branding, and identity politics (Cooper, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Platonov, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). At the core of Hall\u0026rsquo;s theory is the idea that meaning is not passively received, but actively interpreted, contested, and rearticulated across different social positions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHall\u0026rsquo;s method of articulation highlights that cultural signs are never fixed in their meaning. Instead, they function within an ongoing process of negotiation among creators, media environments, and audiences. This dynamic becomes especially visible when traditional cultural symbols are moved into new spaces\u0026mdash;such as when heritage objects are commercialized, stylized, or circulated on digital platforms. In these cases, meaning is not simply preserved or erased; it is reshaped through tension, adaptation, and reinterpretation. Hall\u0026rsquo;s perspective moves beyond binary debates over \u0026ldquo;authentic\u0026rdquo; versus \u0026ldquo;inauthentic\u0026rdquo; culture, inviting a more nuanced understanding of how symbols function under changing conditions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis perspective helps frame two dominant approaches in recent studies of cultural transformation: cultural re-signification and cultural erosion. The first sees commercial engagement as a space for symbolic renewal, where traditional meanings are embedded in new forms that resonate with modern audiences. Even when symbols appear simplified, they may still retain connections to their historical roots, especially when those symbols are invested with new relevance by users, designers, or communities. Recent research on digital heritage expression, particularly through short video platforms, suggests that traditional symbols can be creatively adapted while preserving key aspects of their cultural logic (Wang, Li \u0026amp; Chen, 2023).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn contrast, the cultural erosion view argues that commercialization leads to symbolic flattening. According to this view, when heritage is commodified, signs often lose their connection to ritual, ethics, or cosmology, becoming decorative tokens stripped of deeper meaning. Critics suggest that such processes reduce cultural forms to fragments\u0026mdash;visually appealing, but disconnected from the knowledge systems that originally shaped them.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn cases like Guangzhou jade carving, these two processes may even coexist\u0026mdash;some elements are actively reinterpreted, while others are stripped of depth for visual appeal. While both frameworks offer valuable insights, neither fully explains how cultural meaning is shaped in motion. This study draws from Hall\u0026rsquo;s articulation method to suggest that cultural meaning is not a fixed inheritance, but the result of an ongoing process of negotiation. For Guangzhou jade carving, what matters is not simply what has changed, but how meaning is actively produced, contested, and recoded through the interactions among artisans, marketers, and consumers. Rather than reducing cultural change to questions of gain or loss, this approach shifts attention to the process through which meaning is created, circulated, and redefined across shifting social dynamics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis research adopts a qualitative, multi-method approach to explore how traditional symbolic meanings in Guangzhou jade carving are transformed in contemporary consumer settings. The study integrates multimodal semiotic analysis, platform-based discourse analysis, and comparative visual case studies. These methods are designed to capture not only the visual and linguistic dimensions of meaning-making, but also the broader social contexts in which these meanings are negotiated, adapted, or lost.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Research Design and Methods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMultimodal semiotic analysis provides the central analytical framework. It examines how meaning is created through the interaction of visual elements\u0026mdash;such as shape, color, material, and motif\u0026mdash;with textual framing and cultural context. In jade carving, this allows for a deeper reading of how symbolic references operate both on the surface and beneath it. The analysis distinguishes between denotation (the literal content of a symbol) and connotation (its implied or culturally constructed meaning). For example, a traditional dragon motif may denote imperial power in a historical artifact but connote generalized good fortune in a commercial setting.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo complement this, digital discourse analysis was conducted on textual content from major Chinese platforms: Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. These platforms not only dominate the visibility of cultural products but also shape how heritage is algorithmically framed and emotionally performed. The analysis focused on product descriptions, hashtags, and user comments, identifying recurring rhetorical strategies, simplified metaphors, and emotionally charged keywords. These discursive features reveal how language is used to repackage cultural symbols in ways that prioritize appeal, familiarity, and marketability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA comparative case study further supports the visual analysis. Images were gathered from two categories: traditional jade artifacts found in museum collections and heritage publications, and commercial jade products displayed on e-commerce and social media platforms. These visuals were then compared side by side. This allowed the study to trace how specific features\u0026mdash;such as motif design, symbolic layering, and material emphasis\u0026mdash;are preserved, transformed, or omitted as jade moves from ritual object to lifestyle commodity. The comparison also addressed how presentation and context alter the perceived meaning of the object.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese three methods work together to reveal different layers of how cultural meaning is adapted. Before turning to the analytical process, it is important to outline where and how the data was sourced.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Data Sources\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study draws on both visual and textual data to investigate the symbolic transformation of Guangzhou jade carving in the context of digital commercialization. These materials were carefully selected to represent two contrasting modes of cultural expression\u0026mdash;heritage-based and market-driven\u0026mdash;and to capture how meaning is produced, displayed, and interpreted across different platforms and publics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe visual dataset consists of two primary groups. The first includes traditional jade carving examples, primarily sourced from institutional archives such as the Palace Museum Digital Collection, museum exhibition catalogs, and academic publications that focus on material culture and ritual art. These images were selected for their high symbolic density and formal complexity. Many of the pieces feature canonical motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, bi discs, and cong tubes, which historically signified cosmic order, virtue, and ancestral authority. Care was taken to include works from different historical periods, particularly the Warring States, Han, and Qing dynasties, to reflect a range of symbolic forms and functions. These artifacts are typically photographed in neutral lighting with minimal digital alteration, preserving their material texture and contextual presentation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe second visual group consists of screenshots of commercial jade products collected from three major Chinese digital platforms: Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. These images were captured manually over a three-month sampling period to reflect current visual trends and product categories. Selection criteria included popularity (based on likes, views, or sales rankings), clarity of image, and representativeness of product type. The screenshots document not only the object itself but also its framing\u0026mdash;angles, backgrounds, filters, and overlays\u0026mdash;which together shape its visual meaning. Preference was given to listings that included lifestyle photography or branding elements, as these often convey embedded cultural assumptions through design and tone.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe textual data were collected in parallel from the same platforms. Three types of text were examined: product descriptions written by sellers, user comments posted in review sections, and hashtags accompanying product posts. Samples were filtered based on engagement metrics and thematic relevance. Only entries that contained interpretive or symbolic language were retained for analysis. The final corpus includes approximately 500 textual entries. These texts were analyzed for patterns in symbolic framing, emotional emphasis (e.g., \u0026ldquo;healing,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;lucky\u0026rdquo;), tone of voice, and references\u0026mdash;whether direct or implicit\u0026mdash;to traditional values. The goal was not simply to track word usage, but to understand how language constructs meaning within a market logic.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTogether, the visual and textual data capture the two major channels through which symbolic value circulates today: the image and the caption. By juxtaposing institutional representations with commercial ones, the dataset enables a grounded, comparative analysis of how jade carving is reframed in response to new technological formats, audience expectations, and aesthetic conventions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Analytical Approach\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analysis in this study was guided by a two-level interpretive model grounded in semiotic theory, adapted to the specific context of heritage reinterpretation in digital markets. At the first level, the denotative meaning of each sample was identified\u0026mdash;what is directly presented, described, or shown in the material. This included literal motifs in jade imagery, straightforward product descriptions, and observable platform design features. At the second level, connotative meanings were explored\u0026mdash;those implied or culturally charged associations that emerge from how symbols are framed, stylized, or emotionally coded. These two layers were not treated as fixed categories but as analytical entry points into the process by which meaning shifts when cultural artifacts are repositioned for commercial consumption.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor visual materials, the analysis focused on several formal and symbolic dimensions. Each jade piece was assessed based on motif complexity, composition style, and material presentation. Images were examined for how they employed lighting, color saturation, filtering effects, and background staging to enhance or suppress symbolic elements. Particular attention was paid to whether the imagery maintained references to ritual aesthetics\u0026mdash;such as symmetry, balance, and natural texture\u0026mdash;or instead adopted a lifestyle framing centered on emotion, intimacy, or fashion.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn textual materials, analysis focused on framing language, emotional registers, and symbolic substitutions. Product titles, descriptions, and user comments were coded for recurrent rhetorical patterns, including metaphorical constructs (e.g., \u0026ldquo;energy stone,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;relationship charm\u0026rdquo;), affective markers (e.g., \u0026ldquo;peaceful,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;healing,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;blessing\u0026rdquo;), and the presence or absence of references to tradition (e.g., virtue, ancestry, ritual). Rather than merely quantifying term frequency, the study aimed to understand how words carry symbolic weight and participate in the recoding of heritage.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo ensure coherence across modalities, visual and textual samples were analyzed in tandem, especially in cases where the same product was represented in both image and language. Each product was treated as a discrete analytical unit, with its associated image(s) and textual content analyzed in combination to capture the full semiotic context. This allowed for the identification of recurring meaning strategies\u0026mdash;such as simplification, personalization, or aesthetic abstraction\u0026mdash;that cut across representational forms. Key patterns were documented through comparative mapping, linking visual design decisions with symbolic reframing in text.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy integrating visual semiotics, discourse analysis, and cultural interpretation, the research has shown that jade carving is not merely repackaged, but re-signified\u0026mdash;its symbolic load lightened, redirected, and hybridized in ways that speak to the emotional logics and algorithmic rhythms of digital consumer culture.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Findings and Analysis","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1 From Ritual Significance to Lifestyle Marketing\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eGuangzhou jade carving has historically carried deep ritual and symbolic meanings. In traditional Chinese society, jade was not simply ornamental\u0026mdash;it functioned as a ceremonial medium for expressing cosmic harmony, moral virtue, and social status. Ritual objects such as bi discs and cong tubes embodied the balance between heaven and earth, while carvings of dragons, phoenixes, and auspicious plants conveyed ideals rooted in Confucian ethics and ancestral reverence. These objects were not designed for display or consumption, but for spiritual alignment and moral cultivation. The value of jade lay not only in its material qualities, but in its capacity to materialize belief.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn contemporary consumer settings, however, the symbolic function of jade has undergone a significant transformation. As jade carving enters online marketplaces and lifestyle-oriented branding, its meaning shifts from collective ritual to personal expression. The products are reframed through commercial language and visual strategies that emphasize emotion, style, and symbolic convenience. Jade pendants are now marketed as \u0026ldquo;lucky charms,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;protection stones,\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;couple gifts,\u0026rdquo; presented as tools for enhancing personal fortune, love, or well-being. For instance, a product listing on Xiaohongshu might describe a pendant as \u0026ldquo;natural jade to attract positive energy and strengthen love bonds,\u0026rdquo; accompanied by hashtags such as #spiritualcharm and #dailyblessing. These phrases are emotionally resonant but often stripped of specific cultural reference or historical depth.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese symbolic changes are also reinforced through visual design and presentation, especially in how products are photographed, filtered, and framed for online platforms. Traditional jade pieces are typically displayed in balanced compositions, with minimal background distraction, highlighting the craftsmanship and symbolic complexity. In contrast, commercial jade products are often shot in bright lighting, placed in trendy contexts, and digitally enhanced to emphasize gloss, delicacy, and tactile appeal. The visual language is no longer one of reverence, but of desire and immediacy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo illustrate this transformation, the following comparative table highlights key differences between traditional and commercial jade in terms of function, symbolism, aesthetic treatment, and marketing discourse:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDimension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraditional Jade Carving\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCommercial Jade Products\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrimary Function\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRitual object; moral cultivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLifestyle accessory; emotional appeal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSymbolic Focus\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCosmology, virtue, ancestral reverence\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLuck, love, protection, personal energy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMotif Use\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDragons, phoenixes, bi, cong, ritualized forms\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHearts, couples, zodiac signs, minimalist pendants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eColor/Material\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSubdued, natural jade tones; rough or matte finish\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolished surface, bright filters, glossy effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarketing Language\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Balance of heaven and earth,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;honor and loyalty\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Brings good luck,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;protects from harm,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;love charm\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese shifts reflect more than a change in visual or linguistic style; they represent a reorientation in cultural logic. The role of jade has moved from collective memory and ritual function toward symbolic personalization and emotional branding. What once served as a medium for spiritual transmission is now reimagined as a tool for self-expression, adapted to the rhythms of digital marketplaces and platform aesthetics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis evolution does not necessarily signal cultural loss. Rather, it invites us to consider how symbolic value is remade in response to changing audiences, technologies, and economies. As traditional meaning gives way to lifestyle relevance, jade carving becomes a site where heritage is negotiated\u0026mdash;not erased, but reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary desire.As visually illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, the stylistic contrast between traditional and contemporary jade objects underscores the symbolic shift from ritual complexity to lifestyle-oriented design.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eLeft: White jade pendant with spiral dragon motifs, categorized under \"Jade and Stoneware,\" dated to the Warring States Period, sourced from the Palace Museum Digital Collection (Cultural Relic No. Gu00102424).\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eRight: Contemporary white jade pendants marketed on Taobao as \u0026ldquo;lucky charms\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;couple gifts,\u0026rdquo; featuring simplified contours and polished surface. The contrast illustrates a symbolic shift from ritual complexity to emotional branding and lifestyle consumption.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eImage sources: Left \u0026ndash; Palace Museum Digital Relics Database\u003c/em\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://digicol.dpm.org.cn/cultural/detail?id=abd8b99a2b8f462ca157f853d9c4449e\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan address=\"https://digicol.dpm.org.cn/cultural/detail?id=abd8b99a2b8f462ca157f853d9c4449e\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eRight \u0026ndash; Screenshot taken from Taobao.com, used under fair academic use for research illustration.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2 Symbolic Reduction and Visual Simplification\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeyond shifts in symbolic meaning and marketing discourse, jade carving in the commercial sphere also undergoes significant changes at the visual level. These changes reflect a broader trend of symbolic reduction and aesthetic simplification, in which complex cultural motifs are visually streamlined to meet the expectations of contemporary markets. Two key dimensions of this transformation are the simplification of patterns and the commercialization of color and material presentation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraditionally, jade carvings were rich in intricate patterns and dense symbolic layering. Motifs such as dragons and phoenixes were rendered with fine detail, often integrated into larger visual systems that referenced cosmology, ethics, or historical allegory. A dragon, for instance, was not simply a mythical creature\u0026mdash;it embodied power, divine legitimacy, and masculine virtue, often expressed through complex body forms, cloud curls, and embedded inscriptions. These features required both technical mastery and symbolic literacy to interpret.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the commercial market, these historically dense motifs are often distilled into simplified, minimalist designs. The dragon becomes a curved silhouette or a single-line emblem; the phoenix is reduced to a winged form, detached from its original symbolic context. This simplification is partly aesthetic, serving modern design preferences, but also strategic\u0026mdash;simpler designs are easier to reproduce, photograph, and sell in volume. The emphasis shifts from symbolic depth to visual clarity and stylistic coherence. What once invited contemplation now aims for instant recognition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eColor and material presentation have also changed under the influence of digital commerce. In traditional jade carving, the color and texture of the material were valued for their natural irregularities and subtle tonal variations. White nephrite and green jade were prized, but so were stones with cloudy inclusions, varied hues, and signs of natural formation. These imperfections were often seen as markers of authenticity and individuality.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eToday, commercial platforms often promote a highly stylized vision of jade\u0026mdash;one that emphasizes uniformity, brightness, and polish. High-gloss finishes, bright lighting, and digital filters are commonly used to enhance the product\u0026rsquo;s appeal. White jade, in particular, has gained visibility due to its strong contrast against backgrounds and its alignment with minimalist design trends. Images are curated to maximize shine and smoothness, sometimes at the expense of the material\u0026rsquo;s organic feel. As a result, the look of jade shifts from natural artifact to perfected lifestyle object, designed to match digital aesthetics and aspirational taste.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese visual reductions do more than streamline the object\u0026mdash;they reshape the viewer\u0026rsquo;s relationship to meaning. When motifs are flattened and materiality is glossed over, the carved object loses some of its historical density and symbolic ambiguity. It becomes less a carrier of layered cultural reference and more a polished symbol of trend-conscious identity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe carved object no longer invites slow contemplation\u0026mdash;it delivers instant readability. It no longer builds meaning through symbolic layers, but through surface effect and visual impact. This transformation reflects a broader shift in how heritage is visualized in the age of digital display. What remains is not the erasure of tradition, but a change in how tradition is packaged, seen, and valued in image-driven consumer spaces.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3 Audience Perception and Cultural Misalignment\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile shifts in design and marketing play a visible role in the transformation of jade carving, audience perception ultimately shapes how meaning is received, reinterpreted, or misunderstood. As jade products are increasingly sold through digital platforms, their cultural significance becomes entangled with the language, expectations, and emotional frameworks of online consumers. The meanings attached to jade are no longer rooted solely in heritage or craftsmanship, but shaped by how users engage with the object through reviews, hashtags, and personal narratives.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn analysis of user-generated content across Xiaohongshu, Taobao, and Douyin reveals a noticeable gap between traditional symbolic systems and consumer interpretations. Although certain motifs\u0026mdash;such as dragons, circles, or green tones\u0026mdash;are still present, their meanings are often detached from their original context. For example, many buyers describe jade as a source of \u0026ldquo;positive energy,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;stress relief,\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;good vibes,\u0026rdquo; with little reference to its historical or ritual value. Others focus on its aesthetic properties, referring to it as \u0026ldquo;clean,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;minimal,\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;elegant,\u0026rdquo; aligning it more with contemporary fashion than cultural depth.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo visualize this trend, a word frequency analysis was conducted on a sample of 500 product reviews and social media posts. The resulting word cloud highlights recurring themes in how consumers frame their purchases. High-frequency terms include \u0026ldquo;lucky,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;beautiful,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;calming,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;healing,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;couple,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;white jade.\u0026rdquo; In contrast, culturally significant terms such as \u0026ldquo;virtue,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;ancestry,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;ritual,\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;Confucian\u0026rdquo; appear rarely or not at all. This suggests a shift in the symbolic center\u0026mdash;from collective, ethical frameworks to personal, emotional benefit. As visualized in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, the most frequently used terms in consumer reviews reveal a clear shift toward emotional and lifestyle-oriented language, with traditional symbolic vocabulary largely absent.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eThis word cloud visualizes the frequency of terms extracted from 500 consumer reviews collected across Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. Prominent emotional and lifestyle keywords such as \u0026ldquo;lucky,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;healing,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;couple\u0026rdquo; dominate the visual field, while culturally embedded terms like \u0026ldquo;virtue,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;ritual,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;Confucian\u0026rdquo; are minimal or absent. The result illustrates a symbolic realignment from traditional heritage language toward emotionally charged consumer framing.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eData source: Original dataset compiled by the authors from publicly accessible consumer comments on Chinese e-commerce and social media platforms, 2024.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBelow is an illustrative comparison between traditional symbolic vocabulary and terms commonly used by consumers:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Tabb\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraditional Symbolic Terms\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCommercial User Terms\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVirtue (德)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLucky (转运)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAncestry (祖先)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRare\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCalming (安神)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRitual (礼)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRare\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHealing (疗愈)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMedium\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConfucian (儒)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbsent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCouple / Love (情侣)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCosmology (天地人)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbsent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhite Jade (白玉)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis mismatch is not necessarily the result of ignorance, but of symbolic reorientation. In digital platforms, meaning becomes highly contextual and individualized. Buyers interpret jade through the lens of wellness culture, emotional branding, and personal identity. While this may offer new forms of engagement, it also creates a fragmented understanding of jade\u0026rsquo;s cultural roots. The object becomes a mirror for consumer desire, less a link to tradition than a tool for self-expression.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis disconnect points to a broader tension in the transmission of intangible heritage: as cultural symbols move into digital and commercial spaces, their meanings are filtered through audience expectations shaped by trend cycles, algorithmic exposure, and lifestyle aesthetics. The jade carving, once embedded in a network of moral and cosmological associations, is now remade through online interaction\u0026mdash;shaped not by shared memory, but by market-driven perception.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Discussion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.1 Cultural Negotiation in Commercial Spaces\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, \u0026ldquo;platform mediation\u0026rdquo; refers to the algorithmic, visual, and interactive structures of digital marketplaces that shape how heritage is curated, promoted, and perceived. The commercial marketplace is often viewed as a force that erodes traditional culture\u0026mdash;flattening symbols, simplifying narratives, and repackaging heritage for profit. While such concerns are not without merit, this study suggests a more nuanced perspective: that commercial platforms function as spaces of cultural negotiation rather than cultural destruction. In these spaces, meaning is not simply lost or diluted, but continuously reshaped through interactions among artisans, consumers, technologies, and design norms. The findings of this study show that symbolic transformation in jade carving is not a one-directional process.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile traditional meanings may be obscured or simplified, they are also reinterpreted and reimagined in ways that reflect the values, desires, and visual sensibilities of contemporary users. Many of the new symbolic layers\u0026mdash;such as luck, healing, or romantic meaning\u0026mdash;are not imposed solely by marketers, but co-created through grassroots engagement. User-generated content, informal tag systems, and spontaneous reinterpretations contribute to a growing pool of cultural meanings that circulate beyond institutional or academic definitions of heritage. This process represents a form of \u0026ldquo;vernacular creativity,\u0026rdquo; where individuals reinterpret tradition on their own terms, often through humor, emotion, or everyday context.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt the same time, these acts of reinterpretation do not occur in a neutral environment. Platform structures\u0026mdash;such as recommendation algorithms, visual formatting rules, and keyword-based visibility\u0026mdash;shape what kinds of meanings rise to prominence. Certain aesthetic choices, such as bright lighting, white jade, or minimalist composition, are favored by digital platforms because they generate higher engagement. Over time, these algorithmic preferences influence not only how jade is displayed but also how it is designed, described, and ultimately understood. As such, cultural negotiation in the commercial sphere is not just between people, but between human expression and platform logic.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis layered process challenges the binary view of commercialization as either a threat or a savior of cultural tradition. Instead, it supports a more dynamic framework: one in which cultural meaning is continuously constructed through negotiation\u0026mdash;between past and present, between maker and audience, and between tradition and the logic of digital circulation. In this light, the marketplace becomes not just a site of cultural editing, but a stage for semiotic agency\u0026mdash;where heritage is selectively activated, reassembled, and circulated under new conditions of visibility and value.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.2 Towards a Semiotic Ecology of Heritage\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study suggest the need for a broader framework to understand how cultural meaning is negotiated in contemporary commercial environments. Rather than viewing heritage as a linear transmission from past to present, this paper proposes a semiotic ecology: a dynamic system in which cultural symbols move, shift, and adapt through interactions among traditional values, market logics, and digital mediation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this model, meaning does not originate from a single source\u0026mdash;nor is it defined solely by the consumer. Instead, cultural symbols circulate through a triangular field of negotiation:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1) inherited traditions and symbolic systems;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(2) evolving consumer needs and aesthetic preferences;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(3) mediating agents such as designers, marketers, and digital platforms. This triangulated process of interaction is illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, where cultural meaning emerges not from a single source, but through sustained interaction across symbolic, commercial, and technological dimensions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eThis diagram visualizes the semiotic ecology proposed in this study. Cultural meaning is not linearly transmitted but continuously negotiated among three interdependent forces: traditional symbolic systems, consumer demand, and platform mediation. The circular structure reflects how meaning is dynamically shaped and reshaped through design adaptation, user interpretation, and algorithmic visibility.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEach node influences the others. Designers respond to platform trends and user expectations; users reinterpret symbolic motifs based on personal narratives; platforms elevate certain forms through algorithmic visibility. Meaning emerges from this ongoing process\u0026mdash;not as a fixed property, but as a negotiated outcome shaped by cultural memory, market responsiveness, and technological design.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis semiotic ecology is not inherently negative or corrosive. It allows for continuity and innovation to coexist. Symbols are neither preserved intact nor entirely erased; they are reframed, layered, or hybridized. In this process, heritage gains new life\u0026mdash;not as static authenticity, but as elastic relevance. What matters is not whether a carving perfectly replicates its historical counterpart, but whether it carries forward symbolic resonance in a form that speaks to contemporary audiences.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuch elasticity is key to what this study calls resilient cultural regeneration: a mode of heritage transmission that can adapt to new formats and pressures without severing its symbolic roots. This requires not just institutional support, but openness to grassroots creativity, cross-generational dialogue, and adaptive design. Platforms and producers alike can play a role in fostering this ecology\u0026mdash;by designing for depth, encouraging layered meaning, and resisting the total flattening of cultural form into trend.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn moving toward this model, we move beyond the binary of preservation versus commodification. Instead, we begin to see heritage as an evolving process of symbolic negotiation\u0026mdash;one that calls for ongoing reflexivity, design sensitivity, and cultural stewardship across all levels of production and circulation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"6. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study has explored how Guangzhou jade carving, as a form of intangible cultural heritage, is being reshaped in the context of digital commerce and visual consumer culture. Rather than treating commercialization as a simple force of cultural loss, the findings suggest that jade carving is undergoing a process of symbolic reinvention. Through changes in visual style, marketing language, user interpretation, and platform design, the meanings attached to jade are not erased\u0026mdash;they are reassembled in response to shifting aesthetic values, emotional needs, and digital attention economies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analysis shows that this transformation is not unidirectional. While some symbolic depth is indeed flattened or simplified, new layers of meaning also emerge. Consumers assign personal value, artisans adjust designs, and platforms filter visibility\u0026mdash;all contributing to a semiotic ecology in which tradition and innovation interact. In this system, heritage becomes a negotiated process, where symbols move between history and desire, ritual and branding, depth and immediacy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese findings highlight the need to rethink how heritage is approached in contemporary contexts. Rather than relying solely on frameworks of preservation and authenticity, there is a growing need to consider cultural redesign\u0026mdash;a process that allows heritage to remain meaningful while adapting to new forms of engagement. Protecting cultural meaning today requires more than conservation; it requires creative mediation, design sensitivity, and an openness to vernacular reinterpretation. The concept of cultural negotiation, as developed in this study, offers a useful lens for understanding how meaning is formed in motion\u0026mdash;not frozen in time.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFuture research could expand this framework through cross-cultural comparison, examining how different societies reinterpret heritage symbols in response to commercial and digital pressures. Another valuable direction would be to investigate the role of algorithmic systems in shaping symbolic visibility\u0026mdash;analyzing how platform logics selectively elevate certain meanings while marginalizing others. Studies that combine ethnographic insight with data-driven platform analysis may provide deeper understanding of how culture is curated at scale.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn sum, Guangzhou jade carving illustrates not the end of tradition, but its evolution. In the marketplace, symbols do not disappear\u0026mdash;they adapt. The challenge is not to preserve culture in a fixed form, but to cultivate its relevance by redesigning how it circulates, connects, and resonates in everyday life.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eDisclosure of Interest\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe author declares no competing financial or non-financial interests related to the subject matter of this article.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eEthics Statement\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study did not involve human or animal participants. All visual and spectroscopic data were sourced from open-access institutional repositories and published literature. The research adhered strictly to non-invasive and ethical principles in cultural heritage analysis and did not involve the handling, alteration, or physical sampling of any artifacts.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research received no external funding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eY.H. conceived and designed the study, conducted data collection and analysis, prepared all figures, and wrote the manuscript. Y.H. reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability Statement\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe dataset supporting this study is available from the research team upon reasonable request. All source images were obtained from publicly accessible institutional collections (e.g., major Chinese museums and academic repositories), which are fully cited in the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtsy Editorial. 2025. \u003c/strong\u003e\u0026quot;Art Market Trends 2025.\u0026quot; \u003cem\u003eArtsy\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttps://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-art-market-trends-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com. 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(2023).\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eSemiotic rhetoric of gift giving in ancient China\u003c/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eLanguage and Semiotic Studies\u003c/em\u003e, 9(3), 425\u0026ndash;442.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttps://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/lass-2023-0024/html?lang=en\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZheng, Yue, Zhi Li, Wenjian Gao, and Jianhua Guo.\u003c/strong\u003e 2021. \u0026quot;Spectroscopic Analysis of Neolithic Jade Artifacts from Liangzhu Culture.\u0026quot; \u003cem\u003eJournal of Archaeological Science: Reports\u003c/em\u003e 39: 103152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.103152\u003c/p\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6590846/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6590846/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn contemporary China, the centuries-old tradition of Guangzhou jade carving is undergoing a profound transformation as it intersects with the dynamics of commercial markets and digital consumption. This study investigates how the cultural meanings historically embedded in jade carving are being reshaped\u0026mdash;visually, linguistically, and symbolically\u0026mdash;through modern retail platforms and lifestyle branding. Drawing on a comparative semiotic analysis of traditional and commercial jade artifacts, alongside discourse from online advertising and consumer commentary, the research identifies patterns of symbolic simplification, reinterpretation, and recontextualization. While market forces often dilute ritual and philosophical associations, they also create new channels for cultural engagement and symbolic expression. Rather than framing this shift as cultural decline, the study proposes a model of cultural negotiation, in which heritage meanings are continuously adapted across shifting social and economic landscapes. This perspective offers a critical contribution to ongoing debates on how intangible heritage is mediated, reimagined, and sustained within the dynamics of design, commerce, and popular culture.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Negotiating Cultural Meaning in the Market: Semiotic Transformations of Guangzhou Jade Carving in Contemporary China","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-19 10:33:30","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6590846/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"a2b1ea86-691f-4b9d-acce-10b9a55cf8f9","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 19th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":64746830,"name":"Humanities/Cultural and media studies"},{"id":64746831,"name":"Humanities/Language and linguistics"},{"id":64746832,"name":"Social science/Anthropology"},{"id":64746833,"name":"Social science/Sociology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-15T16:25:20+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-19 10:33:30","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6590846","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6590846","identity":"rs-6590846","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}