The Evolution of the Visual Symbols of the Chinese Mythological Character Nezha from the 12th to the 21st Century
Abstract
This study explores the evolutionary logic of the visual symbols of the Chinese mythological figure Nezha within the framework of cross-cultural communication. Adopting a diachronic comparative research design, it integrates three core analytical approaches: image typology, semiotic deconstruction, and cross-media comparative analysis. Based on typical visual cases from the 12th to the 21st century—including religious stone carvings, traditional New Year paintings, comic books, animated films, and digital game imagery—this study systematically summarises the morphological characteristics of Nezha’s core symbols, such as the Lotus Incarnation, magical weapons, and distinctive costumes. Through typological sorting, the research clarifies a three-stage evolutionary trajectory of visual symbols: the codification of religious divine symbols, the popularisation of folk heroic symbols, and the reconstruction of technological digital symbols. Employing a three-layer semiotic interpretation encompassing denotation, connotation, and myth, the study further reveals that the semantic meaning of core symbols has shifted from religious ritual connotations and folk moral metaphors towards modern individual expression and interactive symbolic functions. Cross-media comparison further verifies that media attributes act as the core driving force of symbolic transformation, reshaping narrative logic from one-way cultural dissemination to immersive interactive experience. The key contribution of this paper is the construction of a theoretical framework of semantic stratification and functional adaptation for the digital reconstruction of traditional mythological symbols. It confirms that the stability of mythological archetypes guarantees the inheritance of cultural genes, while formal innovation and media empowerment realise the modern transformation of visual symbols. The findings provide practical paradigms for the cross-media dissemination of Chinese cultural heritage and theoretical support for the in-depth development of visual semiotics and mythological character design research.