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Text and Image Studies:
Theory of East Asian Cultural Diffusion
I Lo-fen*

Abstract

The word ‘Text’ in Text and Image Studies encompasses sound/ language
text, textual body, word/ literary text and image text. ‘Image’ represents not
only pictorial illustrations, but also symbols, icons, logos/ trademarks andother forms of visual rhetoric, as well as videos, lines and printed material.
Text and Image Studies offers valuable approaches in the investigation andanalysis of the complexity of the interplay, interrelations and disjunctions
between text and image in various forms of visual media. Chief subjects ofinterest include creativity and innovation, distribution and dissemination,sociopolitical implications, impact on consumerism, psychological effects onhuman cognition, etc.
The theoretical application of Text and Image Studies in the East Asian
cultural exchange discussed in this article is the fruit of almost two decadesof research. The article uses a seven-pronged approach – canonization, politicization, conceptualization, abstraction, localization, standardization, modularization– in the study of East Asian cultural exchange in variety of regions,time periods, and genre in an attempt to explore new research ideologies andtheories.

1. Prologue

The word ‘Text’ in Text and Image Studies encompasses sound/ language
text, textual body, word/ literary text and image text. ‘Text’ is presented inlimitless forms and pique interpretive questions from readers and observers.
Text references could be words, images, or audio and videos, as well as othermedia of communication.
‘Image’ represents not only pictorial illustrations, but also symbols, icons,	  * I Lo fen 衣若芬 is an Associate Professor in the School of Humanities at Nanyang
Technological University in Singapore

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Journal of Cultural Interaction in East Asia Vol. 10 2019logos/ trademarks and other forms of visual rhetoric, as well as videos, lines
and printed material. The pictorial elements and visual impact of Chinesecharacters are also considered as images, albeit in the intangible form. As acorollary, the ‘Text’ and ‘Image’ in Text and Image Studies are not always
mutually exclusive; at times, they could also influence and reflect each other.
Text and Image Studies is concerned with the interrelationship between text
and image, disjunctions between the two, and reflections of each other.
Subjects of interest include creativity and innovation, social media, sociopolitical implications, consumerism, aesthetic consciousness etc. 1
This article draws inferences from analysis of various case studies using
a seven-pronged approach - canonization, politicization, conceptualization,
abstraction, localization, standardization and modularization. These sevenapproaches influenced the processes of cultural diffusion, interaction, acceptance, derivation and formulation.

2. Canonization

Italian journalist and writer, Italo Calvino (1923-1985) in his book, Why
Read the Classics? provided a definition for classics: “The classics are books
that exert a peculiar influence, both when they refuse to be eradicated fromthe mind and when they conceal themselves in the folds of memory, camouflaging themselves as the collective or individual unconscious.”.
Classics speak readers at a deep emotional level, evoking feelings that
resonate with readers throughout generations and are an important part of therepertoire for readers to read over and over again. Exemplary works of art
that have been accepted as classics are critiqued, evaluated and interpreted.
Over time, the classics influence and add value to the cultures they passthrough, thereby further strengthening their position as classics.
The process of a work of art in becoming a classic is known as ‘canonization’ and the steps are described by:(i)	Selection: The classic resonates with the readers, inspiring emotional
responses, and becoming a part of their consciousness and life.
Cognitive associations between memories from their readings andimagination lead readers to continue on their own cognitive pathways, thereby enriching their lives.
(ii)	Evaluation: The positive or negative reviews by the writer’s critics
in contemporary and later eras affect the status of the classic in art
1 I Lo-fen, “The inscription on the portrait of Bai Juyi by Wuxue Zhuyuan (Mugaku
Sogen): A Case Study of Text and Image Studies”(無學祖元贊《白樂天像》の文圖學的研究). Studies of Bai Juyi(Tokyo)(白居易研究年報),17, pp. 96-124, Dec., 2016.
(Translated by Morioka Yukari)Text and Image Studies: Theory of East Asian Cultural Diffusion

45

history. The reviews are greatly influenced by aesthetic views heldby the readers of that time, their personal outlooks on life as well as
the world’s outlook. The position of the work of art as a classic
may be strengthened or weakened or it may even be completely
dropped out in the list of classics.
(iii)	Transmission: A classic piece of art has timeless quality and universal
appeal. The more the channels of transmission for the classic, thebroader the reach and scope, especially if it has been translated toother languages and/ or reproduced through other artistic media. The
expression of a literary work using an illustration is one of theways of dissemination by means of visual sensory. At times, it is
not even necessary to use any text to establish rapport with the
public.
Selection, evaluation and transmission drive the process of canonization of an art in the country and even transcends national boundaries.
For example, the popularity of Bai Juyi’s (772-846) Song of Everlasting
Sorrow spread to Japan, Goryeo (present-day Korea), and Vietnam –where it was held in high regard in the compilation of well-known
poems. During the exploratory study of canonization of Song ofEverlasting Sorrow in East Asia, it was discovered that folding screensand painting scrolls with this theme appeared in Japan from as early as
the Heian era (794 – 1185). Pictorials depicting Song of Everlasting
Sorrow deepened its influence in Japan. In contrast, this theme was
hardly depicted in China and Korea. Upon further investigation, thereason for the lack of interest was determined– Song dynasty scholars
have a negative review of the poem, criticizing it for its deviation fromthe truth, sexual references and unacceptable standards of morality. This
criticism is accepted and perpetuated in Korea. 2
Despite the theme of Song of Everlasting Sorrow being uncommon inpaintings in China and Korea during the ancient times and negative criticisms
by contemporaries, the process of canonization of the poem was in no way
impeded.

2 I Lo-fen, “The Canonization of Bai Juyi’s ‘Song of Everlasting Sorrow’ and Related
Illustrations of the Poem in East Asia”(白居易〈長恨歌〉之經典化及其東亞相關圖繪簡
論). In Xin Ning, Dietrich Tschanz, Ching-I Tu eds., “Chinese Classics andTraditional Thought: Origin, Development, and Dialogue”(中國古代經典與傳統思想：
起源、流變與對話 ) . Confucius Institute at Rutgers University, U.S.A. pp. 225-323,
2012(anonymous peer-reviewed)

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Journal of Cultural Interaction in East Asia Vol. 10 2019

3. Politicization

The innate qualities of a work of art, like its artistic expression, the art
techniques, and the perception and intention are pre-determinants of thepossibility of it becoming canonized. Extrinsic factors controlling the process
are the selection and choice of the readership audience, critiques and interpretations by contemporaries, and the process of transmission to a wider
audience and through generations.
In ancient times, the one individual audience member who had the ultimate
decision-making power and greatest influence over the review, critique andinterpretation of an art was the emperor. Where there was such intervention
by the ruling monarch or when his court officials who sought to impress him
displayed political inclination in their interpretation, politicization occurs.
The consequences or signs of politicization include:
1.	Creation, naming and interpretation, or alteration of literature and art
to serve a political interest or to re-arrange political agenda
2.	Use of political power to compile and divide literature and art andinfluence the interpretation
3.	Appraisal of the author and literature and art from political pointsof view
In the case of the Song of Everlasting Sorrow, the negative responses by
critics culminated to a general avoidance of the use of this theme in paintings, in order not to compromise the norms in the value systems of thesociety and imperial court. In scholarly context, the intention to avoid offense
to any groups in society is termed as ‘political correctness’. The painting, The
Emperor Hsüan-tsung’s Flight to Shu, inspired by the An Lushan rebellion
against the Tang dynasty in China, was renamed due to political concerns. Ye
Mengde (1077–1148) recorded this anecdote in Bishu Luhua – the title of thepainting was changed to Plucking Melon Painting circa the end of Northern
Song and beginning of Southern Song. Although this theme did not enjoy
widespread popularity, it nonetheless had been politicized.
The selection and naming conventions of the Eight Views of Yan Mountains(otherwise known as Eight Views of Yan capital) and Eight Views of Peking
during the Jin and Yuan dynasties were not consistent. In the sixteenth year of
Qianlong (1751), Emperor Qianlong systematised the naming conventions
which is used to this day. He also emphasised that the Eight Views of Peking
was birthed as a result of the imperial capital’s magnificence.
It is obvious that there was a major change in the naming of Eight Views
of Peking from the time of the Jin dynasty to the reign of Qianlong. TwilightUpon the Tomb of Dao (道陵夕照 ) was changed to Twilight Upon the Golden
Platform (金臺夕照 ) for political reasons. Dao Ling refers to the tomb of theText and Image Studies: Theory of East Asian Cultural Diffusion

47

Jin emperor Zhang. This scene evoked feelings of melancholy which was notreflective of that era of peace and prosperity. 3
Zhu Xi (1130–1200) emulated the traditional boat folk songs andcomposed Wuyi Boat Songs. With the spread of Zhu Xi’s scholarly articles
eastward, Joseon scholars followed the rhythm of Wuyi Boat Songs to paintand appreciate the beauty of Wuyi. However, they held different views on theoriginal meaning of the Wuyi Boat Songs which were greatly influenced by
the rise of neo-Confucianism. It was not till Joseon Jeongjo (1752–1800) 4
compiled Zhu’s poems in Ya Song that the imperial officials, after extensive
discussion, decided to use Yuan dynasty Chen Pu’s explanation – Wuyi Nine
Bend Stream (Jiuqu Stream) is a holy place set aside for self-cultivation.
Politicization has shrouded the pure bliss and jubilation of touring in mountains and rivers. 5

4. Conceptualization

Located in the province of Fujian, the nine-bend stream meanders throughMountain Wuyi from Huanggang Peak in the east to converge into Chong
Stream in the west. The river bends are named in ordinal order – First Bend,
Second Bend, Third Bend and so forth till the Ninth Bend; collectively, thenine bends are known as ‘Wuyi Nine Bend Stream’. The neo-Confucian
master, Zhu Xi, founded his academy, Wuyi Vihara, at the fifth bend of thestream; as his influence gradually expanded, the fame of Wuyi reached theshores of Korea peninsula where it was hailed as a paradise. When the Joseon
scholars studied Zhu Xi’s writings that were inundated with imagery of Wuyi
Nine Bend Stream, they were drawn by the wonder of Mountain Wuyi and
the Wuyi Nine Bend Stream. It was as if they were transported into the very
place itself and they sang choruses of praises on its beauty and painted its
scenic landscapes on canvas. By connecting all aspects of the pictorial narrative through what they have learnt from his writings, they conceptualized thescenery.
Another example in East Asia on the conceptualization of scenery is the
3 I Lo-fen, Of Cloud Shadows and Celestial Light: Poems and Paintings of theLandscape of Xiao Xiang (雲影天光：瀟湘山水之畫意與詩情 ). Taipei, Li Ren
Publishing Co., 2013
4 I Lo-fen, “Wandering and Pursuing: Zhu Xi’s Wuyi Boating Song and Follow Writings
in Joseon Dynasty Korea”( 遊觀與求道：朱熹〈武夷櫂歌〉與朝鮮士人的理解與續作).
Journal of Chinese Studies(中國文化研究所學報 )60, pp. 53-71, Jan. 2015.
5 I Lo-fen, “Culture Images of the ‘Wuyi Nine Gorges’ in Ancient Korea: A Study on
Printing and Publishing” (印刷出版與朝鮮「武夷九曲」文化意象的「理學化」建構). In Shi
Shouqian, Liao Chao-Hen eds (石守謙、廖肇亨主編). Shaping the Culture Images ofEast Asia : Viewing, Media, Agents (轉接與跨界：東亞文化意象之傳佈). Taipei, Asian
Culture Publishing (允晨出版社), pp.351-388, June. 2015

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Journal of Cultural Interaction in East Asia Vol. 10 2019

Eight Views of Xiao Xiang. Prior to Northern Song scholar and artist SongDi’s (circa 1015–1080) paintings of Eight Views of Xiao Xiang, there were
historical records of paintings on the theme of Eight Views. Shen Kuo(1031–1095) of Northern Song in the book, Dream Torrent Essays (夢溪筆談 ),acknowledged Song Di as the originator of the concept of the Eight Views of
Xiao Xiang, who conceived and named each of the eight scenes: Geese
Descending on Level Sand; Returning Sails from Distant Shore; MountainMarket in Clearing Mist; River and Sky, Evening Snow; Autumn Moon overLake Dongting; Night Rain on Xiao Xiang, Evening Bell from Mist-shrouded
Temple; and Fishing Village in Twilight Glow. 6
The Eight Views of Xiao Xiang is not a literal copy of specific sights but
rather a series of four-character one-line poetic titles that allow artists to findnew opportunities and express specific themes on natural landscapes, seasons,weather and human activities. With the exception of two scenes, namely
Autumn Moon over Lake Dongting and Night Rain on Xiao Xiang which
respectively correspond to Lake Dongting and Lingling County in the province of Hunan where the Xiao and Xiang rivers converge, the rest of thescenes are not referenced to any particular location. Consequently, the themeof Eight Views of Xiao Xiang is popularly accepted and easily reproduced.
Diplomats and artists, during the twelfth century, brought Eight Views of
Xiao Xiang’s poetry-painting to Goryeo; in the 13th century, monks travelling
eastwards introduced the theme of Xiao Xiang into Japan. The characteristics
and profiles of the intermediaries determined the discourse of the development of conceptualization in different places. 7
A high level of conceptualization in East Asian scenery is revealed in the
Legend of Peach Blossom Shangri-La. The legend describes an ethereal utopia
where its people live peacefully, unaware of the harsh realities of the outside
world. Paradise, secret place, dream land, ideal society – the richness ofhuman imagination is articulated through the diversity of these explicit
concepts.
Wuyi Nine Bend is a place that exists in real life. To the majority who
are unable to visit the place in person, they learn of it through books andillustrations and become acquainted with the concept of its cultural geography– this is known as ‘conceptual landscape’.
In contrast, the popular painting theme of Eight Views of Xiao Xiang as
6 Shen Kuo沈括, Xin Jiaozheng Mengxi Bitan新校正夢溪筆談 (Brush talks from Dream
Brook), ed. Hu Daojing胡道靜 (Hong Kong: Chung Hwa Book Co., 1987), 17,
p171。
7 I Lo-fen, “The Eight Views of Xiao Xiang: East Asian Cultural Image” (瀟湘八景：東亞共同母題的文化意象” Journal of the History of Ideas in East Asia (東亞觀念史集刊 ), 6, pp.35-55, June 2014 (THCI)Text and Image Studies: Theory of East Asian Cultural Diffusion

49

well as the literary classic, Legend of the Peach Blossom Shangri-La do not
portray real geographical places. Yet for many centuries, this has not stopped
many from getting intrigued and attempting to define an actual location; thiseven became a fad during the tourism boom of the Ming Dynasty. However,even if someone were to pinpoint the locations of Eight Views of Xiao Xiangon the map, it would be a fallacious attempt. It is the enigmatic multiplicity
of Eight Views of Xiao Xiang and Legend of the Peach Blossom Shangri-Lathat provides the basis to the notion of conceptual landscape. The essence ofconceptualization emphasizes on the openness between signifier (possible
pinpointing of the location of Eight Views of Xiao Xiang) and signified (actual
location of the place of interest), and the degree of freedom in getting awayfrom unilateral and closed discourses.

5. Abstraction

The degree of freedom in conceptual landscape leads to the abstractionof the concept. Using again the Legend of Peach Blossoms Shangri-La as
example, Tao Yuanming described in his fable a fishing village and a fictitious paradise where a group of villagers led their lives unaware of theoutside world. Future generations led the fable through the process of
canonization. After canonization, the limelight is given to the paradise
whereas the earthly existence faints in comparison.
After the process of conceptualization, the Legend of the Peach Blossom
Shangri-La became a conceptual landscape; it may allude to fairyland, secretplaces, dream world, utopia and the likes. The subsequent process of abstraction converts it from a pronoun to an adjective and it takes on the form ofparadise that has properties of mobility and transferability.
The process of abstraction of an art is likened to a second refinement
process. The weaker the links between signifier and signified, the looser the
association or referencing, therefore the easier it is, through the process ofabstraction, to engage in people’s minds. From the aesthetic point of view,
this impression formed and etched in people’s minds is known as the‘cultural image’.
Culture (文化), in the context of ‘cultural image (文化意象)’, is the macro
perspective and medium of transmission of the image (意象). ‘Yi’ (意) is
likened to the aesthetics sub-consciousness of the inner spirit and the projection of the aesthetic sub-consciousness into aesthetic objects is the ‘Xiang’(象). The combination of the two reflects the aesthetic consciousness of theplace or the era, the judgement on aesthetics and the value systems. 8
8 I Lo-fen, “Understanding East Asian Civilization from the Perspective of Culture
Images”(從文化意象理解東亞文明). The New Plan for Asian Civilization and its

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The Legend of the Peach Blossom Shangri-La, the Eight Views of Xiao
Xiang, Wuyi Nine Bend and other classics form the cultural image of multiple
East Asian countries, yet at the same time, each expresses its own individuality. The East Asian cultural image commonly uses Chinese characters, andfrom the artistic point of view, presents itself in multiple facets with very
different expressions. Unconstrained by space and time, the cultural image
becomes the carrier for cultural exchange and communication in East Asia.

6. Localization

If conceptual landscape, through the process of abstraction, is elevated tothe philosophical and aesthetic level, localization surpasses it by grafting andtransplanting the external arts onto the local scene. Whether it’s a real physical location like Wuyi Nine Bend or a cultural geographical place like theEight Views of Xiao Xiang, to migrate from its point of origin and transmit toother places, gain acceptance from the locals and finally reinvent to adapt to
the new environment, depends on localization.
Despite never having been to Wuyi Nine Bend in China, the Joseon
scholars absorbed the concept of Nine Bend and named many places ofscenic beauty in Korea after it, such as Guyun Nine Bend, Huayang Nine
Bend. Wuyi Nine Bend stream flows from Fujian to Jiangxi and people of oldused bamboo rafts to travel upstream in preference over navigating throughthe tough terrains via the mountain routes. Therefore, the river bends are
named in ordinal order from east to west. However, the topography of the
Korean peninsula differs from China. When replicating the Nine Bend, thehistoric and cultural values in the new place must be taken into considerationand yet the rationale behind the naming of the Nine Bend cannot be ignored.
“Learning is like going against the current – where there is no persistence
and constant improvement, backsliding will result”. This spirit of learning andcultivation is inspired by the journey upstream against the current flow.
Therefore, through localization, the naming of the river bends during theJoseon era in Korea is from west to east.
The Eight Views of Xiao Xiang does not refer to an actual earthly place
but the name, Xiao Xiang, confines it within the boundaries of Hunan province. Southern Song artists may not have had the opportunities to travel to
Hunan to paint eight scenes of Xiao Xiang and so abstracted Xiao Xiang fromthe Eight Views of Xiao Xiang and substituted it with scenic places within
their sights. For example, Mi Youren’s painting, Magnificence of Xiao Xiang
is inspired by the splendour of Zhenjiang, Muqi’s painting, The Eight Views
of Xiao Xiang depicts, in reality, the surroundings around the West Lake. The
Publicity, Keynote speech, May 2014, Seoul, Yonsei University, Korea

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51

phenomenon of localization strengthen the tenacity and openness of the Eight
Views of Xiao Xiang. Since Xiao Xiang need not be geographically confinedto Hunan, Eight Views may sprout in any place. In China, there are Eight
Views of Peking, Eight Views of Jinling etc; in Korean peninsula, there are
Eight Views of Pusan, Eight Views of Danyang etc; in Japan, there are Eight
Views of Kanazawa, Eight Views of Oumi etc; the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan,
Hong Kong and Singapore have rich cultural heritage of East Asian Eight
Views.

7. Standardization

There is a premise to the localization of Eight Views and Nine Bend in
East Asia and that is known as ‘standardization’. Due to the topographicalterrain, Guyun Nine Bend in the Korean peninsula is named in the opposite
direction as Wuyi Nine Bend in China. On the surface, they seem to differ but
in actual fact, they adhere to the intrinsic symbolism of “navigating the raftagainst the current”.
Internal standardization needs to be pondered upon whereas external
standardization is easy to comprehend. For example, naming convention
follows the Eight Views of XX and XX Nine Bend. In general, each of the eightscenes in the Eight Views of XX has a four-character one-line poetic title; theriver bends in XX Nine Bend are named in ordinal order – First Bend, Second
Bend, Third Bend and so forth till the Ninth Bend. As such, there is a modelfor duplication and reinvention.
It could also be observed that paintings with the same theme have thesame composition and elements. This is illustrated by the example of thetheme of the gathering at Lanting Pavilion. Paintings on this theme invariably
depict human activities besides a meandering stream against a backdrop oflofty mountains and majesty ranges, as described in the Preface of the Orchid
Pavilion, and emulate Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy techniques as inspired
through his observation of geese swimming on water. This compositionalmodel spread to Japan and Korea where it is adopted by the local painters.
The paintings of Su Shi and his companions on a night tour of the Red
Cliffs also show similar process of standardization. Artists typically paint Su
Shi and his two friends sailing in a small boat with Su Shi turning back towatch the majestic waterfall thundering down the red cliffs. Japanese andKorean paintings of the Red Cliffs also have identical depictions. This type of
repetition aids the viewers in recognizing the form of expression and leads tothe development of the standardization model. Another instance is Chinese
paintings on Wuyi Nine Bend; Nine Bend paintings during the Joseon period
in Korea derived the standardization model from the maps published in Atlas
of Wuyi Mountains and other geographical books. Artworks may be in the

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form of print or paintings and may also be reproduced on pottery ware.
The paintings of Autumn Moon over Lake Dongting by Joseon painters
Jeong Seon (1676–1759) and Sim Sa-jeong (1707–1769) depict the Yueyang
Tower on the right side and a flag at the top of the tower. There are smallboats on the lake and mountains in the far horizons; a full moon hangs highin the sky. The same standard may be observed in Korean folk paintings aswell as blue and white porcelain produced in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. The Leeum Museum, National Museum of Korea, the Museum ofOriental Ceramics in Osaka, own extensive collections of East Asianceramics, which originates mainly from ancient China and Korea. Even
though the shapes and sizes are different, one may observe striking resemblance in the artwork. By interpreting the artwork on the blue and white
porcelain, we could determine the painting theme despite the lack of labellingon the pottery ware.

8. Modularization

Standardization makes duplication easy; modularization is the simplifyingof product parts to increase the potential for product variety. The localized
Eight Views of XX in East Asia is used to demonstrate this point. The
comparison of the eight four-character-one-line poetic titles in the Eight Views
of Xiao Xiang and the Japanese variant, the Eight Views of Kanazawa, areillustrated in the table below.
瀟湘八景

金澤八景

瀟湘夜雨

小泉夜雨

Eight Views of Xiao Xiang
Night Rain Over Xiao Xiang
煙寺晚鐘

Eight Views of Kanazawa
Night Rain Over Koizumi
稱名晩鐘Evening Bell from a Mist-Shrouded Temple Evening Bell from Shōmyō
遠浦歸帆

乙艫歸帆

山市晴嵐

洲崎晴嵐

Returning Sails from Distant Shores
Mountain Market in Clearing Mist
洞庭秋月

Autumn Moon Over Lake Dongting
平沙落雁

Geese Descending on Level Sand
漁村夕照

Evening Glow Over Fishing Village

Returning Sails at Otoko Beach
Clearing Weather at Susaki
瀨戶秋月Autumn Moon Over Seto
平潟落雁

Geese Descending at Hiragata
野島夕照

Evening Glow at Nojima

Text and Image Studies: Theory of East Asian Cultural Diffusion
江天暮雪

Fishing Village in Twilight Snow

53

內川暮雪

Uchikawa in Twilight Snow

The title of each scene of the Eight Views of Kanazawa is created bysubstituting the first two characters with the names of the local places. For
example, ‘Shōmyō (稱名)’ in Evening Bell from Shomyo-ji Temple (稱名晚鐘)
refers to ‘Shomyo-ji Temple’. ‘Evening Bell (晚鐘)’and ‘Clearing Mist (晴嵐)’act as the modules for easy assembly.
Another way to recreate the Eight Views of Xiao Xiang is to use the poetryof the Eight Views of Xiao Xiang as modules. In the same way, sixteenth
century Japanese painter Unkei Eii’s painting of the Eight Views of Xiao
Xiang drew inspiration from Southern Song Yu Jian’s Eight Views of Xiao
Xiang poetry. Kim Hyeon-seong’s (1542-1621) painting of Eight Views of
Xiao Xiang on a screen (now owned by Kyushu National Museum) was
prompted by Goryeo poet, Jin Hwa’s poetry on the Eight Views of Xiao
Xiang. Jin Hwa’s poetry imitated Shi Huihong’s colophons on Song Di’s
Eight Views of Xiao Xiang. This came about as an outcome of modularizationof Shi Huihong’s poetry.
Using ‘meandering stream’ as a module, ancient Japan and Korea people
imitated the gathering at China’s Lanting Pavilion and organised similar
gatherings beside a winding stream on the third day of March. During theJoseon era, the idea and essence of a gathering of old men in Bai Juyi’s
painting of The Nine Old Men at Mountain Xiangshan was assimilated into
their lives. 9 Works that are extant till this day include the Painting of Jinlan
Gathering that is now housed at the National Museum of Korea.
Wang Xizhi’s Preface of the Orchid Pavilion is a classic piece of workin East Asia. The gathering in the ninth year of Emperor Yonghe’s reign was
not for the sake of forming alliances; contrary to that thinking, with the riseof Confucianism in that era, the gathering was an opportunity to discuss andperpetuate Confucius’ teachings, and conduct purification rituals. Joseon
literari localized the gathering at Lanting Pavilion in their paintings andcreated their own version of Jinlan Gathering. Their paintings would depict ameandering stream and the people in the paintings were clothed in Korean
costumes from the Joseon period. With the exception of the people indifferent dressing, the same composition and elements of Painting of Lanting
Pavilion may be observed. The fact that the Painting of Jinlan Gathering is a
replica of the Painting of Lanting Pavilion may only be explained by Text and9 I Lo-fen, “Calligraphy and Paintings on Lan Ting Xu in Ancient Korea”(蘭亭流芳在朝鮮). The International Conference on Lan Ting Xu, Oct, 2011, Beijing, National
Palace Museum, China

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Image Studies and its seven-pronged approach in analysing the cultural diffusion within East Asia.

9. Conclusion

In this article, the Text and Image Studies and its seven-pronged approach–canonization, politicization, conceptualization, abstraction, localization, standardization, modularization – is employed to explore the theory in East Asian
cultural diffusion. Some of these approaches occur on their own whilst others
are intricately linked to each other. By applying the seven-pronged approachon theoretical level with case studies, we are able to understand the historicalinfluence of Text and Image Studies in the development of East Asian cultural
exchange.
As mentioned in the earlier part of the article, Text and Image Studies
may also be applied to creativity and innovation. In today’s production andconsumption terms, the seven-pronged approach can be understood in thefollowing strategies.
Canonization:	Brand building so as to make it instantly recognizable
and become a well-known brand.
Politicization:	Relationship and distance between high profile
endorsement versus masses’ thinking
Conceptualization:	Brand positioning
Abstraction:	Lead the fashion trend and establish rapport with
consumers
Localization:	Build intimacy with the product and interaction with
consumers
Standardization:	Easy to reproduce and disseminate to attract human/internet traffic
Modularization:	Separate according to functions and reassemble toserve the needs of individual consumers