Providing for deceased ancestors in the afterlife through offerings is a millennia-old custom in China. In recent years have the elaborate paper effigies of worldly goods that are burned for this...Show moreProviding for deceased ancestors in the afterlife through offerings is a millennia-old custom in China. In recent years have the elaborate paper effigies of worldly goods that are burned for this purpose however received heavy criticism in Chinese and international media as the inclusion of modern luxury and brand items into the repertory of paper offering goods is seen as a deviation from long-standing traditions. The comparative study conducted in this thesis puts side by side ancient burial goods, the predecessors of the current paper offerings, and contemporary paper effigies in an attempt to answer the question whether luxury and brand items in the ancestral offering context constitute as claimed a break with tradition. The study has shown that throughout history, luxury items have been a constant feature of ancestral offerings. The expensive goods are not only a sign of the wealth and status of the bereaved family members in the hereafter, but also help the deceased to gain prestige and a high position in the social hierarchy of the afterlife. While in earlier times, the value of an offering was primarily determined by the value of the material it was made from, symbolism became the main indicator of value as offerings began to be commonly made from cheap materials like clay and nowadays paper. The replicas of contemporary luxury and brand items with their associated value are a modern take on the ancient practice of assigning value to otherwise valueless offerings through symbolic power.Show less
Reality show Dad, Where Are We Going has been a tremendous success in China. Through the lens of the show and the entertaining experience starring celebrity fathers and children, a lot of heritage...Show moreReality show Dad, Where Are We Going has been a tremendous success in China. Through the lens of the show and the entertaining experience starring celebrity fathers and children, a lot of heritage sites and historical and cultural villages, as well as local tradition, culture, and life of the local community, have been exposed under the gaze of camera and the whole nation. Looking into the story of Xin-Ye, one listed national historical and cultural village that became the second filming location of Season 2, the show as a media power is taking the role of unearthing, displaying, labelling and defining the heritage and cultural uniqueness of a place. Overnight fame and a tourism boom are brought to the villagers and gentrification is triggered. Tourist development as a filming location of the show has, however, also shaded new meanings and values on Xin-Ye and the heritage of the locals. Xin-Ye becomes a destination of parent-child tours. Moreover, in the process of turning heritage into assets for local branding and cultural commodity, local villagers are increasingly losing their voice in the representation of Xin-Ye’s heritage as well as their rights of owning, managing, using their heritage and self-determination on how to benefit from their living environment.Show less
