The last traditional mural : an investigation of the decorative murals on a traditional Chinese building in Hong Kong, the case study of Wong Uk

Abstract

Maintaining authenticity through understanding the values is foremost important in conservation of cultural heritage. The main objective of this dissertation is to prevent the authenticity of the painted murals from lost due to lack of documentation and potential weather and human damages. In regard to this, this dissertation is written with a purpose of raising appreciation and concern of the painted murals on traditional buildings among conservation professionals, academic peers and the general public. The methodology for maintaining the authenticity of the murals is through documentation and understanding their values. With the aim of sustaining the authenticity in mind, this dissertation is to develop a framework to physically document and uncover the hidden meanings of the painted murals on traditional buildings by categorizing them into four themes - Mountain and Wall, Flower and Bird, Legends, Folklores, Historical Figures and their Stories, and Auspicious Symbols and analyzing them through the aspects of spoken puns of Chinese character, metaphorical analogy and association. In order to have a more thorough understanding of the hidden meanings, serious studies of the historical background of the setting and the building in which the murals situated together with the Chinese classical texts, classical history, cultural practices and social norms etc. There are totaling 35 numbers of painted murals on the Wong UK. They are all documented and most representative murals are analyzed in detail according their themes and symbolisms. As understood from the study, the murals although in different themes, they tend to embedding the Chinese’s unspoken views of politics, cultural social practices, their desires on wealth, rank, fame, fortune, health, marriage, pervading descendants and other hidden meanings. The setting up of the study framework to rediscover the hidden messages contained is considered only the beginning process of maintaining the authenticity of the murals for the enjoyment by the current and the following generations. Extended study of each of the murals (not only the representatives), the written texts as well as the authentic painting techniques and procedures are highly recommended in future research to get a more thorough understanding their values. The proposed framework is open to be followed or reviewed by academic peer or the any member in the society whom find mural paintings on traditional buildings interested to them and wish to keep them for our following generations.