An Implementation Path for Integrating Local Cultural Totems into General Education Literature Courses: A Case Study of Xilankapu Weaving Patterns
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines Xilankapu brocade, a traditional woven textile of the Tujia ethnic group, with emphasis on its material structure, weaving process, and information-bearing totemic patterns. The research analyzes the structural characteristics of this woven textile, traditionally produced from natural fibers such as cotton and silk yarns, and interprets its patterned motifs as a complex cultural information system. These motifs, generated through specific weaving techniques, function as a structured carrier of traditional knowledge and symbolic meaning. The paper proposes a systematic framework for decoding the information embedded in Xilankapu weaving patterns and integrating it into general education literature courses. By linking woven pattern structures with cultural interpretation and curriculum design, the study provides an interdisciplinary pathway for the contemporary utilization of heritage textiles. The findings offer a case reference for the sustainable development of natural-fiber textile systems and for the digital interpretation of patterned material surfaces in cultural heritage applications.
Downloads
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
References
A. Fauzan, “The Transformation of Traditional Culture in Responding to the Challenges of Globalization in Local Indonesian Communities,” The Journal of Academic Science, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 1021-1030, 2025, doi: 10.59613/42jzr037.
J. Fan, “Innovation and Exploration of the Path to Cultivating University Students’ Cultural Awareness through New Media in the Context of Cultural Inheritance,” Media and Communication Research, vol. 4, no. 11, pp. 61-70, 2023, doi: 10.23977/mediacr.2023.041109.
J. Henscheid, M. O’Rourke, and G. Williams, “Embedding the Humanities in Cross-Disciplinary General Education Courses,” The Journal of General Education, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 279-295, 2009, [Online]. Available: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25702448.
B. L. Ortiz, “Beyond the Canon: Crafting a Diverse and Multicultural Literature Curriculum with a Critical Pedagogical Approach,” Allentown, PA, USA: Cedar Crest College; 2024.
A. Owens, H. Zeek, and E. Oye, “The Role of Cultural Identity in Shaping Educational Experiences,” 2024, [Online]. Available: www.researchgate.net/profile/Emma-Oye/publication/388528815_The_Role_of_Cultural_Identity_in_Shaping_Educational_Experiences/links/679c2596207c0c20fa6af462/The-Role-of-Cultural-Identity-in-Shaping-Educational-Experiences.pdf.
S. Bakar, “Investigating the Dynamics of Contemporary Pedagogical Approaches in Higher Education Through Innovations, Challenges, and Paradigm Shifts,” Social Science Chronicle, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1-19, 2021, doi: 10.56106/ssc.2021.009.
X. Gao and O. Yezhova, “Chinese traditional patterns and totem culture in modern clothing design,” Art and Design, vol. 2, no. 22, pp. 20-30, 2023, doi: 10.30857/2617-0272.2023.2.2.
A. R. Marinău, “Myth, Memory, and Modernity: The Role of Cultural Heritage in shaping Contemporary Spiritual Narratives,” Dialogo, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 31-44, 2024, doi: 10.51917/dialogo.2024.11.1.1.
L. Kelly, “Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies: Orality, Memory and the Transmission of Culture,” Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 2015, doi: 10.1017/CBO9781107444973.
Z. Chai, “Brocade of Tujia in Western Hunan, China: Material Culture and The Invention of Tradition in the Process of Minority Sustainable Development,” Maha Sarakham, Thailand: Mahasarakham University; 2023, [Online]. Available: http://202.28.34.124/dspace/handle/123456789/2583.
R. Pandey, V. Gupta, P. Pandit, K. Rohit, and S. Pandey, “Textile Intangible Cultural Heritage of the World,” in Jose S, Thomas S, Pandit P, Pandey R, Gupta V, editors. Handbook of Museum Textiles. Hoboken, NJ, USA: Scrivener Publishing, 2022, pp. 19-37, doi: 10.1002/9781119983903.ch2.
Y. Yuan, “The Culture of Baizu Benzhu: Art Forms and Digital Conservation of Intangible Heritage in Dali,” Maha Sarakham, Thailand: Mahasarakham University; 2023, [Online]. Available: http://202.28.34.124/dspace/handle/123456789/2601.
X. Cheng, J. Yang, L. Jiang, and A. Hu, “Interpreting and semantically describing Chinese traditional brocade: Xilankapu,” The Electronic Library, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 474-489, 2019, doi: 10.1108/EL-09-2018-0193.
G. Ladson-Billings, “Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy,” American Educational Research Journal, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 465-491, 1995, doi: 10.3102/00028312032003465.
J. Kristeva, “Desire in Language: A Semiotic Approach to Literature and Art,” New York, NY, USA: Columbia University Press; 1980.