Heritage Science (Jan 2024)

Interpretation of associative cultural landscape based on text mining of poetry: taking Tianmu Mountain on the Road of Tang Poetry in Eastern Zhejiang as an example

  • Jinghui Qiao,
  • Xuesong Xi,
  • Guangming Zhang,
  • Shifan Liang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-024-01140-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 28

Abstract

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Abstract Revealing the association between natural elements and “religion, culture, or art” through text mining of poetry provides a new perspective for in-depth interpretation of Associative Cultural Landscape. Taking Tianmu Mountain, an important spot on the Road of Tang Poetry in Eastern Zhejiang, as an example, this study focuses on 444 poems written by 269 poets from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty in the Tianmu Mountain region. Text mining methods, such as text segmentation and social network analysis, are employed to conduct frequency statistics and association analysis of Landscape Terms in the poetry. The findings are as follows: (1) The descriptions in the poems bear witness to the beautiful and diverse Natural Landscape, the abundant Humanistic Landscape, and the unique Folk Landscape of Tianmu Mountain. These collectively reflect Tianmu Mountain with its religious features of cultivating both Buddhism and Taoism, cultural features of accumulating abundance and influence, as well as artistic features of blending picturesque charm and poetic grace. (2) The Cultural Landscape of Tianmu Mountain described in poetry across different dynasties exhibits characteristics of four relationships: “Group Relationship, Hierarchical Relationship, Interactive Relationship, and Cognitive Relationship.” It reveals the close association between natural elements in the Tianmu Mountain and “religion, culture, or art.” The research has constructed a theoretical model for interpreting the Multi-relationship within Associative Cultural Landscape, as well as provide the support of theories and methods for understanding the characteristics and interpreting the association of global Associative Cultural Landscape. It offers crucial scientific foundations for their overall conservation and sustainable utilization.

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