Iconography and narrative features of tomb images in genealogical books of Huizhou during the Qing dynasty.

The subject of the research is the narrative aspect of the iconography of images of clan burials in the genealogical books of Huizhou County, where social life had a distinctly clan-oriented character both during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) and in earlier eras. The images and plans of burials in genealogical books were created to facilitate ancestor veneration rituals but also served more complex functions, acting as a means of connecting ancestors with descendants. The images of tombs in clan genealogy were intended to testify to the antiquity of the lineage and the significance of its history, with the information they contained being shaped by the current situation of the clan. Today, many of these images are considered to be monuments of engraving art. Iconographic analysis, which identifies compositional and other artistic features of the images, is combined with the analysis of narrative structures and the historical-cultural context in which the images were created. The novelty of the research lies in the approach to studying such images, which are typically examined in connection with the art of engraving, often overlooking their narrative function. The main results include the identification of the narrative model of the analyzed type of images and its historical-cultural justification. The specific clan culture that developed in Huizhou created its own strategies of verbal and visual storytelling reflected in genealogical books. In an environment of fierce clan competition, an emphasis on the geomantic features of burials served as a tool for strengthening ancestor worship and uniting the clan. The reflection of the architecture of burials and the principles of feng shui in the images emphasized the sacred status of the place. The visual narrative system was built on the idea of the unity of the clan's history and its contemporary situation; the selection of burials for inclusion in the genealogy was based on the significance of ancestors, while the composition of the image reflected their continuity. Factual information (topography, property rights) is integrated in the images with images of collective memory. The identified narrative model reflects both a universal principle of ancestor veneration that developed in China after the Song Dynasty and the specifics of Huizhou in the Qing Dynasty, emphasizing the need for social cohesion among clans in the face of external challenges.

Chinese genealogy, Chinese engraving, tomb plan, Huizhou, Qing Dynasty, iconography, narrative image, visuals, narrative model, visual narrative