Abstract
The traditional festivals in urban societies constitute public memory and are essential for constructing a sense of locality. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the collective memory of traditional urban festivals to promote the sense of locality. In this research, the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market was selected as a case study. By examining the historical literature, and conducting field research and interviews, the collective memory of the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market was classified and sorted from the perspective of the categories of collective memory. A collective memory graph of the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market was constructed using Gephi complex network analysis software. By examining the rich memory content and hierarchical structure of the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market, we can better understand and foster the function of traditional urban festivals as collective memory and achieve the sustainability of collective memory.
Highlights
Rapid urban development in China, including urban construction or transformations of the old cities, has caused considerable changes to traditional living spaces and lifestyles
The traditional festival “the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market” has been transformed from a trading place dominated by flower sales to a local cultural symbol
The eight collective memory elements in the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market were organized according to their weights in the order of perception elements, landscape elements, landmarks, field elements, bodily practices, place names, ceremonies, and cultural elements, which was different to the size of the memory groups
Summary
Rapid urban development in China, including urban construction or transformations of the old cities, has caused considerable changes to traditional living spaces and lifestyles. Many people have begun to discuss local history, traditional culture, and collective memory. Urban traditional festivals are social and cultural phenomena that represent the living culture of a local community, they can attract extensive participation and create deep memories, evoke cultural memories, and form new collective memories. One of the most important challenges facing people today is how to ensure the sustainable development of the environment and society. The new sustainable development model can be applied to the practice of traditional festivals. The traditional festival “the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market” has been transformed from a trading place dominated by flower sales to a local cultural symbol. Its uniqueness and continuity have led it to become the symbol of “locality” in Guangzhou
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