Understanding subjects contained in Dunhuang mural images for deep semantic annotation
ISSN: 0022-0418
Article publication date: 11 December 2017
Issue publication date: 7 February 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the subjects contained in the Dunhuang mural images as well as their relation structures.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper performed content analysis based on Panofsky’s theory and 237 research papers related to the Dunhuang mural images. UNICET software was also used to study the correlation structures of subject network.
Findings
The results show that the three levels of subject have all captured the attention of Dunhuang mural researchers, the iconology occupy the critical position in the whole image study, and the correlation between iconography and iconology was strong. Further analysis reveals that cultural development, production, and power and domination have high centralities in the subject network.
Research limitations/implications
The research samples come from three major Chinese journal databases. However, there are still many authoritative monographs and foreign publications about the Dunhuang murals which are not included in this study.
Originality/value
The results uncover the subject hierarchies and structures contained in the Dunhuang murals from the angle of image scholarship which express scholars’ intention and contribute to the deep semantic annotation on digital Dunhuang mural images.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank all who helped to give valuable suggestions and comments. This research is funded by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (904171200), and the Key Research Center Fund of Chinese Ministry of Education (16JJD870002).
Citation
Wang, X., Song, N., Zhang, L. and Jiang, Y. (2018), "Understanding subjects contained in Dunhuang mural images for deep semantic annotation", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 74 No. 2, pp. 333-353. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-03-2017-0033
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited