Naga and Chinese Blessing: Composition and Meaning for Amulet Souvenir Design

Abstract

This article is part of a study titled "Amulet: composition and meaning in Bangkok, to design amulet souvenirs," which aims to create Thai amulet designs as souvenir products that more appeal to Chinese tourists visiting Bangkok. The specific aims of this qualitative study are to identify and describe the characteristics of Thai Naga and the Chinese notion of "blessing" (福)using Peirce's. Semiotics theory and Lewitt's cultural diffusion theory in terms of their similarities and differences. Data was collected at four main tourist attractions in Bangkok: the Grand Palace, Arun Temple, Chinatown, and Chatuchak market. The informantswere divided into two groups: key informants and causal informants, who completed the survey questionnaire and provided interview data. The literature review was conducted to analyze data. The findings revealed that the Thai Naga and the Chinese blessing share substantial similarities in composition. By integrating their key characteristics, mythology, symbolic meaning, and color into the amulet souvenir design, Chinese tourists will gain a deeper understanding of Thai cultural beliefs and traditions. This serves as a foundation for creation, expressing positive meanings and increasing cultural understanding between Thais and Chinese.