LOCAL CULTURAL GOVERNANCE AND FOLKLORIC AESTHETICS: AN ICONOGRAPHIC STUDY OF WANG MANTIAN FISH LANTERNS IN HUIZHOU FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

This study examines the Wang Mantian fish lanterns in Huizhou, China, through the lens of local cultural governance and folkloric aesthetics. Recognized as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage, the fish lanterns embody centuries-old visual forms, symbolic motifs, and communal rituals that have sustained local identity and spiritual beliefs. Using Panofsky’s three-tier iconographic method—pre-iconographic description, iconographic analysis, and iconological interpretation—combined with qualitative fieldwork including observation, interviews, and document analysis, the research reveals how the lanterns’ aesthetic continuity is underpinned by local governance structures such as fishing associations and village committees. The findings highlight a governance pathway in which cultural heritage management forms the foundation, experiential tourism operates as a strategic vehicle, and sustainable rural development emerges as the outcome. The study demonstrates how community participation, symbolic integrity, and adaptive governance have enabled the Wang Mantian fish lanterns to resist cultural homogenization while contributing to economic revitalization. It offers theoretical and practical insights for policymakers, cultural administrators, and scholars seeking to integrate intangible heritage into local self-government frameworks. Ultimately, the research affirms the potential of folkloric traditions to function as living governance resources that support identity formation, social cohesion, and sustainable development.