FROM HAVOC IN HEAVEN TO NEZHA: CHINESE ANIMATION’S JOURNEY IN CULTURAL IDENTITY

This study aims to explore the aesthetic evolution of Chinese animation in cultural identity, focusing on two representative works, Havoc in Heaven and Nezha, and analyzing how Chinese animation promotes the construction of cultural identity and the dissemination of Chinese culture through the evolution of aesthetic style and the excavation of cultural connotation. The study adopts literature analysis, case study and comparative analysis, combining the visual art, narrative structure, character design and cultural elements of the two films to analyze their contributions in aesthetic innovation and cultural identity. The results show that Havoc in Heaven has laid the foundation for the cultural identity of Chinese animation through the integration of traditional ink painting style and opera elements, and successfully conveyed the core values of Chinese traditional culture. Nezha, while inheriting tradition, innovates, combines modern social values, recreates traditional myths, and shows the aesthetic breakthrough and deepening of cultural identity of Chinese animation in the new era. The research concludes that, driven by the dual promotion of aesthetic evolution and cultural identity, Chinese animation has not only improved the cultural literacy of domestic and foreign audiences, but also enhanced the global influence of Chinese culture. In the future, with the advancement of technological innovation and cultural integration, Chinese animation will occupy a more important position in global cultural exchanges.