Rediscovering Wayou: Examining Contextual Appreciation in Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land Through Translated Inscriptions and Gaze Analysis

Abstract This study investigates whether contemporary art viewers can engage with Wayou, a traditional East Asian practice of experiencing a painted landscape as a visual journey. The authors examined this question using An Gyeon’s 1447 painting Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land (Mongyudowondo) and its inscription by Prince Anpyeong. They divided 50 participants into two groups, with one group reading Anpyeong’s inscription before viewing the painting. The results indicate that the text fostered more directed eye movements and deeper immersion in the depicted scenery. This suggests that contextual information can revive the practice of Wayou in viewers of traditional East Asian landscape paintings.