Research on the Transformation of Cultural Symbols of the Li and Miao Regions in Hainan in Commercial Illustration Teaching

Abstract

In the context of the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port and the coordinated advancement of cultural and tourism industries, the contemporary visual transformation of regional culture has become a significant topic in design education. As an important medium of visual communication, commercial illustration possesses notable advantages in conveying regional culture due to its strong intuitiveness, visual appeal, and rapid dissemination across multiple platforms. However, in current teaching practice, students’ application of cultural symbols often remains at the level of surface imitation, leading to problems such as mechanical symbol accumulation, fragmented visual expression, and misunderstandings of cultural connotations. Focusing on the cultural symbols of the Li and Miao ethnic groups in Hainan, this study systematically analyzes their graphic structures, color characteristics, compositional logic, and creative methods from the perspective of visual genes, aiming to clarify the internal structural rules and aesthetic principles embedded in traditional visual forms. By integrating these analytical results with the teaching practice of commercial illustration courses, this paper further explores effective pedagogical pathways for transforming traditional cultural symbols into contemporary design language. The findings indicate that, on the premise of ensuring cultural accuracy and respecting original semantic contexts, teaching strategies centered on form refinement, stylistic integration, contextual reconstruction, and narrative application can guide students to move beyond superficial reproduction toward meaningful reinterpretation. Through structured training in visual abstraction, modular reorganization, and thematic storytelling, students are able to achieve a balance between cultural authenticity and modern aesthetic expression, thereby enhancing both creative depth and communicative effectiveness in commercial illustration. This research provides a systematic framework for incorporating regional cultural resources into design education and offers practical insights into cultivating culturally grounded and innovation-oriented design thinking.