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Accepted Paper

Cross-cultural Bird Narratives in Digital Re-enchantment: From Dunhuang Murals to Mystical Christian Art to AI-Generated Art  
Aixin Zhang (Shanghai Theatre Academy)

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Paper short abstract

This study explores avian totems in digital contexts, comparing Buddhist and Christian bird symbolism with AI visualizations to analyze how technology revitalizes ancient human-bird-divine narratives, advancing digital totemism theory.

Paper long abstract

Abstract Overview: This research explores how bird totems regain cross-cultural narrative vitality in the digital age. By comparing traditional visual expressions of Buddhist bird totems in Dunhuang Caves (such as Kalavinka) and bird deities frequently mentioned in mystical Christian art with bird image generation on contemporary AI art platforms, the study examines how digital technology reactivates the ancient "human-bird-divine" triadic narrative structure.

Based on my research in "Ritual and Magic of Bird Totems in Buddhist Visual Culture" and mystical Christian mythological art, I analyze how digital AI generation algorithms become new mediums for cross-species narratives, exploring whether machine learning can "understand" the sacred significance of birds across different civilizations.

As an interdisciplinary art researcher, I specialize in using artistic approaches to generate various bird totem images or story videos through digital AI to showcase unique and interesting discoveries related to this theme.

Academic Innovation:Extending my professional research on bird totems in mythology into the digital humanities field, pioneering a new direction in "digital totemism"

Panel P16
Nature in materiality and digital narratives
  Session 2 Saturday 13 June, 2026, -