Designing ethical souvenirs to sustain the cultural integrity of Dunhuang heritage.

ABSTRACT: Mass-produced tourism souvenirs often dilute the cultural integrity of heritage sites, yet the mechanisms by which design philosophy and ethics sustain authenticity remain underexplored. This study investigates how designers' philosophical stances and ethical practices shape authentic Dunhuang souvenirs. Adopting a qualitative single-case design, the investigation used purposive sampling to recruit 11 participants (eight designers and three cultural experts). Data from in-depth semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations, and document review were analysed via reflexive thematic analysis conducted concurrently with data collection. Three interlinked themes emerged: (1) design principles and philosophy, (2) ethical considerations, and (3) design implementation, coalescing into t

SUBMITTER: Zhu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12688146 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature