Digital Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Character Creation System of Hengshan Shadow Play

Abstract

This study investigates the digital preservation of intangible cultural heritage through the creation of a Digital DIY Hengshan Shadow Puppet Character Creation platform. The system, which aims to bridge traditional art and modern interaction, strikes a balance between cultural authenticity and user operability, avoiding both overly simplified entertainment and excessive professional complexity. The DIY module is at the heart of the system, encouraging user participation and promoting experiential learning. The study used an interaction design framework and gathered qualitative and quantitative data via expert interviews and 300 valid questionnaires. Heritage, educational technology, and digital media experts shared their insights on user goals, learning behaviors, interface interactions, and cultural translation. The user data was used to identify preferences in interface structure, functional layout, and material organization, with younger users placing a high value on AR and DIY features. Notably, 72% of users had previous experience with DIY cultural products, and more than half were interested in AR-based interaction. Key design recommendations included keeping traditional proportions and structure using a "layer + logic restriction" model, simplifying and simulating the physical puppet-making process, and providing phased, voice-guided learning modules. Visual suggestions included neutral tones, traditional textures, and easy navigation. The results confirmed that aesthetic and experiential learning modes are more appealing than traditional text-based ones. The addition of a brief cultural introduction during onboarding significantly increased engagement, particularly among users unfamiliar with shadow puppetry. Overall, the study emphasizes the potential of augmented reality and interactive media to improve cultural learning and transmission, especially among a younger, digitally native audience.

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