Humanities and Social Science Research; Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 ISSN 2576-3024 E-ISSN 2576-3032 https://doi.org/10.30560/hssr.v8n1p85 85 Published by IDEAS SPREAD Research on the Design of Cultural and Creative Products for Huangling Sunbathing Autumn Wang Mani1 & Guo Yusheng2 1 Donghua University, Shanghai, China 2 Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China Correspondence: Guo Yusheng, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. Received: January 19, 2025; Accepted: February 15, 2025; Published: February 17, 2025 Abstract Under the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, the tourism industry in ancient towns in China has flourished unprecedentedly, with more and more ancient towns being renovated and developed as tourist attractions. Huangling Ancient Town, which has gained high popularity in recent years, has showcased its spectacular and unique drying autumn crops scenery, which sets it apart from other ancient town tourist attractions. However, there are phenomena such as superficialization, severe homogeneity, lack of innovation, lack of cultural connotation, and poor quality in the market of cultural and creative products in Huangling Ancient Town, which need to be improved to enhance its overall competitiveness in similar ancient town tourist attractions, increase residents' income, promote the economic development of the scenic area, and tell the story of the ancient town through cultural and creative products. This study mainly uses literature research, field investigation, questionnaire survey, and case study methods. First, the background, definition, and value of cultural and creative products are analyzed, and successful experiences from excellent cases are learned. Second, the development history, uniqueness, artistry, and innovation of Huangling autumn culture are summarized, and the economic and cultural values of the culture and the current situation of cultural and creative products in Huangling scenic area are deeply analyzed to prove the feasibility of cultural and creative products as a development and inheritance path for Huangling autumn culture. Examples are given to illustrate the principles that should be followed in designing cultural and creative products based on the autumn culture. Finally, the design process of Huangling autumn cultural and creative products is expounded and design practice is carried out. In the design of cultural and creative products, it is necessary to deeply mine the cultural connotation first, combine with the characteristics of the times, enrich the cultural value, attract a large number of consumers, so as to achieve the perfect integration of cultural and creative products and cultural elements, effectively promote the inheritance of culture, and drive economic development. Keywords: sun autumn culture, cultural and creative design, ancient town tourism, IP image 1. Analysis of Cultural and Creative Products 1.1 Definition of Cultural and Creative Products Cultural and creative products, short for cultural and creative products, are defined in "Cultural and Creative Product Design" as follows: "Cultural and creative products refer to products with high added value that are created, integrated, and enhanced through the wisdom, skills, and talents of creative individuals, with the help of modern technological means, from culture, resources, daily necessities, and decorations, etc." [1] They can usually fully reflect the local religious beliefs, natural beauty, folk customs, patterns, and shapes. Originating from cultural themes, they are transformed into products with economic value through the creativity, thinking, design, and manufacturing of designers. They can be either physical products or intangible services. The scope of cultural and creative products is wide, including artworks, tourist souvenirs, office supplies, household daily necessities, decorative items, etc. Their characteristic lies in the combination of cultural content and creativity, endowing products with unique cultural value and artistic charm. 1.2 The Background of the Emergence of Cultural and Creative Products Although cultural and creative products have emerged in China in recent years, they have long been popular in Western countries and Japan. The concept of cultural and creativity was first proposed by the UK in 1998. Thanks to its long history, rich humanistic heritage, and strong cultural industry, cultural and creative products came into hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 86 Published by IDEAS SPREAD being. With the progress of the times and the improvement of living standards, people's pursuit of art is no longer limited to traditional forms, and cultural and creative products have adapted to this trend. From the globally popular Marvel Cinematic Universe to the ubiquitous Golden Cudgels and Monkey King masks after the broadcast of the 1986 version of "Journey to the West" in China, they all reflect the public's pursuit of a higher spiritual and cultural life. 1.3 The Value of Cultural and Creative Products Cultural and creative products are different from ordinary products. They not only embody human labor, can meet people's usage needs, and have economic value, but also contain human wisdom, are creative, and can reflect local cultural characteristics, natural customs, etc., thus having cultural value. The development of cultural and creative products is an important support for active utilization and tourism development[2]. 1.3.1 Economic Value A successful cultural and creative product is often the image representative of a scenic area. It can enhance the popularity of the scenic area and showcase its charm and cultural characteristics. This not only improves the brand image of the scenic area but also builds loyalty between consumers and the brand. These unique cultural and creative products deeply stimulate people's desire to buy creative products, increase consumer stickiness, and attract more consumers. The production and sales of cultural and creative products form a complete industrial chain, including links such as raw material supply, design, manufacturing, distribution, and sales. The rise of these industries provides job opportunities in various aspects, including designers, craftsmen, production workers, salespeople, service staff, marketing personnel, etc., which greatly reduces the unemployment rate and improves the social employment level. Therefore, the development and sales of cultural and creative products can bring significant economic benefits. Cultural and creative products drive the development of the cultural industry, help transform the scenic area into an attractive cultural place, make the scenic area more culturally flavored, attract more tourists, thereby increasing residents' income and promoting the economic development of the scenic area. 1.3.2 Cultural Value Cultural value is the most important value of cultural and creative products. The integration of various cultural elements with unique charm into product design is the fundamental support for the aesthetics and economy of cultural and creative products. Cultural and creative products usually integrate local traditional cultural elements, such as symbols, stories, and patterns, into the design. Through modern design techniques, they present unique creativity and innovation, inheriting and interpreting traditional culture. Traditional handicrafts and paintings, by transforming traditional techniques into modern production means, not only retain the essence of traditional craftsmanship but also showcase modern aesthetics and innovation, promoting the sustainable development of culture. Excellent cultural and creative products can even cross cultural boundaries, promote diversified cultural exchanges, enable people from more regions and countries to understand each other's cultures, and help people better understand and respect cultural differences. 1.4 Case Analysis of Excellent Cultural and Creative Products 1.4.1 Analysis of the Cultural and Creative Products of the Palace Museum The brand of the Palace Museum's cultural and creative products was established in 2008. At that time, the cultural and creative products were still very dull and traditional porcelain antiques, which made tourists less interested in the already solemn and majestic Palace Museum. In 2013, the TV drama "Empresses in the Palace" became popular across the country. The National Palace Museum in Taipei printed the line "I know it" on the tape. A simple sentence made the emperor's majestic image become cute and charming, so this roll of tape was loved and sought after by people across the country and became one of the must - buy tourist souvenirs. Inspired by this, the Palace Museum in Beijing also began various new attempts. The Palace Museum in Beijing takes the architecture, cultural relics, and historical stories of the Palace Museum as design elements and combines them with the carriers favored by modern young people to develop cultural and creative products with the exclusive characteristics of the Palace Museum, creativity, in line with the current people's aesthetics, and practicality, thus shortening the distance between the Palace Museum and the people. Later, interesting cultural and creative products such as the "Travel by Imperial Decree" luggage tag and the "I Can't See Through" eye mask created by the Palace Museum were sought after by many young people. Since then, more and more creative and highly interesting cultural and creative products have been introduced to the market. hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 87 Published by IDEAS SPREAD The rise of the Palace Museum's cultural and creative products benefits from accurate positioning: users, products, and prices. Initially, the target users of the Palace Museum's cultural and creative products were men aged 30 - 50, and the products were mostly traditional antiques, lacking practicality. With the popularity of being younger products such as the "I know it" tape and the imperial - bead headphones, the Palace Museum turned its attention to young women, and the product positioning also shifted from traditional antiques to practical cultural and creative products, such as daily necessities and cosmetics. There are as many as tens of thousands of types, with annual sales in the hundreds of millions. The Palace Museum divides its cultural and creative products into two categories: "cute - style" and "elegant - style". Cute - style products have a lovely style and affordable prices, attracting young people; elegant - style products are highly artistic, with an elegant style, and are favored by traditional culture enthusiasts, with relatively high prices. In terms of marketing, the Palace Museum's cultural and creative products adopt multiple approaches. They maintain a high level of activity through social media, official websites, and e - commerce platforms, and release high - quality content to attract users. In 2016, a set of photos of the Palace Museum in the first snow received 14 million clicks. In addition, the Palace Museum also enhances user participation through lectures, lotteries, and other activities. Offline, it expands its influence through cross - border cooperation. In short, the success of the Palace Museum's cultural and creative products is due to its active cooperation with the outside world in product research and development, opening itself up completely to the outside world, continuously attracting talents to strengthen itself. Under the leadership of the operation team, the Palace Museum's cultural and creative products adhere to adapting to the development of the times, constantly bring forth new ideas, adhere to innovation, and maintain respect for traditional culture, enabling the Palace Museum's cultural and creative products to remain invincible in many industries. 1.4.2 Case Analysis of POP MART POP MART, founded in 2010, is a trendy cultural and entertainment brand loved by young people. In the more than ten years since its establishment, POP MART has built a comprehensive operation platform covering the entire industry chain of trendy toys, focusing on five areas: global artist discovery, IP incubation and operation, consumer reach, trendy toy culture promotion, and innovation business incubation and investment. Figure 1. POP MART (from Baidu Images) As a leading brand in the blind - box trendy toy industry, POP MART has always attached importance to the accumulation and innovation of IP images. Currently, it has 93 IP images under its umbrella, including 12 self - owned IPs, 25 exclusive IPs, and 56 non - exclusive IPs. Through a cross - border co - branding strategy, POP MART has cooperated with well - known brands such as Lay's, Holiland, Häagen - Dazs, Maserati, China Aerospace, and Gucci, covering multiple industries such as FMCG, food, automobiles, beauty, and luxury goods, continuously enhancing brand value and exploring new opportunities. hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 88 Published by IDEAS SPREAD POP MART has opened up the domestic trendy toy market in the form of blind boxes. With its unique sense of freshness and experience, it has attracted the young group, lowered the threshold of trendy toys, and transformed fine art into popular art. Its target customers focus on the young generation aged 15 to 40, especially the 18 - to - 29 - year - old group. They pursue personalized expression and are willing to meet their emotional needs through consumption. According to Frost & Sullivan data, this group accounts for 35% of the total population, with the 18 - to - 29 - year - old group accounting for about 45%. Digital technology has brought changes to the sales channels of cultural products. POP MART not only focuses on creating offline scenarios but also, through online communities, membership systems, the Trendy Toy Club, and mini - programs, integrates multi - channel user data to provide a consistent membership experience and enhance fan stickiness. The Paqu APP provides an online communication platform for blind - box enthusiasts, endows trendy toys with cultural and social values, and builds a highly sticky fan community. POP MART has laid out the market in China through four sales points: Tmall flagship store, WeChat mini - program, vending machines, and offline stores. At the same time, it is actively expanding overseas business and achieving global operations. Through a localized product portfolio and an online channel network of international independent websites + cross - border e - commerce platforms, POP MART has promoted its brand globally. The success of POP MART lies in accurately grasping the preferences of the young consumer group, making use of their consumption habits, creating products with emotional value. At the same time, by leveraging emerging technological means, it maintains the cutting - edge position of its products, continuously innovates marketing methods, and continuously enhances brand influence and popularity. 1.4.3 Analysis of the IP Image "Snow King" of Mixue Bingcheng Mixue Bingcheng was founded in Henan in 1997 by the founder Zhang Hongchao. As a new - style tea brand with nearly 30 years of history, Mixue Bingcheng has always adhered to the customer - centered concept, focusing on "affordable milk tea for everyone". Therefore, Mixue Bingcheng has quickly stood out among various tea brands due to its affordable prices and is loved by the majority of young people. The IP image "Snow King" of Mixue Bingcheng (see Figure 2) selects the well - known "snowman" as the cultural subject and conveys the brand attributes through visual symbols such as "scepter, crown, and smile". As the top - tier beverage brand in the sinking market, Mixue Bingcheng has indeed studied the design of affinity thoroughly. Products with too strong a design sense may bring a lot of concerns to consumers. The design of the "Snow King" image is simple and clear, with strong affinity, making consumers feel no distance, perfectly demonstrating the brand concept and brand image. Figure 2. The IP Image "Snow King" of Mixue Bingcheng (from Xiaohongshu) In the online world, the "Snow King" of Mixue Bingcheng has become deeply rooted in people's hearts with the image of a "street - loafer" and an "eye - catcher". It doesn't put on airs or force cuteness, and it gets along well with young people by using and creating internet memes. Offline activities such as the "Snow King" dancing and fighting have attracted a large number of consumers' attention and triggered spontaneous dissemination on social media. Brand personification has given the "Snow King" vitality, making its image vivid. hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 89 Published by IDEAS SPREAD In June 2021, Mixue Bingcheng released the catchy and brain - washing "Mixue Bingcheng Theme Song" and its MV. With its simple and memorable lyrics and catchy rustic melody, it quickly attracted the attention of the whole network. The song continued to ferment on social media, and netizens spontaneously carried out second - creations such as multi - language cover versions, lyric adaptations, and spoof choreography, setting off a UGC (User - Generated Content) feast. On August 25, 2023, Mixue Bingcheng launched its first IP animation "The Snow King's Adventure", which tells the story of the Snow King losing his scepter in the struggle with the rebels and starting an adventure journey with the bounty hunter Boss Rabbit. On the day of its launch, the cumulative playback volume of the animation on Bilibili exceeded one million, becoming another national - wide communication event after the brain - washing song. Through the animation, Mixue Bingcheng explored a new path for brand marketing, deepened the IP image, and achieved a win - win situation in terms of traffic and sales. It can be seen that Mixue Bingcheng and its IP image the Snow King have been focusing on the sinking market, deeply catering to young people, accurately capturing the interests and consumption orientations of young people, being able to truly get close to users and establish a close connection with them. Mixue Bingcheng has broken the dimensional wall through self - made IP animations, connected with users emotionally, continuously output brand stories, and deeply rooted the brand culture in the IP image. 2. Analysis of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture 2.1 Analysis of the Characteristics of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture 2.1.1 The Uniqueness of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture The "autumn sun - drying" scene can be seen in places like Wuyuan and the regions south of the Yangtze River. However, due to the terrain limitations in Huangling Ancient Town, residents have extended a row of Chinese firs from the bay windows on the second floor of their houses, creating a unique drying space. Colorful fruits, vegetables, and grains are stacked layer upon layer. Compared with the way of directly drying on the ground or under the eaves in other areas, it is more ornamental and artistic. 2.1.2 The Artistry of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture Huangling Ancient Town is nestled among mountains, with well - arranged Hui - style buildings featuring white walls and black tiles, looking like a quiet and beautiful scroll. During the autumn harvest season, bright - colored fruits and vegetables are dried on the eaves. The light and shadow interlace in the sunlight, creating a colorful visual feast, adding a sense of mystery and artistry to the autumn sun - drying. Farmers skillfully arrange the crops, creating a natural and simple atmosphere of homesickness. Through forms such as drying grains, dancing, and singing, people express their joy of harvest and their expectations for the future. From clothing to utensils, every detail contains rich cultural connotations. The static pictures and dynamic arrangements jointly showcase the artistic charm of the autumn sun - drying. 2.1.3 The Innovation of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture The success of the autumn sun - drying culture benefits from the careful design of the sun - drying materials and patterns. The scenic area has extended the autumn sun - drying scene from autumn to all four seasons, planning the drying of different seasonal crops and matching them with rich colors. Experienced designers create autumn sun - drying patterns, showing the harvest scenes of the farmland in the ancient town, reflecting rural revitalization and national development, and expressing people's good wishes for the motherland. The autumn sun - drying patterns have rich implications and can be divided into themes such as sun - drying hot topics, sun - drying auspiciousness, sun - drying feelings, and sun - drying homesickness. These patterns not only highlight the cultural connotations, demonstrate the implementation of rural revitalization and the rapid development of the country, but also enhance the ornamental and artistic value, making Huangling's autumn sun - drying a unique cultural symbol. 2.2 Analysis of the Cultural Value of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture 2.2.1 The Economic Value of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture, with its unique charm, has attracted a large number of tourists, bringing significant economic benefits to the local area. The tourism industry is the main beneficiary. The autumn sun - drying culture has injected new vitality into the tourism industry, enhancing its popularity and attractiveness. At the same time, the success of the autumn sun - drying culture has driven the development of the industrial chain such as packaging, manufacturing, and logistics. It has provided an opportunity for the promotion of characteristic agricultural products, facilitating their sales and increasing farmers' income. The development of the scenic area hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 90 Published by IDEAS SPREAD has also brought villagers land transfer fees, public resource usage fees, and income from working, greatly improving the villagers' living standards and happiness index. 2.2.2 The Cultural Value of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture holds an important position in China's folk culture, demonstrating nearly a hundred years of history and cultural connotations. During the Autumn Sun - drying Festival, folk activities such as dragon - lantern dancing, Nuo dancing, and Taige (a form of folk performance) are held to celebrate the festival. From dance music to clothing and utensils, they showcase the charm of traditional Chinese culture, enhance cultural identity, and help inherit and carry forward excellent traditional culture, maintaining the uniqueness and diversity of local culture. Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture is also an inheritance and respect for traditional agricultural methods. Although modern technology has promoted agricultural changes, the autumn sun - drying culture has still been preserved and developed. Through harvesting, drying, and other methods, farmers express their respect for traditional farming and inherit the essence of agricultural culture in art, making it still of far - reaching significance in the contemporary era. 2.3 Problems Faced by the Development of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture With the increasing popularity of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture, the degree of commercialization has intensified, and the phenomenon of over - commercialization has emerged. The autumn sun - drying culture has been commodified, and its traditional characteristics and authenticity have been damaged. Although some ancient dwellings have been preserved as they were, the scenic area is filled with commercial signs of milk tea shops, handicraft shops, homestays, etc., which are incompatible with the Hui - style architectural style. The original intention of cultural inheritance has gradually been replaced by commercial interests. Excessive commercial entertainment facilities have made the scenic area lose its original simple charm, and the simplicity and authenticity of the autumn sun - drying culture have been covered up by commercial packaging. At the same time, the problem of rural hollowing - out is becoming increasingly serious. A large number of young people go out to work, resulting in a loss of labor force. The younger generation shows less interest in traditional culture, and the inheritance of traditional skills and customs is facing a break. The traditional characteristics of the autumn sun - drying culture are under threat. The influx of foreign cultures has made the originally closed community in Huangling face cultural shock. The lifestyle and values of the residents have changed. To cater to commercialization, the autumn sun - drying activities are gradually deviating from the tradition, and cultural conflicts are intensifying. The authenticity of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture is facing challenges. 3. The Application of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture in the Design of Cultural and Creative Products 3.1 Feasibility Analysis of Cultural and Creative Products as the Carrier for the Development of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture Rural development is a key point of national strategy. Driven by the rural revitalization and cultural powerhouse strategies, the value of rural cultural industries has become increasingly prominent, and academic research on rural cultural and creative products has gradually deepened. Cultural and creative products are favored by scenic area operators due to their low production costs, high added - value, and good publicity effects. Combining the farming culture, blessing - seeking culture, symbols, and patterns in Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture with modern artistic techniques can showcase the autumn sun - drying culture from a new perspective, enhance its commercial value, expand its popularity and influence, attract more tourists, and promote the economic development of the scenic area. However, through on - the - spot visits, the author found that Huangling Scenic Area lacks characteristic cultural and creative products. Most of the products sold are traditional handicrafts, such as oil - paper umbrellas, cheongsams, and handmade bags. These products do not reflect the characteristics of Huangling, and they are expensive and lack attractiveness. Thus, it can be seen that cultural and creative products combined with the autumn sun - drying culture are still blank in the Huangling market, and there is broad potential. Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture realizes modern protection and inheritance through the cultural and creative industry, while the cultural and creative industry achieves development with the help of the autumn sun - drying culture. The two are mutually beneficial and complementary. Through the design and promotion of cultural and creative products, not only can the traditional characteristics of the autumn sun - drying culture be retained, but also new vitality can be given to it, promoting the dual development of culture and economy. hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 91 Published by IDEAS SPREAD 3.2 Analysis of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture as the Creative Source of Cultural and Creative Products The cultural creativity in cultural and creative products refers to the transformation of culture into creativity through innovative thinking. This cultural creativity does not arise out of thin air but is generated based on life experiences, personal experiences, environmental influences, social cognitions, or emotions related to history, humanity, and regions [3]. Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture contains unique symbols and elements, such as the scenery of Huangling, the autumn sun - drying scenes, agricultural crops, and traditional rice processing techniques (harvesting, drying, threshing, etc.), which all provide rich creative sources for the design of cultural and creative products. Autumn sun - drying is not only an agricultural activity but also carries the blessing - seeking culture. Residents pray for a good harvest and happiness in the coming year through autumn sun - drying. Designers can create cultural and creative products with Huangling characteristics by understanding and applying these cultural symbols. The farming culture, blessing - seeking culture, craftsmanship, and elemental symbols in Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture provide a continuous stream of inspiration for design. However, only by deeply exploring the cultural connotations and combining them with the needs of the public for creative innovation can cultural and creative products be designed to be widely accepted and loved. 3.3 Design Principles of Cultural and Creative Products of Huangling's Autumn Sun - drying Culture 3.3.1 The Integration of Inheritance and Innovation Cultural production needs to take into account both cultural inheritance and market rules. When creating cultural and creative products of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture, designers should retain traditional elements (such as autumn sun - drying scenes, the images of farmers working, and bumper crops) and at the same time integrate innovative designs, endowing them with new connotations and forms of expression to fit contemporary aesthetics and lifestyles. Technological innovations (such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality) provide diversified means of expression for cultural and creative design. For example, the "Touring Dunhuang in the Cloud" mini - program (see Figure 3) integrates exploration, visiting, and protection functions, allowing users to experience Dunhuang art without leaving home. Consumers prefer unique and high - quality products. The integration of tradition and modernity can not only trigger cultural identity and emotional resonance but also meet the pursuit of cultural connotations and emotional values, injecting new vitality into the cultural and creative industry. Figure 3. "Touring Dunhuang in the Cloud" Mini – program 3.3.2 The Unity of Culture and Aesthetics When designing cultural and creative products, attention should be paid to the unity of cultural connotations and aesthetic expressions. Avoid designing products that lack soul and have similar creativity just to pursue sales volume. Cultural and creative products in scenic areas need to deeply explore cultural connotations, showcase hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 92 Published by IDEAS SPREAD local characteristics, and meet the cultural sense of belonging of tourists, rather than just adding cultural elements on the surface. During the design process, it is necessary to combine product characteristics, target consumers, and market demands to screen and transform cultural elements [4]. For example, Sanxingdui cultural and creative products such as mahjong ornaments (see Figure 4) cleverly combine the ancient Shu bronze culture with Sichuan - Chongqing mahjong elements and get closer to consumers through cute - style processing. Designers can draw on this idea, artistically process and innovatively design the elements of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture, integrate emotional portrayals and aesthetic elements, and enhance the aesthetic and expressiveness of the products to attract more consumers' attention and love. Figure 4. Sanxingdui Mahjong Ornament Cultural and Creative Product 3.3.3 The Combination of Functionality and Practicality When designing cultural and creative products, designers need to consider cultural connotations, aesthetic expressions, and functionality. Over - emphasizing beauty and creativity while ignoring practicality makes it difficult to meet the needs of tourists. Tourists pay attention to the use, frequency of use, and meaning of products. Designers should first consider the usage scenarios and user needs and design products that have artistic value, cultural connotations, and practical functions. Through innovations in material selection, structural design, and functional layout, the products can be made more in line with the needs of modern life, enhancing their practicality and market competitiveness. 3.3.4 The Principle of Sustainable Development When designing cultural and creative products, designers should, while pursuing commercial interests, pay attention to the impact of products on the environment and society, and advocate green environmental protection and social welfare. Through innovations in material selection, production processes, and packaging design, promote environmentally friendly materials and processes to reduce environmental pollution. At the same time, through product sales and publicity, spread positive social values to promote social harmony and cultural inheritance. For example, the "Seed Calendar" (see Figure 5) integrates plant seeds into the paper, and it can germinate with rainwater, which is both interesting and environmentally friendly, effectively promoting the concepts of environmental protection and garbage recycling. Figure 5. Seed Calendar hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 93 Published by IDEAS SPREAD 4. Design Practice 4.1 Design Process The design of cultural and creative products in ancient towns lies in the fact that the products condense the unique regional characteristics of the ancient town. In the design process, first, on-the-spot investigations and research should be carried out on the local geographical environment, cultural characteristics, and development history. At the same time, an investigation and analysis should be conducted on consumers' hobbies, living habits, and consumption habits to establish a consumer profile. After that, the cultural elements of the ancient town are scattered and sorted, useful cultural elements are extracted, and the design is carried out. The cultural elements of Huangling’s autumn sun-drying are transformed into vivid visual symbols, incorporating these cultural features into the product design in a visually appealing manner (see Figure 6) Figure 6. Design Flowchart 4.2 Preliminary Research 4.2.1 Design and Analysis of the Questionnaire In December 2023, the author distributed the "Questionnaire on the Design Intention of Cultural and Creative Products of Huangling's Autumn Sun - Drying Culture" online, aiming to understand the public's cognition, preferences, and expectations of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture and its cultural and creative products. The questionnaire results show that the respondents are mainly young people aged 18 - 35 (accounting for 69%), and the gender ratio is balanced (55.9% male and 44.1% female). Most people learned about the autumn sun - drying culture through online media (such as official accounts, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin). The main motivation for purchasing cultural and creative products is for personal use or as gifts for relatives and friends. The respondents prefer decorative and daily - use cultural and creative products, favor the design style that combines traditional charm and fashion, and the acceptable price range is 20 yuan to 100 yuan. At the same time, the respondents generally believe that the current cultural and creative products on the market have problems such as poor quality, lack of innovation, and serious homogenization. Based on the survey results, the design of cultural and creative products of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture should focus on functionality and practicality, mainly be decorative and daily - use products, integrate the characteristics and connotations of the autumn sun - drying culture, combine a fashionable and interesting design style, and control production costs to ensure that the product price does not exceed 100 yuan, so as to meet consumer needs and enhance market competitiveness. 4.2.2 Analysis of the Field Research in Huangling This study takes the Huangling Scenic Area in Wuyuan as the target market, focusing on the visitors to the scenic area and enthusiasts of the autumn sun - drying culture. A survey was carried out on their age, gender, income, education level, and the current situation of cultural and creative products. The Huangling Scenic Area is located in Jiangwan Town, Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province. It was built in the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty, with a history of more than 600 years. After renovation and upgrading in 2013, it was opened to the public. The main scenic spots include Huangling's autumn sun - drying, terraced flower fields, the Flower Town, and Tianjie Street. The survey shows that the male - to - female ratio of tourists in the Huangling Scenic Area is balanced. The age is concentrated in the range of 18 - 45 years old (accounting for about 60%), and those over 46 years old account for 20%, indicating that the scenic area is more attractive to young and middle - aged people, but the elderly tourists also show a relatively high interest. The proportion of tourists with a bachelor's degree or above is the highest (about 36%), and those with a junior high school education or below only account for 6%, indicating that the natural scenery and traditional culture of Huangling are more favored by people with a high education level. The occupational distribution is mainly enterprise employees, freelancers, and employees of enterprises and public institutions (accounting for about 70%), and the monthly income is mostly 3000 - 5000 yuan, with the middle - hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 94 Published by IDEAS SPREAD income group in the majority. The vast majority of tourists said that their purpose of coming here is to enjoy the natural scenery and experience the cultural heritage. However, most of the products in the cultural and creative stores in the scenic area are traditional commodities, such as oil - paper umbrellas, cloth shoes, jewelry, silverware, etc. They lack creativity, practicality, and relevance to Huangling culture, and it is difficult to meet the needs of tourists. Therefore, it is necessary to learn from excellent cultural and creative cases, improve the design level, and create products that combine cultural connotations and practicality to better showcase the unique charm of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture. 4.2.3 Consumer Portrait Before designing cultural and creative products, it is necessary to first position the consumers. In addition to collecting the basic identity characteristics of consumers, the establishment of a potential consumer portrait also requires an understanding of the personality and emotional impressions of potential consumers. Based on accurate analysis, their needs for products can be obtained [5]. According to the consumer portrait, cultural and creative products that meet consumer needs can be designed. Consumers with different images have different living habits, personality characteristics, hobbies, and their demands for products and acceptable prices are also quite different. According to the questionnaire analysis, field investigation in the previous text, and the data obtained from searching "Huangling" on Baidu Index (see Figure 7), students and employees of enterprises and public institutions aged 18 - 45 are targeted as the target objects. Because this type of people have a relatively high level of education, pay more attention to the quality of life and cultural connotations, like to pursue novel and personalized things, and have a certain consumption capacity. Figure 7. Baidu Index Search for "Huangling" (from Baidu Index) 4.2.4 Brand Positioning The brand positioning of rural culture is to meet users' spiritual experiences through marketing and communication of the unique cultural resources of the countryside, forming a unique brand memory. The existing cultural and creative products in the Huangling Scenic Area lack characteristics and creativity. It should take the autumn sun - drying culture as the core, highlight farming and blessing - seeking elements, create brand stories, and convey historical and cultural connotations. The product is positioned with a fashionable and interesting style, mainly decorative and daily - use products, with a price range of 10 yuan - 50 yuan, to meet the needs of young people for personal use or gift - giving, strengthen the brand image and recognition, and achieve differential competition. 4.3 Design Techniques 4.3.1 Collage Technique Collage originated hundreds of years ago. In the early 20th century, the Cubist artists Braque and Picasso named it "collage", which comes from the French word "coller", meaning to stick. The materials for collage are diverse, such as magazines, photos, illustrations, etc. They are recombined through an interesting logic and applied in fields such as literature, music, and art. In the cultural and creative design of Huangling's autumn sun - drying, the collage technique can be used to extract and reorganize elements such as photography, painting, and fabric. Through hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 95 Published by IDEAS SPREAD artistic means, different materials are collaged to form a new art form, showing the unique charm of the autumn sun - drying culture. 4.3.2 Reconstruction Technique The reconstruction technique creates more novel, creative, and functional works by recombining, conceiving, and designing existing elements, structures, or concepts. It helps designers break the routine, explore innovation points, and transform them into innovative products. By splitting and reorganizing different design elements, traditional patterns, or styles, combined with re - creation of cross - media integration, the reconstruction technique promotes the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional crafts, making them more accessible to the public and rejuvenating with new vitality [6]. 4.3.3 Combination Technique In the design of cultural and creative products, the combination technique usually refers to the combination of traditional styles, techniques, materials, etc. with cultural and creative products. In the design of cultural and creative products of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture, traditional culture can be combined with modern art to create a unique style. Different colors, such as red, green, and yellow, can also be matched together to create a colorful and eye - catching color combination. Different functional and design elements can be combined, for example, the autumn sun - drying crops originally used as food can be combined with refrigerator magnets with use and decorative functions to design creative and artistic new products. 4.4 Extraction of Cultural Elements Pattern Extraction: Extract elements such as rice, scarecrows, farmers doing autumn sun - drying, fruits and vegetables, drying trays, and Hui - style ancient houses. After abstraction, they are integrated into the design to enhance regional characteristics and visual appeal. In the autumn sun - drying, orange is the most representative color. Therefore, in the pattern design, orange should be the main color, matched with red, green, and blue to create an autumn atmosphere. Angle Extraction: Draw on the scenery and scenes of Huangling's autumn sun - drying. Starting from the drying platforms made of bamboo poles, create a broad and natural visual effect. Use it as the background of the work to make the work more hierarchical. Cultural Extraction: According to the historical background of the Huangling Scenic Area and the emotions and good wishes that people want to express, integrate them into the work. For example, extract the dynasty when Huangling Ancient Town was established and the characters at that time, and design stories about Huangling's autumn sun - drying to make the work more story - telling and inheritable. 4.5 Application of Cultural Elements in Design 4.5.1 IP Image Design IP image design plays an important role in the development of a brand. Use the IP elements of the scenic area itself to develop a series of cultural and creative derivatives. At the same time, carry out scenic area product development, scenic area tour route development, scenic area brand remodeling, scenic area accommodation, etc., to achieve the transformation from single to multiple, and truly integrate the IP into the construction and development of the scenic area [7]. When designing the IP image, first integrate the cultural elements of Huangling's autumn sun - drying into the IP image design, such as blessing - seeking, farming, history, etc. Use artistic techniques to express the core values and spiritual connotations of the autumn sun - drying culture, as well as the close connection between man and nature, and man and the land, in the form of images, colors, and shapes. Through the dissemination and promotion of the image, the public's sense of identity with the autumn sun - drying culture can be stimulated, and the inheritance and attraction of the autumn sun - drying culture can be enhanced. The name of the IP image character is Zhang Manman (see Figure 8). She was born in Huangling Village, Wuyuan City, Jiangxi Province, at the age of 18. She has a lively and cheerful personality, likes to eat delicious food and enjoy the scenery. The name Zhang Manman implies "full of harvest, full of happiness, and full of good luck", echoing the state of a bumper harvest of grain and a happy life of the people in Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture. The design of the IP image "Zhang Manman" seizes the time point when the Huangling Scenic Area was built in the middle of the Ming Dynasty. Taking the maidservant of the Ming Dynasty as the main body of the IP image design, the IP image is designed in combination with the hairstyle, makeup, clothing, and patterns of the maidservant in the middle of the Ming Dynasty. Some autumn sun - drying elements, such as the colors and fruits of autumn sun - drying crops, are added to the design of the IP image. hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 96 Published by IDEAS SPREAD Figure 8. Three - view Drawing of Huangling's Autumn Sun - Drying Culture IP - Zhang Manman 4.5.2 IP Image Extension Strong extensibility is one of the characteristics of an IP. By empowering an IP with a unique connotative story, a lot of extensible content can be created [8]. Based on the IP image design, design different styles, festival - themed, and age - specific clothing and hairstyles for the IP image as an extension design of the IP image (see Figure 9). Figure 9. IP Image Clothing Extension 4.5.3 Information Design of Huangling's Autumn Sun - Drying Culture Analyze Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture and use the IP image, autumn sun - drying crops, Hui - style architecture, etc. to design an information map of Huangling's autumn sun - drying culture (see Figure 10), and display the autumn sun - drying culture in detail through pictures and texts, so that tourists can have a clearer understanding of the autumn sun - drying culture. Figure 10. Information Design of Huangling's Autumn Sun - Drying Culture hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 97 Published by IDEAS SPREAD 4.5.4 Design of IP Image Emoji Pack An emoji pack was designed based on the image of Zhang Manman (see Figure 11). Figure 11. Design of Zhang Manman Emoji Pack 4.6 Product Display Based on the previous designs of the IP image, posters, and emoji packs, cultural and creative products were designed, including mouse pads, fans, notebooks, tote bags, badges, stickers, tapes, mobile phone cases, etc. (see Figure 12). Figure 12. Cultural and creative products display 5. Conclusions and Prospects 5.1 Research Conclusions In today's tourism industry, it is of even greater significance to enhance the cultural and aesthetic values of cultural and creative products in addition to improving the practicality of products. We integrate regional characteristics into the design of cultural and creative products to drive the economic development of ancient towns with cultural and creative industries and improve the living conditions of residents. At the same time, designers should first conduct on - the - spot investigations to fully understand the local customs, natural resources, as well as consumers' living habits, personality traits, and hobbies. They should extract cultural elements based on the obtained information and establish brand positioning. Only by following these steps can they design cultural and creative products that satisfy consumers. References [1] Zhou, C. J., He, Z. Q., & Yuan, S. Q. (2019). Cultural and creative product design. Chemical Industry Press. hssr.ideasspread.org Humanities and Social Science Research Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 98 Published by IDEAS SPREAD Pages 83-150. [2] Du, X. Y., Zhang, W. Y., & Liu, Y. Z. (2022). Research on the protection and inheritance of Luoshan Dragon, a national intangible cultural heritage under the integration of culture and tourism. Hundred Schools in Arts, 38(5), 41-49. [3] Gao, Y. (2017). 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Packaging Engineering, 45(4), 359-361+404. [8] Liu, X., & Zhou, X. Y. (2024). Research on the design of IP for traditional Chinese festivals based on embodied cognition. Packaging Engineering, 45(2), 444-451+47. Copyrights Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).