SEMANTICS OF COLOR REPRESENTATIONS IN THE CONCEPTUAL SPHERE OF “CHINESE DREAM” AND “JAPANESE DREAM” IN CONCEPTUAL WORLDVIEWS

Abstract

The article presents the experience of a semantico-cognitive study of color representations aimed at identifying the semantic connotations and associations of color designations at the state, national, and individual-personal levels within the conceptual spheres of “Chinese Dream” and “Japanese Dream.” The material for investigating the conceptual sphere of “Chinese Dream” – intended to understand the mechanisms of visual representation of state ideology, color symbolism, and the formation of cultural identity in contemporary China – consisted of a series of postage stamps titled “Chinese Dream,” a national calling card with the mission of promoting the Chinese Dream. The conducted comparative study of color representations revealed a significant difference in the status of the conceptual spheres of “Chinese Dream” and “Japanese Dream.” For China, the dream has remained a central element of state ideology since 2013, with color representations serving as a key component of state-ideological semiotics across the three levels of the conceptual sphere. “Japanese Dream” represents Japan’s geopolitical ideology as a great power, spanning from the individual-personal level to the national level. The color representations of the dream retain traditional semantic connotations and associations and are not linked to the contemporary strategy of visually representing the national identity of the Japanese people. Research into these color representations within the conceptual worldviews of China and Japan allows for a deeper understanding of how visual and color elements are integrated into mass propaganda and shape the national discourse of these Asian countries. Thr study is relevant for analyzing contemporary practices of visual communication, state-ideological semiotics, and philately as a form of mass culture contributing to the consolidation of national discourse within the Chinese and Japanese conceptual worldviews.