Taishi Cuisine, an emblematic tradition of Cantonese gastronomy founded by the late Qing scholar-official Jiang Kongyin, confronts the threat of gradual disappearance. Its core techniques—such as the gelation process for the Five-Snake Soup and the formulation of Taishi Tofu—primarily rely on oral transmission, while existing historical records are largely textual, lacking the dynamic contextualization and technical visualization necessary for effective preservation and understanding. This study proposes a low-threshold, practice-oriented digital scheme to activate this intangible culinary heritage, leveraging a synergy of documentary filmmaking and Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC). Centered on constructing a digital oral history for Jiang Kongyin, the methodology involves: first, gathering multi-source historical materials, including biographies, recipes, and archival photographs of the Taishi Mansion kitchen; second, employing AIGC tools to create historically accurate virtual content, such as a first-person narration in Jiang's voice and AI-generated visual reconstructions of 1930s Cantonese domestic kitchens, strictly guided by historical sources to avoid fabrication; finally, integrating these virtual elements with authentic historical materials through film montage to form a cohesive narrative that interweaves human stories with technical demonstration. This research focuses on demonstrating the feasibility of this scheme rather than producing a final film. It confirms that interdisciplinary researchers, even with limited technical resources, can effectively employ an "AI + filmmaking narrative" approach to bridge the gap between static textual records and dynamic digital visualization for intangible cultural heritage. The study offers a replicable, low-cost pathway for digitally preserving oral-based traditions, highlighting the potential of narrative reconstruction in heritage revitalization.

Authors:
Ting Xu, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), China
Xian Xu, Lingnan University, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Ms. Xu Ting is a doctoral student majoring in Computer Media Art at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), and she is also a seasoned media professional and screenwriter.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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