The combination of the Song Dynasty patterns and digital technology

Abstract The Song-era artifacts carry ideas of naturalness and moderate elegance, preserving and passing them on to future generations. The emerging digital opportunities and initiatives allow us not only to study pattern samples in detail but also to create digital equivalents that are not subject to aging or destruction. This research aims to obtain specific knowledge and situational experience regarding the digitization of Song Dynasty patterns. At the preliminary research stage, the authors performed an online survey on a popular Chinese platform. The survey confirmed the interest of a wide audience in cultural heritage (CH) objects and their preservation. The respondents noted the focus on digital sources of information and considered the documentary video format an optimal educational design. In the first stage, Song patterns were digitally processed using MATLAB version 7.0 and ACDSee. In the subsequent phase, based on the processed patterns, the authors developed an instructional video. In the third stage, the researchers assessed students’ knowledge acquired by watching a video (experimental group) or attending a lecture with a presentation based on raw patterns (control group). The results obtained before and after the intervention showed significant progress in each group. It indicated the effectiveness of the digitized images and this intervention for obtaining new knowledge and raising awareness about the Song Dynasty CH.