Leijing Zhou · CLIENT: Zhejiang University
Serpentine Seasons is an animated video created with artificial intelligence. The work retells the Chinese legend of the White Snake through the 24 Solar Terms, a traditional system for marking the year. Each part of the six minute video is linked to one solar term, and the scenes change as the seasons move forward. The images were produced with text to video generation and style transfer, which keep an Eastern visual style. Serpentine Seasons shows how artificial intelligence can present cultural heritage through digital storytelling.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This AI-generated video integrates the legendary White Snake with the 24 Solar Terms, creating a unique fusion of Chinese mythology and traditional timekeeping. Utilizing advanced AI visual synthesis, the design captures the poetic rhythm of nature, presenting dynamic seasonal transitions through the lens of folklore. Its innovation lies in blending cultural heritage with cutting-edge technology, offering an immersive and visually stunning interpretation of time and transformation.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- This is a digital video project with no physical dimensions. It is optimized for standard video display formats, including 4K resolution. The video duration is approximately 6 minutes, with each section aligning with a specific Solar Term, seamlessly transitioning between them. The project utilizes AI-driven video generation, ensuring smooth integration of the cultural narrative and seasonal shifts, tailored for presentation on digital platforms and multimedia exhibitions.
- Tags
- AIGC, White Snake, 24 Solar Terms, Chinese culture, folklore, generative art, digital storytelling, seasonal transitions, style transfer, cultural innovation
- Production Technology
- We adopt the technologies of Text-to-Video and Style Transfer to ensure that the images not only possess Eastern aesthetics but also conform to the characteristics of the solar terms. The AI tools we use include Midjourney (text-to-image) and runway (image-to-video), among others.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge lay in blending traditional cultural narratives with cutting-edge AI technology. Balancing the integrity of the White Snake legend with the technical demands of AI-driven storytelling required careful cultural research and innovative thinking. External challenges included limited AI tools capable of translating the complexity of seasonal transitions into a cohesive narrative, while internal obstacles involved aligning the visual and emotional tone of the project with the original folklore’s themes of love and transformation.
- Project Duration
- The project started in October 2024 in China and finished in March 2025 in China.
- Operation Flow
- The video flows in a nonlinear narrative, where the White Snake interacts with the changing seasons represented by the 24 Solar Terms. As the seasons progress, the environment adapts, with the character's emotions and actions shifting in response to the natural world. The interaction between AI and cultural symbols enhances the depth of storytelling, offering viewers an evolving experience where each transition aligns with the thematic shifts of the Solar Terms.
- Research
- Type of Research: Design Research
Research Objectives: To explore how AI can be used to reimagine traditional folklore in a contemporary digital medium.
Methodology: A combination of AI video generation, style transfer, and cultural analysis was employed to develop the design.
Data Collection and Research Tools: AI modeling software, video editing tools, and cultural research databases.
Participants or Experiments: The research involved collaboration with digital artists and AI specialists.
Results: A seamless integration of traditional folklore with modern AI technology, creating an immersive digital experience.
Insights and Impacts: The project demonstrates the potential of AI in preserving and transforming cultural heritage in innovative ways, with implications for the future of digital storytelling and design.
Effect in Real-Life Phenomena: The project contributes to the discourse on digital culture and the role of AI in cultural preservation, impacting both artistic practices and public engagement with folklore. - Inspiration
- Inspired by the legend of the White Snake and the 24 Solar Terms, this project seeks to explore the intersection of mythology, nature, and time. Drawing from traditional Chinese philosophy, it visualizes seasonal transformations through AI-generated imagery, merging folklore with technology. Rooted in research on computational creativity and cultural storytelling, this work reinterprets ancient narratives using modern digital techniques, offering a novel perspective on tradition and innovation.
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