Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Transformation of Family Memory into Public Cultural Memory: A Case Study of Liang Qichao's Descendants

Yanqi HuangFujian Agriculture and Forestry University*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

The transformation of private family memory into public cultural memory is a crucial issue in cultural heritage research. Nevertheless, current studies grounded in cultural memory theory primarily concentrate on macro-level national collective memory, while overlooking the unique function of family units. Specifically, the pivotal role of celebrity descendants in facilitating this memory transformation has not been sufficiently examined, creating a distinct theoretical research gap. Against this context, this study aims to fill such gaps by exploring the mechanism behind the publicisation of family memory, with the intergenerational inheritance and dissemination of Liang Qichao's spiritual legacy by his descendants as the research subject. Based on Assmann's cultural memory theory, this paper establishes a "family memory-public memory" analytical framework and adopts a five-dimensional model covering time, media, function, power and construction. It systematically analyses how Liang Qichao's spirit evolves from private communicative memory to standardised public cultural memory through descendants' participation. The research reveals that, thanks to their dual private-public identity, Liang's descendants serve as both guardians of family heritage and constructors of public memory. Via textual, practical and spatial carriers, and amid multi-party memory negotiation and contemporary contextual reshaping, they effectively advance the publicity of ancestral spiritual heritage. This research expands the micro-family application of cultural memory theory and provides an innovative perspective for interpreting the social value of celebrity cultural inheritance.

Keywords: cultural memory; family memory; public memory; Liang Qichao; cultural memory theory
Published: August 24, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.36258
Volume: CHR Vol.120
pp. 53-59
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