Purple: East vs. West-A Comparative Study of the Symbolic Meanings of Purple in Chinese and Japanese Cultures

As a mystical color spanning the spectrum, purple carries profoundly divergent semiotic meanings in Chinese and Japanese cultures. When the Han purple and Japanese murasaki encounter each other in crosscultural communication, their contrasting symbolic significance reflects deepseated cultural genes. Grounded in semiotics and theory of myth, this study employs literature review, comparative analysis, and case studies to systematically trace the evolutionary trajectories of purple's symbolic meanings in both cultures. By analyzing differences in status attributes, emotional core and philosophical foundations, the research uncovers the "divergent evolution from common origins" logic in East Asian cultures. The findings provide theoretical insights for crosscultural communication, localized brand marketing, and traditional colorbased cultural tourism development, while also expanding a new microsemiotic dimension in comparative SinoJapanese cultural studies.