Inheritance of Traditional Family Values: A Comparative Study of Family Ancestral Shrines and Related Paintings of Lee Family

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

nothing

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 1 (Round 1)  Comments

Article Title: sustainability-17204127- The Inheritance of Traditional Family Values: A Comparative Study of the Family Ancestral Shrines and Related Paintings of Lee Family

Comment: nothing.

Response: Thank you for your encouragement! This is not to imply that this article is without fault. At the same time, we also invite native English speakers to assist in polishing the article.

Reviewer 2 Report

The purpose of the article: using the "Home: Sweet Home" series of paintings as an example to explore the role and value of different forms of creation, in the inheritance of family traditions.

The theme raised and explored is recent and interesting.
At least one sociological or anthropological reading on local and global research is recommended.

It is recommended to indicate in the introduction which discipline (branch of science) the study is based on.

It is strongly recommended to improve the quality of the images.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 2 (Round 1)  Comments

Article Title: sustainability-17204127- The Inheritance of Traditional Family Values: A Comparative Study of the Family Ancestral Shrines and Related Paintings of Lee Family

Comment: The purpose of the article: using the “Home: Sweet Home” series of paintings as an example to explore the role and value of different forms of creation, in the inheritance of family traditions. The theme raised and explored is recent and interesting. At least one sociological or anthropological reading on local and global research is recommended.

Response: Thank you for your affirmation! Our research on family memorials will continue, and we will review the literature further based on what you mentioned.

Comment: It is recommended to indicate in the introduction which discipline (branch of science) the study is based on.

Response: Thank you for your comments! We have already explained this in the introductory section.

Comment: It is strongly recommended to improve the quality of the images.

Response: Thank you again for your comments! We have redrawn or replaced the images with the original image to ensure that all images are clearly visible.

Reviewer 3 Report

The work analyzes the modern expressions of the memorials (shrines) to the family's ancestors in China through a case study. It is based on the hypothesis that these modern expressions allow the tradition to continue to be perpetuated, and therefore, they are a sustainable expression of it.

The work is interesting as it analyzes how a particular tradition of Chinese culture is modernized. However, two main drawbacks are recognized. On the one hand, it could be valuable to restructure the work so that the objective and the hypothesis are clear from the beginning of the work. On the other, the English translation should be revised since the text is challenging to read.

Finally, although the relationship between the topic worked on and sustainable development is understood, this link has not been explicitly developed.

In this sense, it is observed:

The objective of the work and the research problem are not clearly explained and specified in the introduction.

The research questions are too many, and not all are answered at work. Simplifying it to one or two will make the work more coherent and the analysis more precise.

Lines 36 to 47, substantiate what is said with sources. This problem is repeated throughout the work; general statements are made without reference to sources (citations of authors or results of fieldwork) that support them.

Line 71 shrines are said to be something new, but previously it was said to be a traditional practice.

It would enhance the understanding of the article for an international audience if the reader were introduced to an overview of ancestor worship in China, and its expression through shrines, as it is not a widespread practice.

The methodological section incorporates theoretical definitions that do not belong in that place but rather in the previous sections (see the first paragraph). The explanatory table introduced is of great interest, but it is necessary to delve into the techniques used for data collection. An interview is also mentioned, but it does not detail who conducted it, what topic it was, when, where, or other details. Nor are there extracts from these interviews collected throughout the work that support some of the authors' assertions. It would be valuable to introduce more material (apart from photography) to support the researchers' observations or reference where that observation comes from.

Although the reader has been reading "Qiyun Residence" from the beginning, the case is just introduced in the results on page 6. It is recommended to introduce the main aspects of the case in the introduction to help the reader's understanding. Nor is it specified where it is located within China and in which community. Considering the country's breadth and its cultural diversity, this is a relevant aspect that must be detailed.

The conclusions talk about "cases," but only one is presented.

The initial analysis of the situation (diagnosis) is reiterated too much throughout the work. For example, the idea of people not having space in their homes, which discourages the construction of sanctuaries, gets repetitive.

It is recommended to avoid adjectives throughout the entire work (e.g., "fun" line 338 and 339).

Certain writing errors are detected: For example, sometimes authors are spoken of and others when there are four authors. See lines 19, 188, 190, 193, 196, 200, 389, 410, 411. person "the authors" and others in the first "us" (e.g., line 46; "our" line 187). There are several points where the meaningless word is repeated: Line 29 and 30 "influenced"; 42 "relax"; 242 "ongoing"; 226 "memories").

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 3 (Round 1)  Comments

Article Title: sustainability-17204127- The Inheritance of Traditional Family Values: A Comparative Study of the Family Ancestral Shrines and Related Paintings of Lee Family

Comment: The work analyzes the modern expressions of the memorials (shrines) to the family’s ancestors in China through a case study. It is based on the hypothesis that these modern expressions allow the tradition to continue to be perpetuated, and therefore, they are a sustainable expression of it. --- The work is interesting as it analyzes how a particular tradition of Chinese culture is modernized. However, two main drawbacks are recognized. On the one hand, it could be valuable to restructure the work so that the objective and the hypothesis are clear from the beginning of the work. On the other, the English translation should be revised since the text is challenging to read. --- Finally, although the relationship between the topic worked on and sustainable development is understood, this link has not been explicitly developed.

Response: Thank you very much for your affirmation and for the shortcomings you have pointed out! Regarding language, we invited our native English-speaking colleagues to assist in rewriting the entire text. In addition, the structure of the article has been revised. We will answer each one below. Since the whole text has been rewritten, in order to avoid confusion, we have only marked the major modified parts in red.

Comment: The objective of the work and the research problem are not clearly explained and specified in the introduction.

Response: Thanks for the advice! We have revised the formulation of the motivation and purpose of the study.

Comment: The research questions are too many, and not all are answered at work. Simplifying it to one or two will make the work more coherent and the analysis more precise.

Response: Thank you for such a meticulous review! We have integrated the research topics.

Comment: Lines 36 to 47, substantiate what is said with sources. This problem is repeated throughout the work; general statements are made without reference to sources (citations of authors or results of fieldwork) that support them.

Response: Thank you for pointing this out! We have added some literature. In addition, part of the content is the result of discussions by our research team, but we try to avoid overly subjective descriptions.

Comment: Line 71 shrines are said to be something new, but previously it was said to be a traditional practice.

Response: This is the error of our statement! We have modified it.

Comment: It would enhance the understanding of the article for an international audience if the reader were introduced to an overview of ancestor worship in China, and its expression through shrines, as it is not a widespread practice.

Response: Thanks for your valuable advice! This is indeed an oversight on our part, as for international readers, they are really unfamiliar with the topic. We have added some literature.

Comment: The methodological section incorporates theoretical definitions that do not belong in that place but rather in the previous sections (see the first paragraph). The explanatory table introduced is of great interest, but it is necessary to delve into the techniques used for data collection. An interview is also mentioned, but it does not detail who conducted it, what topic it was, when, where, or other details. Nor are there extracts from these interviews collected throughout the work that support some of the authors’ assertions. It would be valuable to introduce more material (apart from photography) to support the researchers’ observations or reference where that observation comes from.

Response: Thank you for your comments! We moved the first paragraph to the appropriate location and rewrote the content. The authors also asked friends who visited the “Qiyun Residence” to record their impressions, which helped us better analyzed.

Comment: Although the reader has been reading “Qiyun Residence” from the beginning, the case is just introduced in the results on page 6. It is recommended to introduce the main aspects of the case in the introduction to help the reader’s understanding. Nor is it specified where it is located within China and in which community. Considering the country’s breadth and its cultural diversity, this is a relevant aspect that must be detailed.

Response: We have added the content of “Qiyun Residence”. In addition, this memorial hall is located in Taishan District, New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Comment: The conclusions talk about “cases”, but only one is presented.

Response: Thank you for your comments! One case is “Qiyun Residence”, and the other is a painting by Sandy Lee.

Comment: The initial analysis of the situation (diagnosis) is reiterated too much throughout the work. For example, the idea of people not having space in their homes, which discourages the construction of sanctuaries, gets repetitive.

Response: Thank you very much for your very meticulous review again ! We have removed or modified these contents.

Comment: It is recommended to avoid adjectives throughout the entire work (e.g., “fun” line 338 and 339).

Response: Thank you for your suggestion! We deleted these adjectives or replaced them in other ways.

Comment: Certain writing errors are detected: For example, sometimes authors are spoken of and others when there are four authors. See lines 19, 188, 190, 193, 196, 200, 389, 410, 411. person “the authors” and others in the first “us” (e.g., line 46; “our” line 187). There are several points where the meaningless word is repeated: Line 29 and 30 “influenced”; 42 “relax”; 242 “ongoing”; 226 “memories”).

Response: Thank you again for such a meticulous review! We have fixed these errors one by one. At the same time, we also invited our native English-speaking colleagues to assist in proofreading and polishing the full text.

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

The work has had good improvements. However, further work needs to be done:

The objectives of the works keep being "too big" for what the work exposes:

1. An example of how "family traditions" can be highlighted is illustrated by the ins and outs of a completed family memorial. (This objective is achieved).
2. For the reader's reference, construct a model that can be used to plan and design a family memorial hall. (I would not say that what is presented is a model, more, they are suggestions).
3. Investigate the characteristics of different art forms from paintings that fall under the same theme. The importance of perpetuating family traditions is stressed once more. (Both sentences are not necessarily related to each other. Furthermore, this objective is not committed. Only one artist's collection is analysed).

Furthermore, the following points should be revised: 

Line 22: "creatures"?? Is that the correct word? Is it not creations?

Line 35/36: can the spirit be practised? This phrase is not fully understood.

Line 38/42: This information added is not well or directly connected with the work.

Lines 42/44: The same phrase is repeated in the abstract; please rephrase.

Line 51: It "is" located (missing verb)

Line 72: People "sacrifice" ancestors? Is that the correct word?

Line 75: "for this kind of design" repeated in the same line. Please rephrase or unite the sentences.

Line 83: Delete "Of course"; it is not an obvious case.

Lines 89-92: There are many meanings of "home", even as many as people. This is a wrong generalisation. "As a general rule.." This is also a generalisation. If it is part of the community's cultural practices, please specify and add studies to support that statement.

Line 175: Asking friends is not a methodological technique. It does not support the sayings. It would help if you had statements from interviews with the Lee Family o other sources.

Line 185: "Secondly" written in capital words.

Line 193: "the writer", there is more than one writer.

Line 332-333: General assumtion.

Please hedge the whole text. Assumptions that can not be generalised are made. Delete the use of words like "always", "everybody", and "it is evident".

The relation between modern expressions of shires and sustainable development is not explicitly made. Even though more research is needed, as it is said in work, many investigations have been made about the relationship between protecting or maintaining traditional practices and sustainable development. 

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 3 (Round 2) Comments Article Title: sustainability-17204127- The Inheritance of Traditional Family Values: A Comparative Study of the Family Ancestral Shrines and Related Paintings of Lee Family Comment: The work has had good improvements. However, further work needs to be done: The objectives of the works keep being “too big” for what the work exposes: 1. An example of how “family traditions” can be highlighted is illustrated by the ins and outs of a completed family memorial. (This objective is achieved). 2. For the reader’s reference, construct a model that can be used to plan and design a family memorial hall. (I would not say that what is presented is a model, more, they are suggestions). 3. Investigate the characteristics of different art forms from paintings that fall under the same theme. The importance of perpetuating family traditions is stressed once more. (Both sentences are not necessarily related to each other. Furthermore, this objective is not committed. Only one artist’s collection is analysed). Response: Thank you for agreeing with our last revision! At the same time, thank you for pointing out the shortcomings again! The word “suggestions” would be more appropriate. As for the third point, it was not implemented in accordance with the objectives of the study. It is our intention to provide different advice to our readers. It may be possible to find more ideas for readers interested in different forms of expression, such as a “family memorial” or a “home-themed painting”. This may be incorporated into the text without setting it as a research goal. This will echo what you said and ensure that the research objectives are as focused as possible. Comment: Furthermore, the following points should be revised: Line 22: “creatures”?? Is that the correct word? Is it not creations? Line 35/36: can the spirit be practised? This phrase is not fully understood. Line 38/42: This information added is not well or directly connected with the work. Lines 42/44: The same phrase is repeated in the abstract; please rephrase. Line 51: It “is” located (missing verb) Line 72: People “sacrifice” ancestors? Is that the correct word? Line 75: "for this kind of design" repeated in the same line. Please rephrase or unite the sentences. Line 83: Delete “Of course”; it is not an obvious case. Lines 89-92: There are many meanings of “home”, even as many as people. This is a wrong generalisation. “As a general rule..” This is also a generalisation. If it is part of the community’s cultural practices, please specify and add studies to support that statement. Line 175: Asking friends is not a methodological technique. It does not support the sayings. It would help if you had statements from interviews with the Lee Family or other sources. Line 185: “"Secondly” written in capital words. Line 193: “the writer”, there is more than one writer. Line 332-333: General assumtion. Response: We would like to thank you again for reviewing our article so carefully! Such errors and omissions should not occur. We have corrected them one by one. Comment: Please hedge the whole text. Assumptions that can not be generalised are made. Delete the use of words like “always”, “everybody”, and “it is evident”. The relation between modern expressions of shires and sustainable development is not explicitly made. Even though more research is needed, as it is said in work, many investigations have been made about the relationship between protecting or maintaining traditional practices and sustainable development. Response: Many thanks for your comments! In fact, as an ongoing study, we should not make “overly certain” conclusions about some of the issues that cannot be determined or verified for the time being. These words have been deleted. Considering the valuable comments you made twice, as well as your tolerance for the research’s limitations, we appreciate your support and encouragement! Many events that were scheduled to take place at the “Qiyun Residence” have been canceled or postponed because of the COVID-19. Even though feedback from visitors may not be sufficient to constitute significant evidence, it may allow us to gain a better understanding of what others think of the monument from a variety of perspectives. Our future research will also focus on its relationship with the sustainable development of culture, as well as how it will enhance the role of the memorial.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf