Cultural Narratives in Augmented Reality: Enhancing Interactivity and Accessibility in the Salt Ritual

In Taiwan, salt serves as a sacred medium that connects the human and spiritual realms, warding off misfortune and inviting good fortune. The Nankunshen Daitian Temple hosts an annual salt ritual, a cultural event that intertwines local traditional industries with religious practices. However, the cultural significance of the ritual can be difficult for the general public to understand due to its intricate procedures. This research aims to simplify the complex ritual processes through visual narratives, making it easier for visitors to understand the procedures and essence of the salt ritual. The research team gathered historical and cultural information about the ritual using a comprehensive methodology that included a literature review, field investigations, and semi-structured interviews. A two-line narrative approach was employed to reconstruct the cultural narrative of the ritual process through augmented reality applications on mobile devices. Research indicates that presenting cultural content via an interactive two-line narrative enhances narrative flow, transforming the audience from passive viewers into active explorers. In conclusion, the narratives provide audiences with diverse perspectives, increasing their understanding and willingness to engage in the salt ritual. To ensure clarity and maintain comprehensibility, the structure and content design of the narrative must be more rigorous.