Awal Mula Peh Cun di Tangerang: An Animated Film about Acculturation of Chinese Culture

The Peh Cun festival, a long-standing tradition of the Chinese Benteng community in Tangerang, Indonesia, has faced significant disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With public celebrations canceled in 2020 and 2021, concerns emerged regarding the potential decline of cultural interest among the younger generation. The primary objective of this project is to preserve and promote the history and significance of this acculturated tradition through the creation of a two-dimensional animated short film, designed to engage audiences aged 7 to 20 years old.

The methodology involved qualitative research, including literature reviews and in-depth interviews with management from the Boen Tek Bio temple to ensure historical accuracy. The design process utilized animation and character theory, focusing on visual storytelling through storyboards and the application of culturally significant color palettes—specifically red and yellow, which symbolize luck and prosperity in Chinese tradition. The resulting film features a narrative centered on a young boy and his family, utilizing a cartoon aesthetic to maximize accessibility across various age groups.

Beyond the film itself, the project incorporates digital engagement tools, such as Instagram filters, to facilitate broader dissemination via social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. By transitioning traditional cultural education into a digital format, the initiative successfully demonstrates how technology can bridge the gap between ancestral heritage and modern consumption habits. The project concludes that animated media serves as an effective, scalable solution for cultural preservation, with future recommendations including the expansion of narrative content and formal distribution through institutional academic channels to reach a wider audience.