Category System Specification
This document defines how categories are structured, created, and applied across the entire Craftpedia ecosystem. It applies to all language versions and all regional portals.
The purpose of this specification is to ensure that Craftpedia maintains a consistent, multi-dimensional classification system that mirrors museum, academic, and ethnographic standards.
Purpose of the Category System
The category system in Craftpedia organizes articles into a flexible, multi-layered structure that allows users to browse crafts by:
- material (e.g., ceramics, lacquer, metalwork);
- geographic origin (prefecture, region, country);
- historical period;
- functional type;
- technique or subfamily;
- cultural or ritual context.
Categories allow Craftpedia to function simultaneously as:
- an encyclopedia (topic-based),
- a digital museum (taxonomy-based),
- a geographical portal (region-based),
- an educational system (period-based).
Core Principles
All categories must follow these principles:
Clarity – Category titles must be unambiguous. Consistency – Names and structures must remain uniform across languages. Multi-dimensionality – Articles may belong to multiple, independent category families. Non-redundancy – No duplication of meaning. Cultural-neutrality – Category names must follow widely accepted academic usage.
Category Families
Craftpedia uses several major families of categories. Each article may belong to one or more families.
The families are:
- Craft Domain
- Geographical Categories
- Historical Period Categories
- Functional/Object-Type Categories
- Technique or Subfamily Categories
- Cultural/Ritual Categories
- Specialized Scholarly Categories (rarely used)
Craft Domains
Material-based categories include:
- [[Category:Ceramics]]
- [[Category:Textile]]
- [[Category:Lacquerware]]
- [[Category:Metalwork]]
- [[Category:Woodcraft]]
- [[Category:Paper Crafts]]
- [[Category:Bamboo Crafts]]
- [[Category:Stonework]]
- [[Category:Glasswork]]
- [[Category:Leatherwork]]
Every craft article must have exactly one domain category.
Geographic Categories
Level 1: Country
Examples:
- [[Category:Japan]]
- [[Category:China]]
- [[Category:India]]
- [[Category:Kenya]]
Level 2: Region
Format: [[Category:<REGION_NAME> Region]]
Examples:
- [[Category:Kansai Region]]
- [[Category:Tohoku Region]]
- [[Category:Guangdong Region]]
Level 3: Prefecture / Province / State
Examples:
- [[Category:Aichi Prefecture]]
- [[Category:Gifu Prefecture]]
- [[Category:Sichuan Province]]
- [[Category:Tamil Nadu]]
Geographic categories are additive. A craft spanning multiple regions may include multiple geographic categories.
Historical Period Categories
Examples for Japan:
- [[Category:Edo period]]
- [[Category:Meiji period]]
- [[Category:Heian period]]
Examples for China:
- [[Category:Ming dynasty]]
- [[Category:Qing dynasty]]
- [[Category:Han dynasty]]
Use only when the craft’s timeline is clearly tied to the period.
Functional / Object-Type Categories
Examples:
- [[Category:Religious objects]]
- [[Category:Domestic objects]]
- [[Category:Sword objects]]
- [[Category:Ritual implements]]
- [[Category:Ceremonial vessels]]
Technique or Subfamily Categories
Examples:
- [[Category:Weaving]]
- [[Category:Dyeing]]
- [[Category:Casting]]
- [[Category:Carving]]
- [[Category:Underglaze techniques]]
- [[Category:Overglaze techniques]]
Example subtypes:
- [[Category:Porcelain]]
- [[Category:Stoneware]]
- [[Category:Bronze casting]]
- [[Category:Iron forging]]
Cultural or Ritual Categories
Examples:
- [[Category:Tea ceremony objects]]
- [[Category:Buddhist ritual objects]]
- [[Category:Shinto ritual implements]]
- [[Category:Funerary objects]]
Used only when culturally documented.
Naming Conventions
General Rules
- Names must be in English for the master site.
- Translated portals must replicate meaning precisely.
- Use singular naming for domains (“Metalwork”).
- Use plural naming for object groups (“Religious objects”).
Geographic Naming
Examples:
- [[Category:<REGION_NAME> Region]]
- [[Category:<NAME> Prefecture]]
- [[Category:<NAME> Province]]
- [[Category:<NAME> State]]
Historical Period Naming
Use standard English forms:
- Edo period
- Ming dynasty
- Joseon dynasty
- Gupta period
Consistency across languages is essential.
Category Assignment Rules
Every article must include:
- Mandatory
- one domain category
- one or more geographic categories
- one period category (if applicable)
- Optional
- functional categories
- technique categories
- cultural or ritual categories
- school/subfamily categories
Example: Arita ware
- [[Category:Ceramics]]
- [[Category:Saga Prefecture]]
- [[Category:Kyushu Region]]
- [[Category:Edo period]]
- [[Category:Porcelain]]
Example: Bizen ware
- [[Category:Ceramics]]
- [[Category:Okayama Prefecture]]
- [[Category:Chugoku Region]]
- [[Category:Stoneware]]
Example: Takaoka copperware
- [[Category:Metalwork]]
- [[Category:Toyama Prefecture]]
- [[Category:Hokuriku Region]]
- [[Category:Bronze casting]]
- [[Category:Domestic objects]]
Creating New Categories
New categories are permitted only when:
- no existing category covers the concept;
- the concept is academically recognized;
- the category supports navigation and search;
- the name is stable and widely used.
Do not create categories for:
- workshop-specific styles;
- marketing terms;
- temporary or trivial concepts.
Interlanguage Consistency
Other languages must mirror:
- the same category families;
- the same logical structure;
- the same relationships between categories.
Example mapping:
- English
[[Category:Aichi Prefecture]]
- German
[[Kategorie:Präfektur Aichi]]
- Spanish
[[Categoría:Prefectura de Aichi]]
- Russian
[[Категория:Префектура Айти]]
Avoiding Category Conflicts
Editors must ensure that:
- duplicates do not exist;
- spelling and capitalization are consistent;
- category meaning does not overlap;
- categories are not misused for unrelated crafts.
Category Maintenance
Best practices:
- routinely check for duplicate categories;
- merge redundant categories;
- correct miscategorised pages;
- document major category structure updates.
Version History
- 1.0 – Initial release (English)