Woodcarving motifs, including Negeri Sembilan, are significant in Malaysian art, bearing ancient knowledge and latent meanings. However, the understanding of Malay woodcarving motifs in Kuala Pilah is relatively limited compared to the east coast. The urgency to study these motifs intensifies as urbanization rapidly changes the landscape, representing not only woodcarvers’ skills but also profound cultural symbolism. This paper aims to interpret the meanings within these motifs in traditional Malay houses in Kuala Pilah, employing qualitative methods such as observation, interviews, photographic records, and secondary data analysis alongside Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics Theory for analysis. The cultural and social significance embedded in these motifs is unveiled through signifier and signified analysis. The results revealed the presence of various motifs encompassing geometry, fauna, flora, and still life. The study also uncovered that each motif plays a pivotal role in conveying the cultural and social values of the Malay people in Negeri Sembilan and enhances our understanding of the traditional art form of woodcarving amidst contemporary transformations.

• Ab. Aziz, A. (2015). Seni tenunan songket: Identiti, lambang dan tradisi budaya Melayu [Songket weaving art: Identity, symbols and Malay cultural traditions]. In International Conference on Malay Heritage and Civilisation 2015 (pp. 368-380). Universiti Teknologi MARA. http://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/35695

• Ab. Aziz, A. (2018). Simbolisme dalam motif songket Melayu Terengganu [Symbolism in Terengganu Malay songket motifs] (1st ed.). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

• Ab. Aziz, A. (2021). Konsep mimesis dalam seni melayu [The concept of mimesis in Malay art]. International Journal of Art & Design, 5(2), 44-56. https://doi.org/10.24191/ijad.v5i2.5

• Ab. Aziz, A., & Abd Aziz, M. K. (2021). Semiotik dalam seni budaya Melayu [Semiotics in Malay Cultural Art]. International Journal of INTI, 25(SIFImajan), 171-181.

• Abd Rahman, M. F., Abd Razak, M. I., Mohd Noor, A. F., Yusuf, N. K., & Abdul Kadir, N. A. (2021). Analysis of R.O. Winstedt’s view on the influence of Hinduism in the Malay Culture. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(3), 910-922. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v11-i3/8991

• Abdullah, A. H., & Abdillah, N. (2021). Heritage value of the Malayness socio-cultural symbols in millennium artist series of arts: A research analysis in semiotics. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 11(4), 251-265. https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2021-0093

• Abidin, N. Z., Shahminan, R. N. R., & Ibrahim, F. K. (2014, April 26-27). Woodcarving placements in traditional Malay houses of the wealthy and the commoners of Negeri Sembilan [Paper presentation]. Simposium Muafakat Minang 2014, Port Dickson, Malaysia. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331571556_Woodcarving_Placements_in_Traditional_Malay_Houses_of_the_Wealthy_and_the_Commoners_of_Negeri_Sembilan

• Abidin, N. Z., Shahminan, R. N. R., & Ibrahim, F. K. (2017). Factors impacting woodcarving influences in traditional Malay houses of Negeri Sembilan. Medwell Journals, 12(3), 383-392.

• Ali, Z. (1989). Seni dan seniman: Esei-esei seni halus [Art and artists: Fine art essays]. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

• Aziz, A. S., & Olalere, F. E. (2013). Application of Kelantan traditional aesthetic values into the architecture of contemporary homes. IISTE Journal (Arts & Design Studies), 6, 15-25.

• Azmin, A. K., Abdullah, F., Sanusi, A. N. Z., Begam Yusof, Z. B., & Asif, N. (2021). Sustainability of Malay wood craftsmanship symbolism in deciphering Malaysia’s architectural identity. In F. Uslu (Ed.), Proceedings of DARCH 2021 1st International Conference on Architecture & Design (pp. 37-56). Ocerint Publishing. https://doi.org/10.46529/darch.202124

• Badaruddin, M. I., Soon, S., Sahibil, Z., & Tarmizi, M. S. H. A. (2020). Burung sebagai subjek reka corak ukkil motif senjata tradisional Bajau Sama: Satu pemerhatiam umum [Bird as a design subject in the ukkil motif of Bajau Sama traditional weaponry: A general note]. International Journal of Creative Future and Heritage, 8(1), 74-97. https://doi.org/10.47252/teniat.v8i1.288

• Bakar, A. A., & Utaberta, N. (2013). Motif-motif ukiran pada rumah tiang dua belas di Kelantan dan Terengganu [Carved motifs on twelve pillared houses in Kelantan and Terengganu]. Journal of Design + Built, 6, 1-11.

• Basaree, R. O., & Silah, S. (2013). Aesthetics and geometrical principles of Malay woodcarving. The International Journal of Arts, Culture & Heritage, 4, 77-100.

• Basaree, R. O., Legino, R., & Ahmad, M. Y. (2015). The philosophy and geometric patterns of Malay woodcarving. In O. H. Hassan, S. Z. Abidin, R. Anwar, & M. F. Kamaruzaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Symposium on Research of Arts, Design and Humanities 2014 (pp. 79-87). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-530-3_8

• Buchler, J. (2014). The philosophy of Peirce: Selected writings. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315822723

• Choo, I. A. H., Rashid, M. S. A., Alaudin, K., & Jamaludin, N. H. (2022). The significance of roof decorative architectural components of Rumah Limas Bumbung Perak (RLBP) towards heritage interpretation of Perak Tengah. Planning Malaysia: Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 20(3), 99-111. https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v20i22.1130

• Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

• Eco, U. (1976). A theory of semiotics. Indiana University Press.

• Eco, U. (1980). Function and sign: The semiotics of architecture. In G. Broadbent, R. Bunt, & C. Jencks (Eds.), Signs, symbols and architecture (pp. 11-70). John Wiley & Sons.

• Eslit, E. R. (2023). Use of mythical creatures in folk literature of Southeast Asia: A comparative analysis. International Journal of Religion Education and Law, 2(2), 89-96. https://doi.org/10.57235/ijrael.v2i2.493

• Gazali, F. W. M., Ab. Aziz, A., & Nawai, N. M. (2018). Woodcarving motifs at Melaka traditional houses: Kampung Morten. The Journal of Social Sciences Research, SPI 1, 321-330. https://doi.org/10.32861/jssr.spi1.321.330

• Ghassany, T., & Santoso, F. (2020). Legacy of artefact Dongson Form Pucuk Rebung pattern representation post tradition Melayu. In Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium of Arts, Crafts & Design in South East Asia (ARCADESA; pp. 1-6). SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3807715

• Hamdan, R. (1998). Penampilan teks karya historiografi Melayu: Kembar tak seiras [The demonstration of Malay historiography texts: Unidentical twins]. In H. Awang, Z. Ahmad, & Z. A. Borhan (Eds.), Pengajian sastera dan sosio budaya Budaya Melayu, memasuki alaf baru (pp. 159-185). Akademi Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya.

• Haron, H., Yusof, A., Taha, M., & Mutalib, N. A. (2014). Motifs of nature in Malay traditional craft. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 21(1), 169-180.

• Harun, M. N. S., & Samsudin, M. (2022). The aesthetic value of the beauty of motifs and patterns of wood carving art of Rumah Limas Belanda in Terengganu. BITARA International Journal of Civilizational Studies and Human Sciences, 5(1), 36-51.

• Hashim, M. H., Ahmad, A. M. Z., Latif, M. P. A., & Yunos, M. Y. M. (2018). Visual communication of the traditional house in Negeri Sembilan. Humanities and Social Sciences Reviews, 5(2), 112-123. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2018.527a

• Hassan, N. A., Amin, P., & Tohid, S. (2016). Malay aesthetic concept through Malay woodcarving motifs in visual artworks. In A. Harun, R. Zakaria, A. Rasid, H. A. Razak, L. M. M. Noh, N. M. Sharif, S. M. Mujir, F. M. Yussof, A. L. A. Nudin, I. Jamil, F. M. Radzi, A. Alias & N. Idris (Eds.), Empowering local mind in art design & cultural heritage: 3rd ISME International Colloquium (pp. 97-105). Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka. http://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/19932/

• Hesar, N. G., Kalantari, N. N. G., & Ahmadi, M. (2015). Study of sacred geometry in Islamic architecture. Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Science Science Journal, 36(3), 3800-3812.

• Ibrahim, I. [Ibrahim], & Sulaiman, S. (2020). Semiotic communication: An approach of understanding a meaning in communication. International Journal of Media and Communication Research, 1(1), 22-32. https://doi.org/10.25299/ijmcr.v1i1.4584

• Ibrahim, I. [Iman], Al Shomely, K., & Eltarabishi, F. (2023). Sustainability implications of utilizing Islamic geometric patterns in contemporary designs, a systematic analysis. Buildings, 13(2434), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102434

• Isahak, M. R., Shahminan, R. N. R., & Taufik, F. A. (2022). Enhancement wood carving in producing premium product. Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Environment Management, 7(27), 58-68. https://doi.org/10.35631/JTHEM.727005

• Jaffar, S. R. A., Sujud, A., Muhammad, S. J. N., & Kamarudin, K. (2017). Tradisi vernakular seni bina Melayu tradisional dalam teks historiografi Melayu [The vernacular tradition of traditional Malay architecture in Malay historiography texts]. In H. M. Piah & D. Samad (Eds.), Persidangan Antarabangsa Manuskrip Melayu 2017. Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia.

• Jamal, S. A. (1992). Rupa & jiwa [Form & soul] (1st ed.). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka; Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.

• Jasmani, I., Abidin, N. Z., Mohd Din, S. A., & Kassim, P. S. J. (2019). Architecture ecologised: Nature’s patterns and abstractions in Malay built traditions. Cultural Syndrome, 1(2), 107-116. https://doi.org/10.30998/cs.v1i2.232

• Kadir, N. A. A., Nik Dahalan, N. N., & Jamaludin, N. (2018). Seni dalam Islam: Kajian khusus terhadap seni ukir [Art in Islam: A specific study on the art of carving]. E-Journal of Islamic Thought and Understanding, 1(1), 1-15.

• Kamal, K. S., Wahab, L. A., & Ahmad, A. C. (2004). Climatic design of the traditional Malay house to meet the requirements of modern living. In Z. Bromberek (Ed.), Contexts of Architecture: Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Architectural Science Association ANZAScA and the International Building Performance Simulation Association – Australasia (pp. 175-179). School of Architecture, University of Tasmania. http://anzasca.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ANZAScA2004_Kamal.pdf

• Kamarudin, Z., Kassim, P. S. J., & Abdullah, A. (2020). The variants and meanings of Malay Motif ornamentation in the urban context: A case study of Putrajaya. Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 18(2), 219-230. https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v18i12.756

• Kamarudin, Z., & Said, I. (2008). Composition of Malay woodcarving: Case studies on two traditional timber houses. Jurnal Alam Bina, 11(2), 101-118.

• Mahmud, M. Z., Bakar, A. L. A., & Al Geriani, A. M. A. (2021). Philosophy of cultural thought, Abdullah Mohamed’s view and the relationship with the “Lotus Flower.” TARIKH International Journal of Islamic History and Civilization, 1(1), 29-49.

• Masri, M. (2012). The misconceptions of Negeri Sembilan traditional architecture. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 68, 363-382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.12.234

• Masri, M. (2018). Towards prevalence of Negeri Sembilan Malay traditional architecture for future communities: Misconceptions. Asian Journal of Environment-Behaviour Studies, 3(8), 187-204. https://doi.org/10.21834/aje-bs.v3i8.289

• Migueis, D. P., Lopes, M. C., Ignacio, P. S. D., Thuler, L. C. S., Araujo-Melo, M. H., Spruyt, K., & Lacerda, G. C. B. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the cyclic alternating pattern across the lifespan. Sleep Medicine, 85, 25-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.06.026

• Nasir, A. H. (2016). Ukiran kayu Melayu tradisi [Malay woodcarving tradition]. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

• Nazuki, S. N., & Kamarudin, Z. (2017). Techniques of wood carving applied in the architectural elements of Malay vernacular buildings. Journal of Built Environment, Technology and Engineering, 2, 198-202.

• Noor, F., & Khoo, E. (2003). Spirit of wood: The art of Malay woodcarving. Tuttle Publishing.

• Nor, O. M., & Shahminan, R. N. R. (2016). The influence of Perpatih custom on the design of traditional Malay houses in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(2), 62-70.

• Rashidi, N. A. S., Ismail, N. H., & Abdul Latip, N. S. (2021). Development of Malay wood-carving motifs from Islamic perspectives. In A. Ismail, S. Sulaiman, M. N. Musling, S. R. Mat, A. Ab Rahman, H. A. A. Thaidi, & N. R. S. M. Dali (Eds.), E-Prosiding Seminar Antarabangsa Islam dan Sains (pp. 601-611). Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. https://oarep.usim.edu.my/jspui/handle/123456789/14524

• Redzuan, S. S. S. M., Mohd Razis, S. N. I., Abd Aziz, M. K., & Ab Aziz, A. (2022). Malay worldview on the ornamental design in Malay Hikayat manuscript. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 7(SI7), 249-254. https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7iSI7.3790

• Sabri, M. F., Mohd Rafien, N., Ismail, M. U., Afiq, M., Taher, S. F., & Safwan, M. A. (2021). The applicability of Awan Larat motif on contemporary building design. KUPAS SENI Jurnal Seni dan Pendidikan Seni, 9(1), 81-92.

• Said, I. (2019). Woodcarving in Malay architecture. In H. Selin (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of the history of science, technology, and medicine in non-western cultures (pp. 2294-2295). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4425-0_8944

• Said, I., & Abdullah, A. S. (2001). Spesies-spesies kayu dalam ukiran Melayu [Wood species in Malay woodcarving]. Penerbit Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

• Said, I., & Kamarudin, Z. (2009). Carving motifs in timber houses of Kelantan and Terengganu. In South East Asian Technical Universities Consortium (SEATUC) - 3rd SEATUC Symposium Proceeding (pp. 45-49). Universti Teknologi Malaysia. http://eprints.utm.my/12449

• Sanusi, K., & Legino, R. (2015). Iconic transformations from Hinduism to Islamic art. In O. H. Hassan, S. Z. Abidin, R. Anwar, & M. F. Kamaruzaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Symposium on Research of Arts, Design and Humanities (pp. 65-77). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-530-3_7

• Shahminan, R. N. (2007). Seni bina rumah bumbung panjang Negeri Sembilan [The architecture of long-roofed houses in Negeri Sembilan]. Adat Perpatih: Esei pilihan (pp. 191-197). Jabatan Warisan Negara, Kementerian Kebudayaan, Keseniaan dan Warisan Malaysia.

• Silah, S., Ponimin, Taswadi, & Sri Ambarwati, D. R. (2021). The beauty of Malay woodcarving motif ornamentation. KnE Social Sciences, 5(6), 81-89. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v5i6.9181

• Sufiyya, I. (2006). Seni warisan budaya Malaysia: Seni bina & seni lukis [Cultural heritage of Malaysia: Architecture and painting]. Penerbit Era Didik.

• Surat, M. (2018). Senibina warisan Melayu: Ilham, falsafah dan dayacipta dari sudut penaskahan dan kearifan watan bangsa Melayu [Malay heritage architecture: Inspiration, philosophy, and creativity from the perspective of storytelling and the wisdom of the Malay nation]. In Wacana Manuskrip Melayu 2018. Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia. https://www.pnm.gov.my/pnm/resources/pdf%20file/PKMM/SENIBINA%20WARISAN%20MELAYU%20-%20ILHAM%20DAN%20DAYACIPTA%20DARISUDUT%20NASKAH%20DAN%20KEARIFAN%20WATAN%20BANGSA%20MELAYU.pdf

• Tohid, S., Legino, R., Basaree, R. O., Amin, P., & Amin, R. (2015). Classification design motifs of traditional Malay wood carving. In O. H. Hassan, S. Z. Abidin, R. Anwar, & M. F. Kamaruzaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Symposium on Research of Arts, Design and Humanities 2014 (pp. 55-63). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-530-3_6

• Toom, A. (2012). Considering the artistry and epistemology of tacit knowledge and knowing. Educational Theory, 62, 621-640. Wiley Online Library. https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.12001

• Yakin, H. S. M., & Totu, A. (2014). The semiotic perspectives of Peirce and Saussure: A brief comparative study. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 155, 4-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.10.247

• Yusof, H., Ibrahim, F. K., & Shahminan, R. N. R. (2020). Heritage identity conservation of the woodcarving placement and design composition typologies on Johor Malay Houses. Planning Malaysia: Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 18(2), 12-23. https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v18i12.739

• Yusof, H., Wahab, I. A., Utaberta, N., Sabil, A., & Hanapi, N. A. (2021). Islamic influence on woodcarving motifs in Johor Traditional Malay houses. Journal of Islamic Architecture, 6(4), 313-320. https://doi.org/10.18860/jia.v6i4.13028

• Yusoff, Z. M., Md Zain, D. H., & Saniman, H. (2016). The ornamental design of traditional Malay utensils (kukuran) in Peninsula Malaysia. SHS Web of Conferences, 23(2016), Article 01004. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20162301004

• Yusri, A. N. M., & Chee, S. A. (2022). Konsep pemikiran dalam ukiran kayu tradisional masyarakat Melayu [The concept of thought in traditional woodcarving of the Malay community]. Jurnal Peradaban Melayu, 2(2), 49-55. https://doi.org/10.37134/peradaban.vol17.2.6.2022

• Zakaria, S. A., Latif, R., & Bahauddin, A. (2018). Malay wisdom in the motifs of bamboo shoots. SHS Web of Conferences, 45, Article 02004. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20184502004