This study develops a comprehensive framework for understanding how community murals function as catalysts for urban cultural resilience in Malaysia, with comparative insights from China's urban cultural transformation experiences. Through systematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature spanning 2010-2024, this research introduces the concept of "cultural co-production" to examine how murals facilitate dynamic interactions between institutional frameworks, community agency, and aesthetic innovation. The study employs a tripartite analytical framework examining: (1) cultural agency mechanisms, (2) aesthetic adaptation strategies, and (3) spatial integration processes. Our findings reveal that Malaysian community murals operate as vital infrastructure for cultural resilience, enabling communities to adapt traditional practices while fostering intercultural dialogue in rapidly changing urban environments. The research identifies distinctive Malaysian practices of organic cultural integration and spatial diversity as particularly effective models for sustaining cultural vitality amid urbanization pressures. These insights expand existing urban cultural studies by demonstrating how different governance approaches in Asia generate innovative frameworks for cultural sustainability that transcend Western-centric paradigms. The study contributes to Malaysian cultural policy development by proposing evidence-based strategies for enhancing urban cultural resilience while offering practical guidance for cross-cultural learning initiatives.
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