Design Contest Brings beauty of Chinese Characters to Foreigners

The award ceremony of “The Beauty of Chinese Characters” Global Youth Design Contest 2018 was held at the 77 Theatre in Beijing on September 28, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The six-month-long global youth design contest focusing on Chinese characters concluded with a grand award ceremony at the 77 Theatre in Beijing on September 28, 2018.

Seventeen awards were announced, including one merit award, one gold prize, five silver and 10 bronze awards, as well as one grand prize, going to designer Song Song for his work “The beauty of Chinese Characters – Basic necessities of life,” which showcased a hanger, a pair of tureens, a bed lamp and a bag. Other prize-winning works were all creative and practical, including lamps, tea cups, rice cooker, pocket watch, socket converter and accessories.

According to Yu Dan, dean of the Beijing Institute of Culture Innovation and Communication and the general convener of “The Beauty of Chinese Characters,” the contest this year was based on the theme of “Harmony In the Family is the Basis for Success in Any Undertaking,” and selected 30 Chinese character with the head of “宀” to encourage designers to complete creative works based on their understanding of these Chinese characters.

“The biennial contest, which was launched on March 15 this year at the Chinese consulate general in San Francisco, is meant to help foreigners develop their own ideas about the unique form of Chinese characters through images and pictures,” said Yu.

The campaign attracted nearly 2,300 entries from 10 countries and regions around the globe, covering a wide range of fields, including visual communication design, product design, spatial design and fashion design. After a rigorous and fair screening, a total of 94 design works were selected for the finals.

At the ceremony, many design masters renowned around the world, scholars in cultural studies field, and experts in cultural communications gathered together and conducted extensive and in-depth discussions on Chinese characters.

As part of the Beijing International Design Week, the exhibition of award-winning works was opened free at the Art Gallery of the 77 Theatre from September 22 to 29, 2018. A global tour will soon begin to bring the beauty of Chinese characters and creativity designs to the world.

Chen Nan, Bi Xuefeng, Zeng Hui, Ma Yiyuan and Chi Xun (from left to right) take part in the discussion at the award ceremony of “The Beauty of Chinese Characters” Global Youth Design Contest 2018 on September 28, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Prize winners pose for a group photo with guestsat the award ceremony of “The Beauty of Chinese Characters” Global Youth Design Contest 2018 on September 28, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The grand prize “The beauty of Chinese Characters – Basic necessities of life,” by Song Song. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The gold prize "Philosophical sound fan desk lamp," by Song Haiyong. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]