A Study Of The Layout Of Ancient Chinese Printed Books

The layouts of ancient Chinese printed books bear striking national features. They carry the unique Chinese idea of design and its aestheticism. In fact, the practice of book layout in ancient China and in modern times have much in common, and the practice in the past not only provides us with a rich resource of ready forms in book layout, but also offers us experiences, ideas and inspiration in that particular area. Therefore a careful study, aesthetically and culturally, of the layouts of the ancient books may be highly meaningful to our development of book design in China today. The national cultural tradition should always be taken as one's standing ground when he tries to reach out for new ideas and modern technology of other nations, for it is by the principle of combination and accommodation alone that one can find the meeting point of traditional design and modern design and consequently form up an expressive language that is at the same time national, modern and personal.Focusing on the layout of ancient Chinese printed books, this thesis describes its emergence and development, its special visual effect and its cultural origin and significance. By examples, analysis and induction, this thesis seeks to explore the causal relationship between traditional Chinese culture and the layout of ancient Chinese printed books. It then tries to further elaborate the idea that China's position of book layout in the world must be based upon its national culture.