China Books Of The Twentieth Century Design Aesthetic Form Study

Books are a hallmark of human civilization and a ladder for continuous progress of society.The mission of books is to carry forward to future the legacy of science and culture of man,and accelerate the dissemination of information and knowledge.Since their first appearance, books have played an active part in reflecting social realities and satisfying human material needs.The art of making books has been evolving since ancient times on the basis of historical and economic conditions. Books of each specific era are imprinted with features of that period. Over the past five thousand years,bookbinding and layout in China have presented different patterns and forms as book systems evolved and changed. Different social productive forces play a decisive part in determining what materials and techniques to use in bookbinding and layout,which also respond to social ideology accordingly.Book design in China has evolved over a long time and presented a great variety of forms,varying from "tornado"-bound books,folding books,"butterfly"-bound books, backbone-wrapped books,thread-bound books to paperbacks and hardbacks. Great changes took place in the early 20^thcentury as foreign techniques for plate making,printing and binding were introduced to China. Thread-bound books were gradually replaced by letterpress printing paperbacks.This book form still dominates today.As the May Fourth New Culture Movement flourished and its consequences reached far and wide, new culture came into birth and a new era for the art of book design was ushered in.The new art broke the old tradition and served the purpose of the New Culture books well in terms of technique and art,giving birth to new designs and a galaxy of book designers.Artists and authors such as Lu Xun,Tao Yuanqing,Wen Yiduo,Feng Zhikai,Pang Xunqin,Lin Fengmian, Jiang Xiaojian and Situ Qiao created quite a few excellent and idiosyncratic book covers on the basis of their profound knowledge of culture and aesthetics.These masters combined to create a special style for book design in the first half of the 20^thcentury.For this reason, the book covers designed by these masters are of special significance and value to the discussion of the book design in China of the first half of the 20^thcentury.Nowadays modern era produces an ocean of books,but the book covers of that time embody a sincerity and sensation because they are simple and redolent of artistic implications and graceful taste.The book art of that period is like a fresh wind in the history of book design of China.It carried on tradition and opened a new chapter in the history of ancient books.They are a wealth for modern book designers to study and an inspiration for them to borrow.These treasures are part of history on the basis of which modern book design develops and grows.The model designs serves as both a source to inspire us and a force to push forward the art of book design today.