National Culture in Domestic and Foreign Packaging Design

The combination of tradition and modernity combined with nationality and internationality is one of the important characteristics of excellent packaging design. Examples from the international and domestic excellent packaging design also confirm this point. In the modern packaging design, we must not only pay attention to national culture, but also take into account the characteristics of the times and the national culture sold to the region in order to design an excellent packaging.

Packaging design is a very characteristic form of expression in modern social culture. It is not only a part of traditional culture but also a material carrier of culture. Tradition refers to the thoughts, culture, morality, style, art, system, and behaviors that have been passed down from history, and ethnic culture is an important part of traditional culture. The more local it is, the more ethnic it is, the easier it is to attract people. “Only the nation is the world,” and these ideas have gradually become the consensus of the era of global economic integration. Foreigners come to China and want to see something with Chinese characteristics: go to Beijing to see the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, go to Xi'an to see the ancient city walls, the Terra Cotta Warriors, and visit Suzhou gardens in Suzhou. The Chinese are also the same when they go to foreign countries: To go to Japan to see Mount Fuji, to go to Egypt to see the pyramids, to go to France to see the Eiffel Tower. Nationality and local characteristics are hot spots that attract people's attention. Modern packaging design can get more attention and recognition from the world if it has national characteristics.

The packaging history of foreign packaging design countries around the world is related to the cultural and economic background of each country. The packaging design in the UK pays more attention to the inheritance of the British consumer culture tradition. The German packaging design is influenced by its rigorous philosophical way of thinking and is full of the traditional features of rational design. The French packaging design presents a unique blend of design and artistic spirit. The Japanese packaging design faced the rapid economic development, combined with a large number of traditional Japanese visual factors, but also reflects the sense of the times. Its packaging design occupies a very important position in the world of packaging design.

Japan has been widely influenced by Chinese culture in history and gradually developed its own national style. This point is well reflected in its packaging design. After the Meiji Restoration Movement, Japan implemented a policy of civilized culture. With the opening of the country's doors, various foreign schools of art and design trends have been introduced to Japan in all directions. Modern arts such as Art Nouveau and Bauhaus design have a profound influence on Japanese design. Between tradition and modernity, between East and West, Japan has explored a modern Japanese packaging path. After a long period of accumulation and refinement, traditional packaging culture in Japan has reached a very simple and concise level, forming a unique aesthetic standard. For example, pure rice wine wrapped in straw, the flexibility of straw provides the necessary protection for the glass, and at the same time it displays the mellowness of rice wine. Twenty pieces of unremoved rice were carefully preserved at the handles of the two straw ropes, suggesting 100% grain content. In addition, the imitation Song poster posted on the packaging grass added to the brewing history of rice wine, so that the entire packaging into a cultural atmosphere. There are also eggs packed in straw, which gives the eggs a strong protection and presents the freshness of the eggs.

It can be seen that the biggest feature of Japanese packaging design is the emphasis on excavation and promotion of traditional design styles while drawing on and absorbing foreign advanced design concepts. Traditional design and modern design coexist, emphasizing national tradition and modern civilization.

Chinese Traditional Packaging Design In China, many tea packaging designs are a good example of China's national traditional culture.

China is the hometown of tea and is the home of the world's tea trees. Tea, in its breath of heaven and earth, can make people enjoy a moment of leisure in the complicated world. Therefore, it is appreciated by literati, and often expressed in the form of paintings, poetry, and poetry. Wen Huiming made tea for the "Quanquantu", and Su Dongpo left behind the eternal singer of "Being a good woman". Therefore, Zheng Banqiao also lamented that "Never the famous celebrities can comment on the water, and since ancient times, Gao Yao loves tea." It can be seen that the packaging design of tea, a special commodity, should reflect its cultural characteristics. Many good tea packaging designs make full use of Chinese painting as a splendid cultural treasure of the Chinese nation, such as the packaging of “Wenshan Paozhongcha”, and its graphics resemble the freehand brushwork in Chinese painting, that is, the continuous use of Dasan in the Wenshan area as a source of material. , Jane can not be simple, but it is wonderful flowers, vivid and natural. Tea culture is inextricably linked with Chinese characters. Therefore, using calligraphy as the visual element of tea packaging design is just right. For example, Lipton Tea, in the newly launched tea packaging series, one of which is Chinese-style tea, in order to fully reflect Lipton’s international image does not make Lipton feel out of tune with Chinese tea. In particular, “Lao Lian Qing” is used as a sub-brand name, and its name is written in brushstrokes, which is very oriental and appreciated by Eastern and Western sources. .

Modern Packaging Design China's development of 5,000 years of civilization, whether it is court art or folk art, has accumulated a large number of artistic expression forms through the creative practice of artists, artists, artisans, and people throughout history. The Chinese national culture and art have experienced a long history of conciseness. Afterwards, various kinds of graphics and ornamentation with typical cultural connotations are gradually formed, which embodies the whole nation’s life philosophy and aesthetic taste, and is a great legacy left by history. The traditional folk culture elements of China include: calligraphy, such as regular script, official script, cursive script, etc.; New Year pictures, such as Tianjin Yangliu Youth Painting, Suzhou Taohuawu New Year Painting, etc.; other art forms such as sculpture, batik, tie-dye, etc. These are the sources of modern packaging design, which in turn helps us design packaging with Chinese characteristics.

As international exchanges become more frequent, political, economic, and cultural influences are increasingly strengthened. Packaging design also influences design concepts and design methods. Therefore, perfect design should not only have traditional features, but should also focus on the sense of the times in the new era. China's accession to the WTO also marks that Chinese products will enter the international market in large numbers. This requires our packaging design not only to maintain the traditional characteristics and personality of the nation, but also to meet the aesthetic psychology of different countries and different nationalities. Therefore, in the practical application of these traditional folk elements, it should not be satisfied with simple application. Instead, it should be based on the absorption of its performance techniques and styling characteristics, combined with the characteristics of commodities, and be integrated into modern atmosphere, so that the design can be used National characteristics and sense of the times.

Therefore, for today's Chinese packaging design, we must follow the pace of the times, strengthen international exchanges, take its essence, go to its dross, and go to the world with a more open mind. For the sake of the past, the ocean is used for Chinese, and consumers are faced with new attitudes, so as to design packaging works with profound cultural connotations and distinctive flavors of the times.

Author: Xi'an University of Technology Institute of Graphic Packaging Engineering |