Chinese Traditional Porcelain Garden Stool: Innovative Design in The Process of Chinese Modernity

Abstract

Porcelain garden stool, produced in the Song Dynasty, is a kind of stool made from simple soil by uncanny workmanship of embryo painting and then transformed from a high-temperature kiln. Produced in Jingdezhen, the capital of porcelain, this stool not only possesses the aesthetic value of porcelain but also embodies a set of cultural and functional values. However, modern home decoration no longer incorporates the traditional porcelain garden stool with a single function, resulting in the loss of its traditional use as a seat in society.

This article aimed to study (1) the historical development and function of porcelain garden stools in Chinese traditional life scenes; (2) the traditional identity and value of porcelain garden stools from the perspective of artwork; (3) the development process of innovative designs for porcelain garden stools; and (4) the innovative design of porcelain garden stools in the context of Chinese modernity. The study considered data collected from academic documents as well as data collected in the field. The research results were found as follows:

During the modernization process, we combine the traditional identity of the innovative porcelain garden stool with the new needs of consumer groups, leading to various innovative attempts in the design of materials, decoration, and function. This process results in the formation of preliminary creative concepts. Following expert evaluation, consumer survey, design adjustment, and modification of the porcelain garden stool, we selected the creative design as the final design draft and proceeded to manufacture the finished products. Experts and consumers have completed the final evaluation, achieving the expected goal and yielding the anticipated effect. It hopes that the innovative design of the living heritage porcelain garden stool will enable it to emerge from its decline stage, reshape its existence value, integrate into people's modern daily lives, and become an integral part of the modern lifestyle.

It was concluded that the porcelain garden stool is a symbol of material culture and redefines the multiple values of the porcelain garden stool. For instance, the cultural and social roles of the porcelain garden stool persist, underscoring the need for innovative design in terms of materials, techniques, and patterns, enabling modern people to appreciate its value in a fresh form. This study aims to reorganize and refine the porcelain garden stool by combining traditional cultural elements with modern design concepts, thereby realizing the living cultural inheritance in the process of modernization.