National Image of Ceramic Product Design in China, 1949-1966

Background The early years of the People's Republic of China, 1949-1966, was a crucial period during the establishment of the socialist regime and image. Ceramic products, as a part of daily material culture, were deeply influenced by the national discourse. This article examines the significance of national images with regard to ceramic designs. The study examines Chinese ceramic products as a case study to show how ceramic design affected, constructed, and reproduced the national image in the early years of the PRC. Methods From the perspective of material culture studies, initially, the specific background of Chinese society and Chinese identity through the national image at the time are reconstructed, based on a literature review of sociological and historical files, as well as magazine articles and news reports. Second, using products from the ceramic industry as specific case studies, the reproductionconstruction relationship between ceramic products and the national image is analyzed. Results Closeness to the daily and realistic life of the masses, providing service to the people, an emphasis on the new look of the socialist state, and an economic and practical style are the core elements of building China's national image during this period. Conclusions An emphasis on the proletarian socialist state as a nascent regime is the label of the national image in China in 1949-1966. This represent the first element to influences the design of ceramic products. Expressions of decorative designs and subjects of ceramic products were closer to real-life scenes and tended to be simpler and more practical in terms of style, thus fitting the image positioning of New China at the time.