中國傳統(tǒng)工藝在現(xiàn)代產(chǎn)品設計中的應用研究

秦文婕 文 岳中生 譯 /Text by Qin Wenjie, translated by Yue Zhongsheng

傳統(tǒng)工藝是人類為滿足自身物質(zhì)和精神需要，采用各種物質(zhì)材料和手工技藝，通過不斷實踐和經(jīng)驗積累，以世代相傳的方式保留下來的技術及其相適應活動的總稱。傳統(tǒng)工藝是人類共同的財富，是人類文明一個重要的組成部分，它不僅可以具體且鮮明地反映一個民族的歷史和文化，而且在現(xiàn)代社會中依然具有無法取代的實際價值和現(xiàn)實意義。

一、建立中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的研究體系

走近它，才發(fā)現(xiàn)，中國傳統(tǒng)工藝是一個非常龐雜的系統(tǒng)，為了較為系統(tǒng)地研究中國傳統(tǒng)工藝，理清思路和方法，從更完整的范疇內(nèi)搜尋線索，在整個研究過程中不會混亂或疏漏太多，筆者設計了一個中國傳統(tǒng)工藝研究路徑，全面立體地建構一個有關傳統(tǒng)工藝研究的系統(tǒng)概念（圖1）。

第一，時間線索，傳統(tǒng)工藝有著一個很長的時間脈絡，甚至可以追溯到祖先在史前社會的造物行為，如在中國境內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)的史前印紋陶上就已經(jīng)證實了人類最早編織技術的存在。沿著時間線索可以逐步嚴謹?shù)卣砀鱾€時間節(jié)點上傳統(tǒng)工藝的成果及其背景資料。

圖1 中國傳統(tǒng)工藝研究路徑Fig. 1 Path of research of Chinese traditional crafts

圖2 建立中國傳統(tǒng)工藝立體研究結構Fig. 2 Building a solid research structure of Chinese traditional crafts

第二，空間線索，傳統(tǒng)工藝同樣有著一個很大的空間脈絡，這里的空間是指地域或地區(qū)的概念。任何國家或民族的傳統(tǒng)工藝的形成和發(fā)展都與其地域條件和特點有著緊密的聯(lián)系，是各具特色的風土人情孕育出了千差萬別的工藝技巧，絕大多數(shù)的傳統(tǒng)工藝都包含著豐富的地域性知識。所以說，只有在某一工藝和其“出生地”之間相互探析，才能理解和把握這一技巧的真諦，從中更深入地挖掘現(xiàn)代設計可應用的價值。

第三，種類線索，傳統(tǒng)工藝種類繁多，涉及的領域幾乎遍及社會生活的各個方面，可以說，有著一個極為廣泛的應用脈絡。以往的研究工作多站在研究者自己的領域內(nèi)，視線相對單一，思路相對保守，在對民眾宣傳中也容易造成狹隘的理解。

第四，技藝線索，技與藝的融合示意著工藝本身從低級走向高級，也包含著在特定歷史時期，不同階級、不同等級、不同形式等等的各色技藝品類，具有相對分散、雜亂和繁復的特點，需要從不同的認知視角去收集、確定和管理。

需要強調(diào)的是，中國傳統(tǒng)工藝是一個龐大的待研究開發(fā)的復雜系統(tǒng)，本文把其研究分為時間線索、地域線索、種類線索和技藝線索。這些線索的路徑既有連續(xù)性又有間斷性，與社會人文變遷、科學技術變革、經(jīng)濟制度變更等等社會生活的各個方面都有著深刻的聯(lián)系。同時，以上四個線索，還都有著各自的細化坐標，建立這樣一個框架體系，可以更清

圖3 銀飾工藝首飾設計 秦文婕作品Fig. 3 Silver jewelry, designer∶ Qin Wenjie

晰地建立一個全面立體的系統(tǒng)概念，幫助我們挖掘、發(fā)現(xiàn)中國傳統(tǒng)工藝中更具價值的研發(fā)課題，從而更清晰有效地應用到現(xiàn)代相關設計領域中。

二、多維度概念中的中國傳統(tǒng)工藝與現(xiàn)代設計的關系

史料證實，人類在不同時期、不同國度或不同區(qū)域內(nèi)，由于客觀自然條件的差異與限制，逐漸形成了各具不同特征的人類文明進程。中國是世界上最古老和最具影響的人類文明發(fā)源地之一，也是世界上綿延不斷時間最長的文明之一。作為這一古老文明的重要組成部分，中國的傳統(tǒng)工藝有著眾多的世界之最和相當豐厚的資源。通過多維度概念和現(xiàn)代設計與制造進行對比、嫁接以及相互感染，從中國物質(zhì)技術發(fā)展的實用特性到人文觀念中，反思現(xiàn)代產(chǎn)品設計和社會可持續(xù)發(fā)展的綜合訴求。

第一，時間概念是一條可以依據(jù)的客觀線索。根據(jù)每一個時間節(jié)點，通過各個歷史時期（年代更替）來梳理中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的演變，或者也可以說是對中國技術發(fā)展從單一到多元、從簡單型到復合型、從低端技術到高精尖技術的地毯式搜索。此時，時間的概念與相對應的社會經(jīng)濟、文化、政治等背景緊密相連，相互作用，這種規(guī)律直到當代依然如此。從時間維度看，中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的成就可以穿越漫長的歷史長河，如較為典型的距今7000年前的河姆渡文化遺址中的中國式干欄結構建筑，已經(jīng)具備了榫卯等木作高級工藝；距今2000多年前讓古羅馬凱撒大帝如醉如癡、讓西方帝國無數(shù)貴族目眩神迷的美紋絲織工藝……其中，榫卯與絲織工藝在

圖5 銀飾工藝首飾設計 秦文婕作品Fig. 5 Silver jewelry, designer∶ Qin Wenjie

圖6 銀飾工藝首飾設計 秦文婕作品Fig. 6 Silver jewelry, designer∶ Qin Wenjie

現(xiàn)代生活中依然有著各式變體，其主要技藝核心的基礎范式依然保留著。

第二，空間概念是另一條具有鮮明特色的客觀線索?？臻g即指地域分布，中國各個不同區(qū)域由于所處的地理位置不同，決定了氣候、自然物產(chǎn)以及生活習俗等等方面的差異，也直接投射出相應具有物理、人理、事理所支撐的工藝技術。從空間維度看，中國是一個幅員遼闊且有著56個民族的大國，由于歷史和現(xiàn)實諸多方面的原因，各地區(qū)和各民族產(chǎn)生了各具特色的傳統(tǒng)工藝。如：北京的絹花和景泰藍，天津的泥人張彩塑和楊柳青年畫，上海的顧繡和嘉定黃草編，安徽的徽州三雕和蕪湖鐵畫，廣東的彩瓷和象牙雕，臺灣的油紙傘和鶯歌陶器……再如：壯族造紙和壯錦，苗族蠟染和水碾，侗族建筑和服飾，毛南族竹編，瑤族醫(yī)藥……由此，創(chuàng)造出了中華民族絢爛多彩的物質(zhì)文明。直至今日，各地的這些傳統(tǒng)工藝依然作為地區(qū)獨有的特色產(chǎn)物，只是其中很多技藝長時間保持著相對原始的樣貌，逐漸與現(xiàn)代生活內(nèi)容及文化脫節(jié)而被邊緣化。

第三，種類概念。從系統(tǒng)的角度分析，中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的種類繁多，龐雜交錯，用現(xiàn)代觀念表述，是一個跨學科和跨領域的范疇。由于研究領域發(fā)展的不平衡，容易造成以偏概全，忽略中國傳統(tǒng)工藝所包含的全景信息。故此，我們可以嘗試從材料路徑上歸納，細分為：木作工藝、石作工藝、漆作工藝、紙作工藝、金屬工藝……從行業(yè)路徑上可指向農(nóng)業(yè)、制造業(yè)、建筑業(yè)等等（如種植、制鹽、榨油、兵器、禮器、

圖7 文房用具設計 天津美術學院孫梓桐作品 指導教師秦文婕Fig. 7 Stationery of the study, designer∶ Sun Zitong, Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, supervisor∶ Qin Wenjie

磚瓦、燭、染色、火藥、硫黃、采煤、機械、水利等工藝）；從學科路徑上還可涉及冶金學、建筑學、力學、化學、聲學等等方面的知識和經(jīng)驗總結。這樣，便于研究者從中發(fā)現(xiàn)某一具體課題在不同路徑中是否存在相互聯(lián)系和多角度聚集優(yōu)化的可能，也有助于研究者在現(xiàn)代技術信息和事物發(fā)展理念中大膽借鑒，進行跨界實驗。

第四，技藝概念。從專業(yè)研究角度看，我們常會利用史料記載的內(nèi)容了解學習一些傳統(tǒng)技藝的方法和技巧，如織繡、編結、扎糊、刻印、繪畫等等。但是，中國古代在長時期的重道不重器的文化氛圍中，對器物的重視程度一直遠不如其他文化，器物制作被視為不登大雅之堂的雕蟲小技。因此專門記述傳統(tǒng)工藝的古代文獻非常少，只有《周禮·冬官考工記》《天工開物》《夢溪筆談》《農(nóng)書》《清代匠作則例》等數(shù)種而已。為了能使中國的傳統(tǒng)工藝不止步于現(xiàn)代技術的圍困，并延續(xù)光彩，很多業(yè)界的人士積極開展了相關的科學考古和田野調(diào)查，挽救了很多瀕于失傳的技藝，還發(fā)現(xiàn)了史料中未曾記載過的大量的民間工藝（也有稱作鄉(xiāng)土手工藝），而今

圖8 新文房四寶設計 天津美術學院孫梓桐作品 指導教師秦文婕Fig. 8 Neo-four stationery treasures of the study, designer∶ Sun Zitong, Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts,supervisor∶ Qin Wenjie

天散落民間的這些技藝仍可以被我們看到，足以證明它們具有旺盛的生命力和真實生活中被需求的隸屬關系。

以上這四個主要研究線索是從不同思路出發(fā)，探索中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的技術、特點、文化屬性及發(fā)展過程，它們之間是相通的，既可以橫向相融，也可以縱向交叉。如果說時間線索是時間維度，地域線索是空間維度，那么，種類線索和技藝線索暫且可稱為“人間維度”（工藝的種類和技藝都離不開為人服務），三個維度建構出了一個研究中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的立體形態(tài)（圖2），對我們今后全面認知把握、研究和實際應用都有較強的現(xiàn)實意義和指導作用。

三、中國傳統(tǒng)工藝在現(xiàn)代產(chǎn)品設計中的應用價值

中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的研究在當代的重視程度已經(jīng)達到一個歷史高位，從政府科研院所到民間團體、企業(yè)再到相關個體，關注的力度呈上升趨勢。然而多數(shù)的主題工作傾向于在中國傳統(tǒng)工藝本身固有的領域內(nèi)，明顯集中在某些主流技藝中，不能以一種理性的方式讓傳統(tǒng)工藝更多的積極因素有效地參與到現(xiàn)代設計進程中，間接地造成對傳統(tǒng)工藝的描述被認知為保守、單一和落后，形成僵死的、概念化、臉譜化的社會認同趨勢。

然而，提到現(xiàn)代化的產(chǎn)品設計，人們一般很快聯(lián)想到的是精密的機械設計、時尚的外觀設計和多功能的人性化需求，或者是如何制造高端奢華產(chǎn)品、如何標榜品牌效應、如何打造出奇賣點等等，幾乎所有來自產(chǎn)品輸出的競爭勝負最終被歸結在商家收益多少上。經(jīng)濟發(fā)展別無選擇地成為維系社會認同的唯一紐帶，以經(jīng)濟的名義，把人類技術要義和設計本質(zhì)有意無意地忽略和遮蔽了，而傳統(tǒng)的寶貴資源正消逝在現(xiàn)代文化土壤中，傳統(tǒng)技藝也無可選擇地走向被埋入歷史深層的命運。

打破僵局，需要重新建立認知體系。中國傳統(tǒng)工藝所輻射的疆界應該盡可能全面地被挖掘整理出來以納入中國技術發(fā)展史中，并與現(xiàn)代設計技術充分結合發(fā)酵。就技術本身而言，在一個多世紀的相持中，以手工為代表的傳統(tǒng)工藝生產(chǎn)和以機器為代表的現(xiàn)代大工業(yè)制造之間從相遇、排斥到分離是一個必經(jīng)的發(fā)展程序。在技術革新、經(jīng)濟發(fā)展和社會生活演變方面的逐漸對照與映射中，體現(xiàn)出隨著人類科技水平不斷飛躍發(fā)展，對強烈情感化和人文情懷的訴求就越需要跟進與補充，傳統(tǒng)工藝與現(xiàn)代工業(yè)也應該越發(fā)顯現(xiàn)出無法相互替代的作用和影響，并可以通過再度聯(lián)手，打造未來新技術的軟硬實力，相互啟發(fā)，相互借鑒，向著更開放的領域嘗試拓展（圖3—圖8）。

此外，從維系國人集體歸屬和終極意義的角度看，市場經(jīng)濟將大量社會成員拋到一個單純利益鏈條中。原子化時代的公共治理迫切需要道德存量來幫助社會維系運轉、資源動員和政策實施，而現(xiàn)實中傳統(tǒng)文化是最具有社會認同的功能，傳統(tǒng)工藝又是傳統(tǒng)文化中的重要組成部分，賦予了自身文化紐帶、文化支撐、文化鄉(xiāng)愁、文化生態(tài)等精神歸屬的符號性和分量感。

最后，一個民族需要有在現(xiàn)代市場經(jīng)濟蓬勃發(fā)展中把控道德信仰和社會責任的自我約束能力。圍繞人類社會倫理問題，涉及現(xiàn)代技術過度開發(fā)、欲望無限膨脹、價值觀念淪陷、自然生態(tài)失衡等等現(xiàn)象，我們更需要將中國傳統(tǒng)造物樸實的理念重新植入現(xiàn)代產(chǎn)品設計中，從正向引導基于廣義的普適性的智慧生活。傳統(tǒng)工藝在今天的社會生活中，其實不僅僅意味著是技能、技藝或技巧的知識，我們更應該看到它背后所凝結的深邃的生活本質(zhì)和傳達的大美的平淡境界。

四、結論

當代，我們有關中國傳統(tǒng)工藝的研究不應僅僅停留在挽救瀕臨失傳或消失的技藝這樣單一的工作內(nèi)容了。盡管這項工作仍然任重而道遠，我們還是可以通過這些年各方面工作經(jīng)驗積累，建立更科學的系統(tǒng)研究方法和管理手段，更有的放矢地推進各個實施環(huán)節(jié)。然而，當面對中國傳統(tǒng)工藝中越來越多地被挖掘出各種豐富的有形和無形文化資源和價值時，我們應該快速地著手去研究如何真正使它在這個時代和更長遠的未來可以適應真實生活中的各種轉變，探索如何讓它們不再牽強地、孤立地出現(xiàn)在眾人面前，如何如它們過往一樣，成為人們?nèi)粘ｋx不開的，并且十分欣悅接受的生活之需，如何可以再次使它們走向更寬廣的舞臺，走進世人的驚喜中。

Traditional crafts are a general term involving technologies which are obtained by humans through continual practice and experience and are passed down from generation to generation, and corresponding activities to satisfy their material and spiritual needs with a variety of materials and manual skills. They belong to mankind’s common treasures, which, as an important part of human civilization, clearly ref l ect a nation’s history and culture, and are of irreplaceable, actual value and relevance to modern society.

I. Setting up a research system of Chinese traditional crafts

A closer look at Chinese traditional crafts shows that they are,actually, a multifarious and disorderly system. To fully study them and clarify on thinking and methodology, the author has devised a path of research to build a systematic concept concerning the crafts in a comprehensive manner (Fig. 1) so as to seek clues within a broader scope and avoid confusion or omission at the same time.

First, chronology as a clue. Any traditional craft has an extremely long timeline, which may even date from human ancestors’ act of making products in the prehistoric era. A case in point is the stamped prehistoric pottery discovered in China, which proves the existence of the earliest knitting technology ever. Following a chronological clue, we can accurately summarize the achievements of traditional crafts at various nodes of time step by step, and gather background information.

Secondly, space as a clue. Traditional crafts, too, are distributed extensively in space, bringing forth a geographical or regional concept.Their formation and growth are closely linked to geographical conditions and features of the place in which they were produced, regardless of their origin of country. It is these local conditions and customs that gave birth to a wide range of crafts, most of which demonstrate abundant regional information. Therefore, only by correlating a craft and “its birthplace”can we truly understand and master the truth of it, thus probing deeper into its potential application value in modern design.

Thirdly, type as a clue. Traditional crafts enjoy an amazing range of varieties, which cover almost every aspect of society and, so to speak,have an extremely wide network of application. Most of previous studies was done just within the fields of researchers’ own, which was comparatively single-sourced, conservative, and likely to cause a narrowminded understanding in educating the public.

Fourthly, skill and art as a clue. The process of moving from certain skill to art indicates that a craft develops from a lower level to a higher one. It also means that in given periods, all kinds of crafts, regardless of social classes, levels or forms, are characterized by disorder and confusion, which have to be collected, identified and managed from different cognitive perspectives.

It needs to be emphasized that Chinese traditional crafts are a tremendous, highly complicated yet understudied system. The above four clues that the author provided have both continuity and discontinuity, and they have deeper ties with all aspects of societal life, including cultural changes, scientific advances, and economic system evolution. Further,each of the clues can have its own sub-coordinates. By establishing such a framework we can build a clearer and more comprehensive, solid system concept, which will help us to discover valuable R&D themes about Chinese traditional crafts for their more efficient application to modern design.

II. The relation between Chinese traditional crafts and modern design in multiple dimensional concepts

History proves that different human civilizations appeared as a result of naturally different and objectively limiting conditions, which varied with periods, countries or regions. China is one of the world’s oldest and most inf l uential cradles of human civilization, and Chinese culture is one of the world’s oldest and everlasting cultures. As an important part of this ancient culture, Chinese traditional crafts are number one in the world in many aspects, and proud of their rich resources. We may ref l ect upon responses to modern product design and sustainable social development from the angle of both utilitarian concerns in technological advances and aesthetic pursuit by comparing Chinese traditional crafts and modern design & manufacture and considering their grafting and interaction.

First, the concept of chronology is an objective clue we can depend on.The evolution of Chinese traditional crafts can be canvassed according to each node of time or through historical periods (chronological changes),or in other words, this can be called a comprehensive scrutiny of China’s technological advancement: from unified to diversified; from simple to sophisticated; and from low-end to high-end. Then the concept of time is closely linked to, and interacts with, corresponding social backgrounds:economic, cultural and political. This law applies even today. Judging from the dimension of time, the achievements of Chinese traditional crafts may have survived centuries in history. For instance, the Hemudu site of Zhejiang province, China, is a good case, which dates from 7,000 years ago, and in which the Chinese-style dwellings on stilts shows the locals had already been skillful in tenon-and-mortise work. There are also silk-woven crafts that fascinated ancient Greek Emperor Julius Caesar and countless noblemen in Western countries 2,000 years ago. So far, the basic mode of the core techniques of tenon-and-mortise joint and the skill of silk weaving remains, and people can find their variations in modern life.

Secondly, the concept of space is another objective clue with distinct features. Space simply means geographical location, which decides climate, natural resources and customs in a given region, which, together with supporting physical conditions, life philosophy, and logic, make regional crafts possible. Judging by the dimension of space, China is a large country including 56 ethnic groups scattered across a wide range,which have created thousands of traditional crafts with their own features.Among Chinese local crafts are: silk fl owers and cloisonné of Beijing;the Zhang style painted clay figurines and the Yang Liu Qing New Year pictures of Tianjin; Gu Embroidery of Shanghai; yellow-straw-plaited articles of Jiading; wood, stone and brick carvings of Huizhou; iron pictures of Wuhu; colored porcelain and ivory carvings of Guangdong;and oiled paper umbrellas and Yingge ceramics of Taiwan. Among crafts from China’s ethnic minorities are: paper-making and Zhuang brocade of the Zhuang ethnic group; batiks and water mills of the Miao nationality;architecture and clothing of the Dong ethnic nationality; bamboo weaving of the Maonan people; and traditional medicine of the Yao people. These explain why China has yielded a splendid material civilization. Today,these crafts still exist as unique local products. But it is a great pity that they become increasingly marginalized in modern life, though having preserved their original status.

Thirdly, the concept of type. If systematically scrutinized, Chinese traditional crafts are of a great variety. To put it in modern terms, they are concerned with inter-disciplinary or inter-field studies. Relevant panoramic information tends to be neglected due to imbalanced progress among fields of study or the likelihood of taking a part for a whole which the former comes from. Accordingly, we may choose to follow the path of material: dividing Chinese traditional crafts into woodwork,stonework, lacquerwork, paperwork, metalwork, etc. Or we may choose to follow the path of trade, dividing them into agriculture, manufacture,architecture (such as planting, salt technology, oil-extraction, weaponry,sacrificial vessels, bricks and tiles, candles, dyeing, gunpowder, sulphur,coal-mining, machinery and hydraulic engineering). When it comes to the path of discipline, they may fall into: metallurgy, architecture,mechanics, chemistry, acoustics, etc. The advantage of such paths will help researchers discover if any possible interrelation exists among different paths for a given research project, or if there are chances of combining various strengths from multiple perspectives. Also it will help researchers borrow from modern technologies and inventions, and carry out inter-disciplinary experiments.

Fourthly, the concept of skill and art. Professionally, we often learn traditional crafts, e.g. woven embroidery, knitting, binding & pasting,printing, painting, by studying historical writings. However, we should keep this fact in mind that, due to a tradition of preferring spiritual uplifting to material inventions in ancient China, there was a very limited amount of ancient literature depicting traditional crafts, including onlyThe Rites of Zhou: Winter Office and Diverse Crafts, The Exploitation of the Works of Nature, The Dream Pool Essays, The Treatise on Agriculture,andThe Manufacturing Standard in the Qing Dynasty. For centuries the public did not admire utilitarian objects as much as they did other forms of culture; and craft-making was deemed as a lowly trade. To tide Chinese traditional crafts over their besiege by modern technology for a rebirth, many professionals conducted archaeological studies and field investigations. They rescued many endangered crafts and encountered a large number of crafts (also called local hand-crafts)that were never mentioned in historical records. The fact that we can still see these traditional crafts precisely proves that they possess irresistible vitality and are truly needed in reality.

The above mentioned clues mean different approaches to explore Chinese traditional crafts and relevant technologies, features, cultural attributes and developing courses. They are interconnected horizontally or longitudinally. If chronology as a clue is a dimension of time and geographical clue is a dimension of space, then variety and skill and art as clues can be called “human dimensions” for the time being (both are intended to serve humans). The three dimensions of them form a solid shape of research into Chinese traditional crafts (Fig. 2), which will be of great relevance as a guidance to future full understanding, study and application.

III. Application value of Chinese traditional crafts in modern product design

So far crafts research has never received such attention today in China, having gained wide support from governmental institutions, civil society organizations and individuals. However, most of it focus on crafts themselves, obviously centering around mainstream crafts, thus failing to bring more of their positive elements into modern product design,and indirectly leading to the fact that they are described as conservative,backward, stereotyped, and lifeless in the public’s understanding.

At the mention of modern product design, however, one will conjure up immediately precision machinery design, fashionable appearance design and multiple-function human-oriented needs, or high-end products, brand effect or unique selling points. Almost all product activities competing for a win are ultimately traceable to merchants’profits. As a result we maintain social identity only by economic growth—no other alternative. So, in the name of economy, the nature of human technology and that of design have been overlooked or concealed,intentionally or unintentionally. And traditional, precious resources are disappearing in the soil of modern culture; and traditional crafts,hopelessly, fall into the fate of being deserted and buried into the depth of history.

To break this deadlock, we need to rebuild a system of cognition. The capabilities of Chinese traditional crafts should be explored as much as possible to be incorporated into the history of Chinese technological advances and to fruitfully interact with modern design technology. As far as technology itself is concerned, it is an inevitable process for traditional production (represented by handcrafts) to encounter, reject and break away from modern industrial manufacture (represented by machines).The faster the leaping rate of technological advances supported by innovations, economic expansion and social progress, the stronger human appeals to emotional outlet and humanistic care. Therefore,traditional crafts and modern industries are indispensable to each other in importance. And we can develop technological strengths by integrating them, and move ahead in more opening-up fields (Figs. 3-8).

Moreover, a market economy has cast out a great number of social members into the state of a mere profit chain if we are to maintain Chinese nationals’ sense of belongingness or if an ultimate meaning is sought. In this atomization age public governance is in urgent need of greater moral stock to strive for normal social order, mobilize resources and implement policies. Considering that traditional culture represents social identity best of all, traditional crafts—an important part of the former—are precisely bestowed with symbolic cues and a convincing sense of weight as spiritual attributes.

Finally, a nationality needs to have a self-discipline ability to preserve morality and belief and perform social obligations while its modern market economy prospers. When social ethic issues are addressed involving overdeveloped modern technologies, unrestricted desires,collapsed values and imbalanced natural ecology, there will be a greater need of re-implanting pure, original Chinese ideas of making products into modern product design, thus positively leading to a life of wisdom in a broad sense. In today’s social life a traditional craft means far more than a skill or art; more significantly, we should profoundly recognize the nature of life that it implies, and a realm of greater beauty and tranquility it is created to display.

IV. Conclusion

Currently, we should never be satisfied with merely rescuing endangered or dying skills concerning research of Chinese traditional crafts. Although that is a tough challenge and there is still a long way to go, we can push forward stages of targeted implementation by accumulating work experience over the years and developing scientific,systematic research methods and management tools. However, as abundant cultural resources and values—tangible or intangible—come out of Chinese age-old crafts, we should speed up our research on how to let them adapt to the various changes in our times and the far future; how to prevent them from appearing in the public unnaturally or isolatedly;how to let them become readily accepted, utilitarian objects again in daily life; and finally how to bring surprise to the public on a broad stage.