Editor's Note:

The pursuit of beauty is a timeless thread weaving throughout human history. The distinct Chinese aesthetics is not only embodied in every aspect of Chinese life, but also increasingly bringing spiritual enjoyment to people of all cultural backgrounds in the form of artistic expression.

Vibrant neo-Chinese aesthetics is taking hold, blending China's rich heritage with contemporary creativity, offering a unique aesthetic experience, and enriching people's spiritual world. In this series about neo-Chinese aesthetics, the Global Times is presenting articles to decode the spiritual beauty reflected in various art forms.

The second article in the series will show how Chinese art and handicrafts are using the unique cultural depth and innovative power of neo-Chinese aesthetics to become an essential part of global design.

May was a special month for Qian Lihuai, an inheritor of China's intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of bamboo weaving. During the International Biennale of Craft Innovation in France, one of his bamboo art pieces was collected by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Titled Song Jin Tuan Hua (lit: Floral roundel motif in Song Brocade), the piece masterfully translates the essence of China's Song Dynasty (960-1279) textile heritage in the medium of bamboo. Qian vividly recalls the "surprise and delight" on French President Macron's face as he received it.

"The colors, weaving techniques and forms of the art piece went beyond his expectations of traditional Chinese bamboo weaving," recalls Qian, reaffirming his conviction that this ancient Chinese craft "can be modern and is a global art language."

With a history spanning thousands of years, ­ancient Chinese art and handicraft techniques embody the integration of practical functionality and aesthetic expression. Defined by their intricate ­techniques and cultural symbolism, these various forms of art blend natural materials with spiritual meaning, ranging from folk handicrafts to imperial treasures.

Chinese arts and crafts can be expressed in many ways. Traditional forms include porcelain, silk weaving, embroidery, lacquerware, bronze ware, jade carving, wood carving and more. Each of these forms has a long history and rich cultural significance.

However, as the times have evolved, creative Chinese artisans are breathing new life into these traditional crafts in their own unique ways.

For Qian, modernizing bamboo weaving means transcending its "traditional pragmatism." He transforms it into a medium for "telling stories of universal emotions," showcasing the material's inherent versatility.

Qian's innovative approach includes using rigid bamboo to recreate the soft texture of a childhood sweater that evokes warmth and nostalgia across cultures or crafting the abstract bamboo weaving art Taihu Rock, a kind of rock usually seen in Chinese gardens.

Inspired by the multi-holed stone formations beloved by Chinese scholars, this piece employs intricate weaving techniques to capture the aesthetic principles of "slenderness, perforation, and transparency."

"Deceptively simple and modern in appearance, the piece's true complexity lies in its monolithic construction. The artwork has been liked by many Western visitors, but every weaving work we've made is an implementation of traditional Chinese wisdom," Qian noted.

With the combination of "traditional techniques and modern visuals," Qian's artworks resonate deeply with contemporary audiences. On Sina Weibo, a netizen commented that Qian is not just an inheritor, but also an artist who is defining a "new traditionalism in Chinese folk crafts."

This perspective resonates with broader shifts in design philosophy.

"New Chinese aesthetics are no longer a local movement - they are reshaping global design discourse," Christian Herren, an ­interdisciplinary artist and curator based in Paris and Berne, told the Global Times.

Herren highlights their unique power.

"They look back to history while moving forward with purpose, resulting in a design attitude emphasizing slowness, material sensitivity, and cultural depth rather than a fixed style."

Qian's journey illustrates Herren's insight that "China is increasingly recognized not just as a place of production but as a source of ideas," offering distinct solutions to global design challenges.

By challenging Western assumptions about authorship, materiality, and memory, Chinese crafts are expanding design's vocabulary and fostering a more pluralistic, reflective approach to creativity worldwide, Herren noted.

Inheritance in motion

Herren pointed out that China treats tradition and innovation not as opposites, but as collaborators, and that has made the future of Chinese design very compelling.

Such collaboration can be seen in the work of Zou Chuanzhi, an inheritor of Chu-style lacquerware - a craft that took shape during the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) and the Warring States Period (475BC-221BC).

In his workshop in the city of Jingzhou, Central China's Hubei Province, Zou was polishing a ­modern lacquer art lamp featuring motifs from the Warring States Period while adorning a 3D-printed base.

"Chu-style lacquerware is defined by distinguished styles, varied patterns, and saturated colors," he told the Global Times, pointing to his masterpiece titled Phoenix Singing in the State of Chu, a box featuring vermilion phoenixes on a black lacquer canvas.

Rooted in the traditional principle that "carving constitutes 30 percent and color 70," the essence of lacquerware remains unchanged, though Zou has introduced modern efficiencies.

The artist introduced that ­traditional Chu lacquerware requires over 60 procedures, including 30-plus layers of lacquering, which take three to four months to complete. Zou's team now uses 3D modeling for form design and eco-friendly ­lacquer, which has reduced ­production time to one to two months.

"Young collectors want the ancient charm of Chu patterns but the functionality of modern life," he notes.

For Zou, the core of neo-Chinese aesthetics lies in "preserving authenticity while innovating."

Pointing to his son's "lacquer-inlaid jewelry" collection, Zou explains that embedding turquoise and southern red agate into lacquer pendants was inspired by the motifs on the lacquered coffin from the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng. However, by simplifying the designs into geometric lines, they have made pieces young people find "classic yet chic."

More groundbreaking is their practice of Chu-style lacquer IP transformation.

Zou's team reimagined the historical tale of King Zhuang of Chu's "astonishing rise from obscurity" into lacquerware. Using abstract phoenix motifs, they transformed this ancient story into a tangible cultural narrative.

He also established a "three-year apprenticeship" program to train young artisans in both traditional techniques and modern design, ensuring heritage evolves with the times.

Thirty-five years after starting as an apprentice, Zou has built a "workshop-academia-enterprise" ecosystem, shifting lacquerware from museum pieces to accessible luxury.

Tea sets, lamps, and jewelry priced from hundreds to thousands of yuan now blend Warring States aesthetics with contemporary design.

"Neo-Chinese aesthetics are grounded in tradition - not as nostalgia, but as cultural depth… The goal is not retro design, but rooted relevance," Herren's insight powerfully underscores the essence captured by Zou.

An imperial craft reborn

This foreign artist also offers a compelling contrast between design philosophies. Herren observed that while Western design often leans towards functionalism, abstraction, and deliberate "material ­neutrality," the emerging neo-Chinese approach embraces "­narrative, poetic, and sensory" richness.

This remarkable persistence is vividly embodied in the centuries-old tradition of Chinese imperial cloisonne craftsmanship, known as Jingtailan.

For over 600 years, this intricate art form has been deeply integrated into traditional Chinese aesthetics.

Introduced from Arabian countries during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) and rising to popularity during the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Jingtai Emperor, Jingtailan, or cloisonne, represents a special localized craft wrought of copper and porcelain.

With patterns structured with copper wires and painted with enamel glaze all on a copper body, dozens of steps, including burning, grinding and gilding, are applied to make a cloisonne piece.

As Li Jing, a dedicated inheritor of this craft, explained to the Global Times, "Cloisonne's production process is complex: body forming, wire coiling, enamel application, firing... Each step embodies the essence of traditional Chinese craftsmanship."

Once strictly an imperial preserve, cloisonne knowledge was primarily passed down from one generation of masters to the next.

For generations, this traditional transmission constrained the palette, resulting in relatively monotonous enamel colors with little variation.

Li's innovative spirit, however, has breathed new life into the craft.

She skillfully merged her ­professional expertise with the nuanced technique of dotting enamel, constantly contemplating how to infuse rich color variations into the traditional floral and landscape motifs.

"Every flip and fold of a flower, every old and tender leaf, their ­different shades under varying light and shadow, can all be expressed in more diverse forms," Li stated, revealing her unique understanding and pursuit of color in cloisonne.

Dissatisfied with traditional ­limitations, she began personally mixing enamels. Through her wisdom and experience, she transformed once-flat hues into works pulsating with rich layers. Where flowers in older cloisonne might have been confined to simple yellows and pinks, Li's pieces reveal blossoms imbued with expressive depth and varied postures, and their subtle gradations make them appear more alive as if blooming within the copper frame.

For Li, this artistry transcends mere technique.

"All artworks should have thoughts and life," she asserts.

She views cloisonne as a vital medium for dialogue with the world and is committed to infusing her thoughts and emotions into each piece, rendering them profoundly expressive.