A Social Semiotic Approach and a Visual Analysis Approach for Chinese Traditional Visual Language: A Case of Tea Packaging Design

Abstract

the theoretical framework of visual analysis blends approaches to analysing packaging, social semiotic analysis and Chinese semiotic analysis. A package of Chinese West Lake Dragon Well tea is an example of a physical object that communicates social meaning related not only to the product itself but also to Chinese culture. To have a better understanding of social meaning for traditional Chinese visual language on contemporary tea packages, this study considers visual social semiotic theories and Chinese visual design semiotic analysis theories that provide insights into the meaning of visual elements of packaging by understanding the signs used in this packaging. Furthermore, there is diversity in understanding of these packaging elements due to language, culture and expertise. It is also useful to draw on packaging analysis theory, which facilitates the identification of traditional and contemporary design elements. This study identifies the representations of traditional cultural symbols used on the bestselling contemporary tea packages in China and provides a way for contemporary tea packaging designs to be analysed. It provides one answer for the question: “How can traditional symbols be interpreted as cultural meaning?”