When West Meets East: Uncovering the Chinese Perspective on Design and Designing

Although Chinese designers are gaining international recognition, design research (the study of design and designing) is still informed by a predominantly Western perspective. In this paper, we explore how taking into consideration the Chinese perspective can advance design research, by challenging and expanding prevailing understandings of design and designing. We first uncover the Chinese perspective, by tracing the emergence of modern design in China, discussing the meaning of the Chinese word for design, shè jì (设计), and elaborating some important aspects of the Chinese traditional culture (harmony, holism, and change) that influence Chinese design practices. We then argue how this Chinese perspective can foster connections between diverse paradigms of design research, counter the tendency toward reductionism in design research, and encourage experimentation in design research methods. This paper contributes to advance design research through inclusion of the Chinese perspective. By so doing, it also sustains the agenda of decolonizing design research.