We are delighted to share that Dr Xunchang Cheng, one of our CBCP Research Fellows 2024–5, has been awarded a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship for his project ‘A critical examination of Chinese typeface design: dilemmas in the Mechanical Age and opportunities in the Digital Age, 1940s–1990s’.
This project conducts a multi-dimensional academic evaluation of Chinese typeface design from the 1940s to the 1990s, focusing on its transformation in the context of technological, cultural and political changes in China. The transition from mechanical movable type to phototypesetting, followed by a swift move to digital fonts, required continuous adjustments in the Chinese typeface design to align with evolving technological capabilities and governmental policies. As the visual representation of Chinese characters, Chinese typefaces sought to maintain a delicate balance between functionality and aesthetic tradition. This project, the first to be conducted in English, utilises original archival materials from China, the UK and other countries to reshape this history from the typographic perspective, providing a systematic framework for studying Chinese typeface design. By situating typeface design within the larger narrative of China’s modernisation, this project offers new insights into its role in shaping modern Chinese cultural identity.