Book Binding Culture Value: Modern Literati and Binding (I)

Abstract: Through the analysis and discussion of the literators' intervention in the binding of books, it not only clarifies the changes brought about by the literati's intervention in book binding, but also illuminates the implications of the literati's design practice and theory for enhancing the cultural value of book binding. The art of book binding art, from technical attention to artistic pursuit to cultural expression, is a historical trend and the call of the times. It is also the inner logic of the development of human spirit. The literati's book binding is a wonderful work in design art.

Keywords: book binding cultural value

The Chinese book industry will participate in the global book market competition. Brands, quality, and efficiency will become the main factors of competition. The superiority and inferiority of book binding are directly related to the quality of books, and also affect the brand and benefits of books.

However, there are still some problems in China's book binding:
1. Over-pursuing the technical quality of book binding, ignoring the artistic meaning and cultural quality;
2. Inconsistent with the contents of the books, making them indiscriminately;
3, rigidly copied the foreign design. Therefore, exploring the cultural value of book binding and raising the level of book binding in China is an important means to promote the development of the book industry in China, and to integrate and dialogue with the international book industry, and it can achieve a double harvest of social and economic benefits.

First, book binding

From technology to art to culture, we all know that the binding of books must be restricted by technology. Designers' use of certain graphics requires the support of the process for the layout. To this day, most of the color requirements, structural requirements, and modality requirements proposed by designers can be reflected through technical means. Our art of bookbinding has finally entered the art hall with its refreshing achievements. But only seeing the artistic value of book binding is not enough, it also has cultural value. Not only is the content of the books an important way of cultural heritage, book binding is also an important means of cultural accumulation. In this article, I would like to focus on the contribution of the most concentrated cultural values ​​to the art of book decoration.

Second, the important source of the cultural value of book binding

The rise of modern bookbinding art is the product of the May 4th New Culture Movement. In the history of modern Chinese culture, almost all literati have been involved in book binding more or less.

2.1 How Literati Involved in Book Binding

2.1.1 Direct Design

Many well-known cultural celebrities have vigorously advocated and practiced the art of book binding, which has greatly promoted the development of book binding art. Lu Xun can be said to be the pioneer and advocate of modern book binding art in China. In Lu Xun's life, there are about 60 kinds of books and magazines that directly design the cover and inscribe the name of the book or design the copyright page and the front page. According to experts' research, Lu Xun was involved in book binding when he studied in Japan in 1908. By March 1909, Lu Xun had published "Collection of Foreign Fiction" at his own expense. This was the first book he personally designed for the publication of the cover, and he applied the illustrations on the cover for the first time, creating a new design method. The cover is commensurate with the content table. The book includes the "Preface", "Analysis", and the author's biography and commentary at the end of the volume. This was a creative system at that time. The cover of "Little Peter" (1929) designed by Lu Xun is simple and elegant, with few plans and a small area. However, he still pays attention to details. The title of the book uses art characters. Particularly commendable is the cover of Mr. Lu Xun's 1926 redesigned version of "Scream". He personally wrote the word "scream" and his name was as powerful as a blade. The entire cover is purely red, reminiscent of blood, revolution and hope. The name of the author of the title was placed on the top of the book in black and red letters.

In addition, there is nothing to lose, simple, concise, heavy and deep. It is a boutique of book binding. Feng Zikai designed a lot of books in his life, all with distinctive personalities. It is Feng Zikai's first creation of a booklet decorated with comics. Feng Zikai has a profound knowledge of traditional Chinese culture, especially in poetry and painting. He designed a lot of books throughout his life and has a distinct personality. Of course, this design personality is gradually formed. In its early binding work, "The Trail" (1924), there was no color at all, but there were black and white, especially eye-catching. The texts are all handwritings and are characteristic of Fengzi. Lot left on the left. The whole picture resembles Chinese ink painting. Feng Zikai's cover is less likely to appear in figures, but Druk Li (1928) is dominated by characters. However, he still has a few strokes. He is quite vivid and paints his drunken deities. The use of words is more awkward, but the writing and picture also complement each other. In "The Story of the Literary World" (1928), there were six personal objects. All of them were freehand and they showed a few strokes, rendering the ambience of the literary world. Although he was freehand, Feng Zikai did not forget the details. He painted the third person as a cigarette but forgot to smoke. Smoke lingers, making the entire picture full of fun, free and easy, not rigid. There are few words and few colors. Nai Zi's style is always consistent. "Awakening the World's Poems" (1929), this is regarded as the cover of the most complete and most complicated design, but compared to others, it is still very simple and concise, without ink. The word is still small, the color is simple, black and white and dark green. The overall feeling of the picture is still a rich rural flavor. The book Evening (1929) was luxuriant in its design, but compared with other people, it is still sparse. Although the color is more than it used to be, it is still dark. The picture is more meaningful: the moonlight is full, the couple is secret, and the willow branches are dangling. How pleasant and fascinating it is! "Edo Rogue" (1929), the cold night sky, boating on the river, pondering ponders, quite poetic mood and charm, and the content of this book is appropriate. The image of the heavens and the earth is set in the foot, and the middle is left empty, sparse and full of meaning. "Mianbei" (1927) is a special frame in Feng Zikai's cover design. The colors are brighter and the picture is more realistic. But the elegance remains, and simplicity remains. It is Feng Zikai's first creation of a booklet decorated with comics. Zi Zi Manga (1925) is the first comic book of Feng Zikai. Feng Zikai's design is rarely overflowing, giving people a sense of space and space, which is quite consistent with their temperament. Words are also rarely used, and they are mostly handwritten. The running of a book shows both personality and clarity. Mainly black and white, but the painting will be dark green water, will jump out, but also with the overall coordination. However, this work can already see the indirect influence of Western culture. You can see it is quite like a photographic lens, but it is also connected with the treatment of the ancient fan. It can be called a blend of Chinese and Western cultures. "Our July" and "Our June" simplify the scenery and use color, which has a strong decorative effect and creates a wonderful artistic conception. The cover of Hu Feng's design is often full of passion. With strong colors, most of the paintings selected are woodcuts from foreign countries. The shapes are exaggerated and appear to be very powerful. They are greatly influenced by the West. The poet Wen Yiduo was very versatile. He designed the books for Pan Guangdan, Liang Shiqiu, Xu Zhimo, and his own poetry collection "The Dead Water". Barkin's masterpiece in book binding can be debuted in the "Literature Series." He has personally asked about the design of books such as the cover, typesetting format and copyright page. Ye Lingfeng's design is closely linked with the content and the modernism. In the more than two thousand frames of the poet Cao Xin’s design, the installation of the poetry accounted for a large proportion of the poetry, which was highly praised by the bounding arts community for its poetic richness and freshness. The lyric poet Qian Junyi is famous as the "money cover." There are no less than a thousand designs on the cover. The distinctive features are naturally lyrical. Many literati not only directly participate in the cover design of books, but also promote and participate in illustrations of books.

(to be continued)