24 Solar Terms:New Life

Picture a time-keeping system that centers on the changing seasons and natural phenomena and where people live harmoniously with nature. This is the dream of the 24 solar terms (or jieqi 节气), a traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar created by farmers in the past. With industrialization and the dominance of Western culture, this once-venerable system has gradually fallen out of favor, leaving modern urban dwellers with a universal scheme of time and space. This thesis project explores how to revive the 24 solar terms that resonate with people who have lost value in tradition, ritual, and poetry while weaving ancestral wisdom into the fabric of modern life.

By using the tracing tactic to translate the literature review, a series of editorial designs introduces the historical background, cross-cultural influences, the ongoing dominance of the Western calendar, and the potential for cultural retrieval and future design strategy.

A second part of the project offers a calendar design with visualizations that bridges the past and present, blends physical and digital elements, while offering an accompanying digital platform for individuals to create their own contextualized and situated versions of traditional rituals to integrate the 24 solar terms into everyday life. By tapping into the rich legacy of our forebears and leveraging the power of design and the arts, this project aspires to unlock new possibilities for integrating traditional knowledge and practices into contemporary life.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications Design at Pratt Institute, May 2023.

Target Audience
People of all ages interested in the culture related to the 24 Solar Terms or physical cultural calendars

Media
Editorial, Packaging, Web Design, 3D Randering


Visual Concept

Calendar Design - Ver.1

Calendar Design - Ver.2

Web Design
Create Your Calendar

Instruction Display Video