Abstract/Summary

This thesis investigates the origin and development of the Chinese type-forms, from their origins in China and early experiments with making Chinese types in Europe to the localisation of Western typefounding and printing technology in China during the early twentieth century. Chinese characters present unique challenges for movable type compared to alphabetic and other writing systems due to their extent and complexity. This study elucidates how Chinese writing has been translated into typographic form over the centuries, influenced by conventions, innovations and cross-cultural exchanges. This thesis begins by analysing the compositional logic of Chinese characters and describing the evolution of Chinese script styles and forms under woodblock printing, laying the foundation for the subsequent discussion of the evolution of Chinese typeforms. It then examines early experiments in movable type printing with Chinese characters in China and Europe, respectively, followed by Chinese founts produced by missionaries. The thesis culminates in a discussion of the rapid growth of refined Chinese typeface styles in the early twentieth century, which combined essential features of Chinese calligraphy with Western mechanical techniques, leading to the establishment of Song Ti, Kai Ti, Fang-song Ti, and Hei Ti founts, and building a foundation for modern Chinese typography. In assembling this historical account, the thesis demonstrates the unique trajectory through which the Chinese writing system acquired its typographic forms, mediated by technical challenges, aesthetic considerations, and cross-cultural influences. The findings of this study provide a new, enriched perspective on the emergence of a significant non-alphabetic typographic tradition and provide a robust historical basis to inform contemporary Chinese type design and future scholarship.