Images Of The Republic Of China Marriage Certificate

This paper describes and analyzes the historical context, pattern of certificate, text format, authentication requirements, layout structure, color characteristics, modeling technique, theme of pattern and font type of marriage certificate of new China based on the field study, image analysis and literature theory study on623copies (443kinds) of physical marriage certificate as the first-hand image research material.Chapter One elaborates on the historical context of marriage certificate in the aspects of marriage, procedure and mode of marriage establishment, as well as the appearance and development of marriage certificate.Chapter Two to Chapter Four divide the research on image of marriage certificate into three periods—early17years of new China (1949-1965), the stagnating period (1966-1978) in and after the Cultural Revolution and the period after reform and openness (1979-present). The paper interprets images of marriage certificate in different periods reasonably against proper historical context and specific social change, investigates the influence of political and economic factors of the society on images themselves, considering historical and cultural context and characteristics of the times. The paper tries to find the internal motivation of image evolution through expression of circumstances, delivery of ideas, format of pictures and mode of images to present the change of content and functions of marriage certificate, and therefore reveal the change of marital system and marital concept, characteristics of the time of marriage life, the change of advocation strategy of political ideology, as well as the process of modernization of the nation, and then reveal the relevance of legitimacy of marital relation and the construction of political legitimacy of the nation.Chapter Five presents how the marriage certificate, as the physical form of proved marriage, turns into the legal certificate for approving the marriage legality with legitimate form and complete elements based on the analysis and summary on the type of mode, printing technique, text format and authentication requirements (seal, revenue stamp and picture).Based on the summary and analysis on type of format, mode of layout image, characteristics of layout design and color, modeling technique as well as elements of pattern (auspicious pattern, political symbol, extrinsic pattern and artistic calligraphy pattern), Chapter Six and Chapter Seven represent how designers of marriage certificate masterfully combines artistic form that public love to see and hear and advocation of national ideology with policy of literature and art, and consequently make the images have functions of education, standardization, maintenance and regulation.In summary, as the condensed historical landscape of a special period, images of marriage certificate are associated with specific political, economical and cultural environment of China. The images not only reflects management policy of marriage in different periods, but implies much other content, for instance, blend of confrontation of old and new culture, transformation of policy of literature and art as well as the evolutionary process of perception of dominance hierarchy on modernization. Images of marriage certificate undertake functions beyond proving the legality of marital relations. They also reflect the relevance between image evolution and political ideology, political authority and political legitimacy. That is to say, the evolution of marriage certificate presents the process that how the dominant powers of the country tactfully combine the establishment, consolidation and reinforce of political legitimacy with validation of marital legitimacy.