The Research On The Symbol Of Ancient Chinese Hampers

In ancient China,hampers were used for the transport of food.In different dynasties,hampers have different names.Hampers also have different materials,shape and decoration in different ages.Due to the fact that few hampers are left,this research extends the reference scope as much as possible.Except for the on-line information,the library documentations,chorographies,and especially archeological resources are also collected.Based on all the relative information,the symbolic meanings of hampers are researched.Hampers have different symbolic meanings in different situations and environment backgrounds.For example,hamper,as burial objects,represent the psychological appeal of honor of the death.The appearance of hamper using as burial objects is along with the popularity of elaborate burials.In certain degrees,we can determine the status of the person who was buried by examining sculpts and technologies of hampers.As burial accessories,hampers was the symbol of etiquette.In the royal court,hampers,as daily items,represented the deterrence of the monarchical power.They implied the relationships between senders and receivers.As the development of culture,the traditional functions of hampers were extended and deepened to other symbols,such as status identity,aesthetic taste and social status.In feasts,hampers not only symbolize the grace of literati,but also reflect the contest psychology between ladies.In particular folk ritual activities,hampers also represent auspicious,as well as the conventionalized norms.Researching the symbolic meanings of hampers also has significant enlightenment to modern food packaging design.Comparing to modern disposable fast-food containers,traditional hampers are more ecologically friendly.First,hampers can be re-used.Such feature reflects one of the key points of ecological design.Moreover,the symbolic meaning of hampers represents the essence of traditional Chinese culture,while modern food packaging designs tend to ignore the cultural connotation.Especially in the rapid paced living environment,quick meal doctrine has becoming a popular culture.Disposable chopsticks and fast-food containers,also known as ?white pollution?,not only result in the waste of resources,but also reflect the empty of human spirit.Hampers,as a kind of physical form is not also the representation of traditional Chinese cultural ideology,but also the reflection of people's aesthetic cultural psychology,aesthetic consciousness and aesthetic ideal at that time.Such ideology can be reflected by the style,decoration pattern and colors of hampers,and eventually formed the distinct characteristics of the time,which has significant reference value for modern food containers design.