The exhibition opened on September 5 as part of the Beijing International Design Week to pay tribute to the 70th anniversary of the PRC.

The National Image section of the exhibition shows how the elements representing China's national image, such as the national flag, emblem and anthem, were designed through historical documents, design drawings and photos.

Guo Qiuhui, an associate professor at the Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University and one of the curators of the exhibition, explained the origin of the national emblem. Two teams were assigned to design it, one led by famous architect couple Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin from Tsinghua University and the other headed by Zhang Ding from the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

"Zhang's version had more colors, while Liang and Lin's had only two colors, gold and red. But the latter's design was chosen because it's more solemn," Guo said.

The national emblem, unveiled on September 20, 1950, shows Tiananmen under the light of five stars, framed with ears of grain and a cogwheel. Tiananmen, the symbol of modern China, was where the inauguration of the PRC was held. The cogwheel represents workers and the grain farmers. The five stars symbolize the solidarity of the various ethnic groups.

The Architecture section shows how iconic architecture such as the Great Hall of the People were designed and decorated. One of the 10 great landmarks constructed in 1959, the Great Hall took around 10 months to build, a grand feat in China's architectural history.

The People's Livelihood section showcases popular Chinese brands from 1949 to 1966, including Forever bicycles, Seagull cameras and Panda radios.

The exhibition closes on October 7.

(Photos by Wei Yao)

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

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