A Study on the Contemporary Arts and Crafts Design in Taiwan Based on the Aesthetics Perspectives of the Book of Changes

The Book of Changes (Yijing) captures the philosophical thinking of the Eastern world, encapsulating the beliefs, spirituality, and mindset of the people of the Eastern world, which has profoundly influenced their culture and has even served as the basis for the thinking behind the design of art and crafts. The purpose of this study is to explore the contemporary craft design style in Taiwan through the aesthetic thinking of the Book of Changes, and selecting a government-sponsored National Craft Branding Program, the Yii Project,” as a case study. This study was conducted based on several research methods, including in-depth interviews and content analysis, to analyze the aesthetic qualities of the artwork from the program from the aesthetic perspective of the Book of Changes. The results of the study demonstrate that the aesthetic principles of the Book of Changes, namely “Yin, Yang and Tai Chi,” “Chi and the Changes of Times,” “Enacting Emblematic Symbols,” “State of Satisfaction,” and “Metaphysicality”. These principles may effectively analyze the aesthetics of the works of art produced from the Yii Project and show that the aesthetics principles of the Book of Changes can serve as the basis of the study of contemporary art and craft design style.