关键词: 周令钊, 国家形象, 人民币设计, 民族形式, 装饰

Abstract:

The article unveils how the second series of Renminbi (RMB) banknotes perpetuated and reconfigured a decorative language system, such as ancient architectural motifs, with the aim of reflecting the spirit of Chinese culture and subsequently fostering modern national consciousness and collective identity. This serves as evidence that national image design tends to adopt culturally explicit ethnic forms. In terms of research methodology, the author traces the origins of the motifs featured on the banknotes and interprets the systematic arrangement logic of decorative elements in the design of RMB. By examining Zhou Lingzhao’s manuscript archives and conducting interviews with his family, while employing methods such as iconography, oral history, and fieldwork, the article reconstructs the sketching process and design journey of the second series of RMB banknotes at the Forbidden City. This provides new empirical evidence for deconstructing the ethnic discourse in national image design and fills the historical gap between archival records and artistic practice in the design process of RMB. Zhou Lingzhao’s approach of “learning from traditional motifs” and his emphasis on depersonalized, popular aesthetic orientation and decorative language have not only permeated various fields of modern Chinese design but also offered referential insights for contemporary national image design that blends tradition with modernity.

Key words: Zhou Lingzhao, National Image, RMB Design, National Form, Decoration