Abstract:

Chinese laborers (CLC) who went to Europe in World War I produced a considerable number of trench art pieces during their breaks. Chinese trench art was loved by Europeans due to its unique Eastern style, flowed into European families and local societies as gifts or artistic goods. Unlike European trench art, which often serves as a symbolic production of war commemoration, Chinese laborers trench art adopts more Chinese classical symbols and folk elements, such as auspicious patterns, ancient poetry, mythological figures, and dragon totems. In a cross-cultural context, it reflects the unique carving and reshaping of war objects by Chinese civilization, condensing its traditional cultural spirit of harmony and auspiciousness.

Key words: Chinese laborers in World War I, Trench Art, peace and harmony, auspiciousness and life