My friend Tony posted a really interesting piece on the different aesthetic preferences in China as compared to in the West. He first points out that the Chinese generally like to cram their business cards with as much information as possible, while most westerners who have seen his new personal business card ooh and aah at the sleek minimalist look. He also posts screen shots of the QQ website (equivalent to MSN Messenger or AIM in the west), one picture of the Chinese version, and one picture of the English version for foreigners. The difference is quite striking — while the Chinese version is absolutely packed with information in tiny text, the version for foreigners uses lots of white space and pictures, and is laid out in a way that (I consider) draws your eyes to the download link.
Another interesting example of the differences in aesthetic preferences is the Chinese fondness for “cutesiness” — cartoons and logos that westerners might consider childish often adorn notebooks, cellphones, and computer software used by teenagers and adults alike. Even I now take my notes in a Mickey Mouse notebook.
It’s hard to know why aesthetic preferences evolve in such different directions in different societies. But it’s a good reminder that something that might feel so intuitive to us — whether or not we consider something to be pretty, or pleasing to the eye — is highly shaped by the society we’ve grown up in.
The (very cute) mascots from the 2008 Beijing Olympics