Hanzi-Graphy:

Typographic translation between Latin letters and Chinese characters

Dr. Mariko Takagi

Assistant Professor
Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University

AVA MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 1

BA
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( ) IN VISUAL ARTS
1. 10. 13
MARIKO TAKAGI

¬ P
 rofessional Background
– mikan – concept + design since 1998

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 2

 | 2006 || NO. 1

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Manfred Leve
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Die Kunst der Stille von Duchamp bis heute.
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Richard Long
Walter De Maria
Rita McBride
Xavier Mellery
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Philippe Morel
Juan Muñoz
Carsten Nicolai
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David Rabinowitch
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Arnulf Rainer
Gerhard Richter
Gert Robijns
Ulrich Rückriem

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Ettore Spalletti
Jürgen Stollhans
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Velberter SportgemeinSchaft e.V. Susanne Tunn
poStfach 101049 // 42510 Velbert Luc Tuymans
Andy Warhol
tel. geSchäftSStelle: 020 51. 25 23 39 Lawrence Weiner
www.Velberter-Sg.de Jordan Wolfson
Rémy Zaugg
Heimo Zobernig

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 3

MARIKO TAKAGI

¬ P
 ersonal Background
– German-Japanese, since Sep. 2010 based in Hong Kong

¬ P
 ersonal Projects
– Author and Designer of books

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 4

 Mariko Takagi &
お茶でもいかが? Maya Yang-Ueno

Emma

Eine Einladung zum Tee

[Die schönen Dinge im japanischen Alltag 1] … von mariko takagi

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 5

 ¬ P
 ersonal Research Topics
– “Formen der visuellen Begegnung zwischen Japan und dem Westen –
Vom klassischen Japonismus zur zeitgenössischen Typography”
(Visual encounter of Japan and West – From classical Japonism to
current typography) (PhD, Braunschweig University of Art, Germany)

> Translating between cultures

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 6

MARIKO TAKAGI

¬ Assistant Professor
at Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University

¬ Teaching: Typography, Book Design, Information Design

¬ Research Topics:
– Typographic Culture of Hong Kong
– Micro Typography of Traditional Chinese Characters

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 7

 Hanzi-Graphy:

Typographic translation between Latin letters and Chinese characters

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 8

 Latin alphabet and Chinese characters as “opponents”
in the evolution of writing.

Stetter, Christian (1999) Script and Language.

[Schrift und Sprache.] Suhrkamp, Germany, p. 51.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 9

 Latin letters and the alphabet:
transcendent, expressive and abstract

Chinese characters:
secular, denotative and pictorial

Stetter (1999) 51.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 10

 Alphabet <> Hanzi/Kanji

rationality <> aesthetics

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 11

 ... too simple!

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 12

 Comparison of Latin letters and Chinese characters
from a typographic perspective by visualisation.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 13

 Chinese characters ≠ chinese characters

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 14

 Chinese characters ≠ chinese characters

= Hanzi (traditional Chinese characters)

= Hanzi (simplified Chinese characters)
= Kanji (sino-japanese characters)

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 15

 Consensus or similarities between the three interpretations:

Traditional (t), Simplified (s) and Kanji in Japan (j).

骨
Hanzi (t):
骨
Hanzi (s):
骨
Kanji (j):
gǔ (bone, framework).  gǔ (bone, framework).  hone/kotsu (bone/trick). 
[MSung HK, Light] [MSung HKS, Light] [MS Mincho, Regular]

字 字 字
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
zì (letter, character). zì (letter, character). ji (letter, character).

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 16

 Consensus or similarities between traditional Hanzi and Kanji.

漢 漢 漢
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
hàn (Han-Dynasty) hàn (Han-Dynasty). kan (chinese, Han-Dynasty).

獸 獸 獣
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
shòu (beast). shòu (beast). kemono/juu (beast).

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 17

 All three interpretations show a different degree of abstraction.

龜 龟 亀
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
guī (turtle). guī (turtle). kame/ki (turtle).

氣 气 気
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
qì (air, vitality). qì (air, vitality). ki (sign, essence ...).

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 18

 Traditional characters not simplified in the reformation.

黑 黑 黒
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
hēi (black, dark). hēi (black, dark). kuro/koku (black).

搜 搜 捜
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
sōu (to search).  sōu (to search).  sagasu/sou (to search).

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 19

 Consensus or similarities between simplified Hanzi and Kanji.

來 來 来
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
lái (to come, to bring). lái (to come, to bring). kuru/rai (to come ...). 

變 變 変
Hanzi (t): Hanzi (s): Kanji (j):
biàn (to change). biàn (to change). kaeru/hen (to change, strange).

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 20

 Classification – separate or together?

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 21

 serif/ serif/ sans serif/ sans serif/ handwriting
with contrast less contrast with contrast less contrast
in stroke in stroke in stroke in stroke

dynamic

static

geometric

decorative

Kupferschmid, Indra (2003) Letter seldom stands alone.

A typographic manual. [Buchstaben kommen selten allein.
Ein typografisches Handbuch.] Niggli, Switzerland, p. 32.
Visualized by Mariko Takagi.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 22

 Mincho Gothic Brush Mix

old Mincho + angular Gothic

standard Mincho + rounded Gothic

modern more than two components

design

Komiyama Hiroshi (2010) Basic Typography.

[ 小宮山博史: タイポグラフィの基礎 .] Seibundo-Shinkosha,
Japan, p. 64–65. Visualized by Mariko Takagi.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 23

 serif/ serif/ sans serif/ sans serif/ handwriting
with contrast less contrast with contrast less contrast
in stroke in stroke in stroke in stroke

dynamic

Modulation of stroke,

serif and ending (x-axis)

static

geometric

Mincho Gothic Brush Mix

decorative Mincho + angular Gothic

old

standard Mincho + rounded Gothic

modern more than two components

design

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 24

 semi serif/ semi serif/
with contrast less contrast
in stroke in stroke

serif/ serif/ sans serif/ sans serif/ handwriting < analogue

with contrast less contrast with contrast less contrast with stroke contrast
in stroke in stroke in stroke in stroke

namic

tic

ometric

corative

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 25

 semi serif
stroke contrast less contrast

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 26

 semi serif
stroke contrast less contrast

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 27

 serif/ serif/ sans serif/ sans serif/ handwriting
with contrast less contrast with contrast less contrast
in stroke in stroke in stroke in stroke Mincho Gothic Br

dynamic old

static standard

geometric modern

decorative design

Skeleton/framework (y-axis)

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 28

 serif/ serif/ sans serif/ sans serif/ hand
with contrast less contrast with contrast less contrast
in stroke in stroke in stroke in stroke

dynamic

static

constructive > geometric

expressive > decorative

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 29

 Dynamic skeleton.

Typeface: Centaur MT, Regular Typeface: MKaiHK

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 30

 Static bone structure.

Typeface: Rotis Semi Sans, 55 Typeface: CSong3HK

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 31

 Constructive framework.

Typeface: Rockwell, Regular Typeface: A-OTF Maru Folk Pro

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 32

 Expressive skeleton.

Typeface: Blue Island Std Typeface: MYoungHK

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 33

Dynamic skeleton. Static bone structure. Dynamic skeleton. Static bone structure.

Constructive framework. Expressive skeleton. Constructive framework. Expressive skeleton.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 34

skeleton/
formal principle modulation of stroke >
>

serif semi serif sans serif analogue

with stroke contrast less stroke contrast with stroke contrast less stroke contrast with stroke contrast less stroke contrast with stroke contrast

dynamic

static

constructive

expressive

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 35

 Hanzi- AVA
Opening
12 april 2013, 7 pm

GrapHy: an exhibition that

Typographic compares and connects
translation between two writing systems
Latin letters and which are regarded as
Chinese characters “world-historical
linguist Christian Stetter
by Mariko Takagi opponents”.
& Somely So a typographic venture.
Exhibition
13 – 23 april 2013
10:00am – 8:00pm (Mon. – Sun.)
Venue
Koo Ming Kown Exhibition Gallery
Communication
and Visual arts Building, HKBU
5 Hereford road, Kowloon Tong
Contact
Mariko Takagi / Somely So
6926 0469 / 9022 4866
m-takagi@hkbu.edu.hk

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 36

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 Conclusion:

> a visual typographic approach can help to overcome

the fear of contact with Chinese characters.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 60

 Personal conclusion:

> MATD student at University of Reading

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 61

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 Thank you.

Hanzi Graphy MAR I KO TAKAG I Oct. 2013 ATypI Amsterdam 2013 63