The Pictograms

'Chinese characters, or Hanzi, have been in use continuously for thousands of years. Originally inspired by the natural world and using symbols to represent objects as well as concepts, this ideographic writing system has evolved over time to encompass a variety of styles or scripts. This in-depth study of the evolution of over 200 individual characters also features a showcase of outstanding contemporary graphic design projects featuring Chinese characters. The result is an exploration of Hanzi's incredible pliability and continued relevance as a graphic design element.