The Integration Path of Zhuangzi's ‘Sitting in Oblivion’ Thought and Contemporary Sitting Product Design
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62381/P243C08
Author(s)
Jiahui Sun
Affiliation(s)
School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of finance &economic, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Abstract
In the contemporary context of digital existence and consumerism, the design of sitting furniture gradually transcends the level of material function and turns to the deep care for the physical and mental healing of users. This paper takes Zhuangzi's idea of ‘sitting in oblivion’ as the cultural gene, and explores the innovative integration path between oriental philosophical wisdom and modern sitting furniture design. Through the deconstruction of the philosophical meaning of ‘to degrade the limbs, to deprive oneself of wisdom’, the paper proposes a four-dimensional translation model of ‘form fading - material narrative - behavioural guidance - field construction’, and constructs a contemporary design strategy of sitting furniture with cultural subjectivity.
Keywords
Zhuangzi; ‘Sitting in Oblivion’ Thought; Philosophy; Sitting Furniture; Product Design
References
[1]Kirkland R. Sitting in Oblivion: The Heart of Daoist Meditation – By Livia Kohn. Religious Studies Review, 2011, 37(2):150-150.
[2]Jia J. Study on the two Daoist treatises of ‘Sitting in Oblivion’. Studies in Chinese Religions, 2016, 2(3):265-280.
[3]Almendra AR. Proximity in Design Research: People, Processes, Products, Philosophy. Taylor & Francis, 2024.
[4]Cunningham KB. Social research design: Framework for integrating philosophical and practical elements. Nurse Researcher, 2014, 22(1).
[5]Feng JX, Ning HZ. Modern Office Furniture Design Based on Ergonomics. Advanced Materials Research, 2012, 628(628-628):57-62.
[6]Ma S. The Religiousness of Cultivation in the Zhuangzi: “The Unity of Self” of Zuowang. Religions, 2023, 14(5).
[7]Kaijie L. Research on the inheritance and development of Chinese traditional culture in design. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2025, 8(1).
[8]Macedo LOB. The Semiotics of Development: Towards the Economics of Path Dependence. Recherches sémiotiques, 2020, 40(2): 185-207.
[9]Namicev P, Tasevska V. Specifications of Eco-materials and Their Influence in the Design of Modern Furniture. Journal of Process Management. New Technologies, 2019, 7(1):12-20.
[10]Lee SI, Kim CH. (A) Study on the Consideration Observed in Contemporary Furniture Design-Focused on Affordance. Journal of the Korea Furniture Society, 2014, 25(2): 104-111.
[11]Alpak ME, Düzenli T, Mumcu S. Raising awareness of seating furniture design in landscape architecture education: physical, activity-use and meaning dimensions. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 2020, 30(3):587-611.