Art and Design
Art and Design
ISSN 2617-0272 e-ISSN 2617-0280
DOI: 10.30857/2617-0272
Submit an article

Article

Download article

The evolution of visualisation tools of Chinese children’s sign systems: Semiotic aspect

Jianfeng Liu, Nataliia Skliarenko

Received 27.11.2025, Revised 19.03.2026, Accepted 25.06.2026 Published 26.06.2026

Abstract

The relevance of this study lies in examining how child-oriented wayfinding in public spaces shifted from basic safety measures to culturally and emotionally charged mediators amid changing standards, policies, and digital technologies. This study aimed to investigate the evolution of visualisation tools in Chinese children’s sign systems from a semiotic perspective. Drawing on Bronislaw Malinowski’s cultural stratification theory, the research combined diachronic analysis of national and local standards, policy documents, and representative cases from children’s hospitals, kindergartens, theme parks, and cultural venues. A semiotic-stratification approach was applied to interpret changes at three levels: material apparatus, institutional regulation, and spiritual-emotional meanings, highlighting links between visual codes and broader sociocultural transitions. The findings identified three historical phases in the evolution of Chinese children’s sign systems: a Safety-Dominant phase (1983-2008) characterised by standardised pictograms, high-contrast colours, and warning semantics; a Cultural Consciousness phase (2009-2018) that incorporated regional motifs, local food symbols, and intangible heritage elements to reconstruct identity and reduce anxiety; and a Digital-Intelligence Innovation phase (2019-present) that integrated augmented reality, IoT, and interactive interfaces to create multisensory, affective guidance experiences and data-informed spatial management. Taken together, the semiotic-stratification analysis showed that standardised safety grammars, culturally embedded visual identities, and digitally mediated multisensory interfaces accumulated rather than simply replaced one another over time, revealing the co-evolution of design practice with policy agendas and social expectations. The findings offer conceptual implications for child-friendly city initiatives and for future wayfinding design that considers both technological innovation and the continuity of local cultural narratives


Keywords:

wayfinding system design; child-friendly environments; cultural stratification theory; visual communication design; emotional experience

https://doi.org/10.30857/2617-0272.2026.2.6

Retrieved from Vol. 9, No. 2, 2026

Pages 70-81

References Suggested citation

References

  1. Aiello, G. (2020). Visual semiotics: Key concepts and new directions. In L. Pauwels & D. Mannay (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of visual research methods (2nd ed.; pp. 367-380). New York: SAGE Publications.
  2. Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology. (2021). Action plan for the development of smart cities in Beijing during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Retrieved from https://www.beijing.gov.cn.
  3. Bock, O., Huang, J.Y., Onur, Ö.A., & Memmert, D. (2024). The structure of cognitive strategies for wayfinding decisions. Psychological Research, 88, 476-486. doi: 10.1007/s00426-023-01863-3.
  4. Cai, M., Zhang, Z., Xiong, C., & Gou, C. (2022). An adaptive staying point recognition algorithm based on spatiotemporal characteristics using cellular signalling data. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 23(8), 10458-10468. doi: 10.1109/TITS.2021.3094636.
  5. Chen, L., Song, Y., Niu, X., Luan, X., Yang, L., & Qin, S. (2025). Epitome of the region – regional nostalgia design based on digital twins. Behavioral Sciences, 15(1), article number 12. doi: 10.3390/bs15010012.
  6. Cheng, A., Zhang, W., Feng, A., Wu, Y., & Li, W. (2025). Exploring psychological dimensions of augmented reality in education: A study on learning motivation and achievement in museums. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, article number 1514117. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1514117.
  7. Cheshmehzangi, A. (2018). The changing urban landscape of Chinese cities: Positive and negative impacts of urban design controls on contemporary urban housing. Sustainability, 10(8), article number 2839. doi: 10.3390/su10082839.
  8. China Association for Community Development. (2024). Guidelines for the construction of child-friendly communities (T/ZSX3-2024). Retrieved from http://www.cncd.org.cn.
  9. CSRES. (n.d.a). Public information graphical symbols. Retrieved from http://www.csres.com/detail/125921.html.
  10. CSRES. (n.d.b). Graphical symbols for public information signs. Retrieved from http://www.csres.com/detail/123007.html.
  11. General Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. (2009). Cultural industry revitalisation plan. Retrieved from http://www.npc.gov.cn.
  12. General Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. (2016). Opinions on promoting the development of cultural and creative products by cultural and cultural relics institutions. Retrieved from https://www.gov.cn.
  13. Huang, W., Shao, E.Y., & Wu, J.F. (2023). Elderly-oriented design of medical wayfinding systems based on embodied cognition. Packaging Engineering, 44(2), 290-297. doi: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2023.02.032.
  14. International Organisation for Standardisation. (1980). ISO 7001: Public information symbols. Retrieved from https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai.
  15. Jamshidi, S., & Pati, D. (2024). The role of maps and signage in interior wayfinding. Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, 6, 1-18. doi: 10.15763/issn.2470-9670.2024.v8.i1.a144.
  16. Lu, Z.Y., & Zhan, X.J. (2024). “Presence” and “confusion”: The beginning and redesign of “grand design” in wayfinding systems. Packaging Engineering, 45(8), 424-433. doi: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2024.08.047.
  17. Mafengwo. (n.d.). Beijing Happy Valley. Retrieved from https://www.mafengwo.cn.
  18. Malinowski, B. (1944). A scientific theory of culture and other essays. Retrieved from https://archive.org.
  19. Manchia, V. (2022). Beyond immediacy and transparency: A semiotic approach to media visualization and data visualization. Punctum International Journal of Semiotics, 8(1), 85-113. doi: 10.1525/vc.2022.8.2.45.
  20. Mehta, V., & Auffrey, C. (2022). Introduction to emerging research for informing the design and use of wayfinding systems. Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, 6(2), 2-5. doi: 10.15763/issn.2470-9670.2022.v6.i2.a116.
  21. Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China. (2012). The Ministry of Culture’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan for doubling cultural industries. Retrieved from https://zwgk.mct.gov.cn.
  22. Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. (2022). Guidelines for the construction of child-friendly urban spaces. Retrieved from https://www.gov.cn.
  23. Motamedi, Y., Murgiano, M., Grzyb, B., Gu, Y., Kewenig, V., Brieke, R., Marshall, C.R., Wonnacott, E., Perniss, P., & Vigliocco, G. (2024). Iconicity supports children’s learning beyond the here-and-now. Child Development, 95(1), 179-196. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/8rdmj.
  24. National People’s Congress. (2021). The 14th Five-Year Plan for national economic and social development of the People’s Republic of China and the long-range objectives through the year 2035. Retrieved from https://www.gov.cn.
  25. Negen, J., Chere, B., Bird, L.A., Taylor, E., Roome, H.E., Keenaghan, S., Thaler, L., & Nardini, M. (2019). Sensory cue combination in children under 10 years of age. Cognition, 193, article number 104014. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.104014.
  26. Ningbo Women and Children’s Hospital. (2014). Wayfinding system design for Ningbo Women and Children’s Hospital. Retrieved from http://www.nbfeyy.com.
  27. Ningbo Women and Children’s Hospital. (2025). Introduction to Ningbo University affiliated Women and Children’s Hospital. Retrieved from http://www.nbfeyy.com.
  28. Open Systems Committee. (2012). Research progress and trends in IoT theory and key technologies. Retrieved from https://cs.nju.edu.cn.
  29. Petrini, K., Caradonna, A., Foster, C., Burgess, N., & Nardini, M. (2016). How vision and self-motion combine or compete during path reproduction changes with age. Scientific Reports, 6, article number 29163. doi: 10.1038/srep29163.
  30. Purpura, G., Petri, S., Tancredi, R., Tinelli, F., & Calderoni, S. (2024). Haptic and visuo-haptic impairments for object recognition in children with autism spectrum disorder: Focus on the sensory and multisensory processing dysfunctions. Experimental Brain Research, 242, 1731-1744. doi: 10.1007/s00221-024-06855-2.
  31. Qiu, Z., Mostafavi, A., & Kalantari, S. (2025). Use of augmented reality in human wayfinding: A systematic review. Virtual Reality, 29, article number 154. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2311.11923.
  32. Shanghai Disney Resort. (n.d.). Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue. Retrieved from https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com.
  33. Shanghai Municipal People’s Government Office. (2021). The 14th Five-Year Plan for comprehensively promoting urban digital transformation in Shanghai. Retrieved from https://www.shanghai.gov.cn.
  34. Shen, Q., Peng, S., & Ci, H. (2019). Modern urban and rural land use planning evolution in China from the perspective of land management system. Urban Planning International, 34(4), 37-48. doi: 10.22217/upi.2019.327.
  35. Skliarenko, N.V., Kolosnichenko, M.V., Didukh, A.S., Kolosnichenko, O.V., & Remenieva, T.V. (2022). Living visual communication design toward sustainable development: Conceptual framework and ecological strategies. International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, 17(6), 875-882. doi: 10.18280/ijdne.170607.
  36. Standardisation Administration of China. (1983). Public information graphical symbols. Retrieved from https://www.sac.gov.cn.
  37. Standardisation Administration of China. (1988). Graphical symbols for public information signs. Retrieved from https://www.sac.gov.cn.
  38. Standardisation Administration of China. (1994). Graphical symbols for public information signs. Retrieved from https://www.ndls.org.cn.
  39. Standardisation Administration of China. (2008a). Graphical symbols – technical guidelines for the consideration of consumers’ needs. Retrieved from https://std.samr.gov.cn.
  40. Standardisation Administration of China. (2008b). Drafting for special aspects in standards – Part 1: Child safety. Retrieved from https://std.samr.gov.cn.
  41. Standardisation Administration of China. (2008c). Safety signs and guideline for the use. Retrieved from https://openstd.samr.gov.cn.
  42. Tao, J., Wu, Y., Yu, C., Weng, D., Li, G., Han, T., Wang, Y., & Liu, B. (2022). A survey on multi-modal human-computer interaction. Journal of Image and Graphics, 27(6), 1956-1987. doi: 10.11834/jig.220151.
  43. The State Council of the People’s Republic of China. (2011). Decision on major issues concerning deepening the reform of the cultural system and promoting the great development and prosperity of socialist culture. Retrieved from https://nepaper.ccdy.cn.
  44. Tibet Autonomous Region Administration for Market Regulation. (2020). Safety management code for child welfare institutions. Retrieved from https://std.samr.gov.cn.
  45. Ulusoy, N. (2023). Visual signs at sociable place entrances: User perceptions and preferences. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 13(2). doi: 10.1177/21582440231174418.
  46. Wang, T., Shukor, A.S.F., Kozlowski, M., Wan Mohamed, W.S., & Zhang, T. (2025). A systematic review on evaluating school safety signs and ways to improve its effectiveness. Frontiers in Communication, 10, article number 1550402. doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2025.1550402.
  47. WeChat Official Account. (n.d.a). The 28th article in a series on unraveling national standards archives – graphic symbols used in public information signs. Retrieved from https://mp.weixin.qq.com.
  48. WeChat Official Account. (n.d.b). Wisdom nurtures new Zhou: Enlightening children’s dreams towards the future. Retrieved from https://mp.weixin.qq.com.
  49. Xu, F., Zhou, T., You, H., & Du, J. (2024). Improving indoor wayfinding with AR-enabled egocentric cues: A comparative study. Advanced Engineering Informatics, 59, article number 102265. doi: 10.1016/j.aei.2023.102265.
  50. Zeng, M. (2015). Research on passenger flow guidance signage systems in urban rail transit (Master’s thesis, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China).
  51. Zhang, L. (2007). Review and prospect of GB/T10001 “Public information graphical symbols for use on signs” series standards. Advertising Panorama (Signage Edition), 3, 72-75.
  52. Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. (2025). AR experiences at Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. Retrieved from https://ichm.zjich.cn/#/index.
  53. Zhejiang University School of Medicine Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.zjuch.cn/main. 

Suggested citation

Liu, Ji., & Skliarenko, N. (2026). The evolution of visualisation tools of Chinese children’s sign systems: Semiotic aspect. Art and Design, 9(2), 70-81. https://doi.org/10.30857/2617-0272.2026.2.6