Colour Symbolism

Color is an important element in our visual world. Before I was studying in photography course, I still remember the tutor described color as a magic thing, and it could add meaning and emotion into one’s work. Different color would express different feeling, like red normally means passion and love, and blue could give people the sense of depression. For all of colors, I have the special feeling about the color of white. So for this report, I am researching white, from variety aspects. I hope you have a wonderful discover journey of white with me.

White is normally stand for purity, cleanliness, and neutrality

All About the Color – White * In China, white reflects the material and spiritual rejection and disgust. * White represents no redness of skin sanguinity, no sign of life and symbolizes the death. So in Chinese culture white is the typical color of mourning. * In Mongolia, people call January in traditional Chinese calendar ‘White Month’, because the Mongolians deem white as the lucky color, which has something to do with the white mike product they eat every day. * In Japan, white is the mainstream color for the wedding ceremony. * In Korea, white is means pure. And traditional Korean people, like ancestor wore the white clothes. * White flag is a symbol of truce and peaceful surrender. * The ancient Greeks wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams. * White lies are the little, untruthful things we say in an effort to save someone’s feelings, to avoid a trivial but sticky situation, or simply to be polite. * White pollution refers to plastic pollution that mainly constitutes by unrecyclable shopping bags and lunch boxes.

Reference: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/10/xin_54203051011120781308353.jpg

Reference: http://striking-viking.smugmug.com/photos/136335873_UUXBA-L.jpg

Reference: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_C_T-Bn4uCA8/TFUjPZLt9kI/AAAAAAAAAN8/3HS1xAMjmF0/s1600/100801003.jpg

Reference: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EMbxa-GDZI4/TYeQToXFlGI/AAAAAAAAARg/cUJeSi5lw9U/s1600/funeral%2Bpin.JPG

Reference List:
Field Reports: Mongolia’s White Month Festival, 2010, eastaianpeople.imb.org, viewed at 17th August 2011, viewed on http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/field-blog/mongolia’s-white-month-festival/

Kate. S, Color: Meaning, Symbolism and Psychology, Sensational Color, viewed at 17th August 2011, viewed on http://www.squidoo.com/colorexpert

Kate. S, The Short and Sweet Truth about White Lies, Sensational Color, viewed at 17th August 2011, viewed on http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/colorful-phrases-and-their-meaning/the-short-sweet-truth-about-white-lies.html

Sandra. R, 2011, How Colors Impact moods, Feelings and Behaviors? White, Shine Image consulting, viewed at 17th August 2011, viewed on http://www.shine-imageconsulting.com/2011/05/how-colours-impact-moods-feelings-and-behaviours-white/

Jerome T, 2005, White Pollution Control: Shanghai’s Solution, Shanghai Waste Administrative Division, viewed at 17th August 2011, viewed on http://www.rrcap.unep.org/uneptg05/outline/env/white.pdf