About

Nüshu, the only known writing system created and used exclusively by women, originated in Jiangyong, China (Chiang,1995). It served as a vital medium for women excluded from formal education to share emotions, knowledge and solidarity. A testament to women’s resilience and creativity, Nüshu carries immense cultural significance. With practitioners aging, Nüshu faces a decline in intergenerational inheritance. Amid China’s feminist movement, women across various fields are reclaiming Nüshu to express feminist ideas (Lipset, 2023). This shift presents an opportunity to reimagine Nüshu not as a static but rather as a living cultural practice.

This research focuses on the intersection of participatory design and heritage interpretation, employing community-led approaches to address the erosion of Nüshu’s integrity. By collaborating with local practitioners and communities, the project aims to reassemble cultural memory of Nüshu within the community and empower women.

The project proposes participatory and feminist methodology, which could inspire women to adopt feminist approaches to heritage, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and empowering communities. My role involves facilitating the workshops and curating the archive, a process uniting my experience as a designer, curator and educator.