Creativity, Affordances and Chinese Traditional Culture

Abstract

In this chapter I examine traditional roots of Chinese creativity. I use the concepts of creatio in situ and affordances to show that Chinese creativity is both contextual and relational. I examine the connections between Confucian and Daoist approaches to creativity, nature and the market. I provide a personal view of the trials and tribulations of creativity in China over the past two decades. Finally I show how the concept of affordances provides a new way of understanding Chinese creativity. Persons, things and discourse take on many appearances as time goes by. The manifestation of shanzhai culture in this sense demonstrates such an affordance.