Building Regional National Visual Image — Team from YNAU Design School Conducts Artistic Improvement Design for China's First Cross-Border Tourism Train, Star Lancang-Mekong Express on China-Laos Railway
With the promotion and implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, all regions in Yunnan Province have ushered in new development opportunities. The China-Laos Railway, as a landmark project of China-Laos friendship and an important channel connecting China and Southeast Asia, not only promotes regional economic development but also provides a broad platform for cultural exchanges. Against such a backdrop, YNAU has given full play to its discipline and major advantages. Led by the team of Professor Chen Jun, Director of the Visual Communication Department of the Design School, and Professor Zou Zhou, Director of the Environmental Design Department, they carried out an overall artistic improvement design for the Star Lancang-Mekong Express on China-Laos Railway with the theme of "Man and Nature"-Biodiversity, making professional contributions to building a regional national visual image.
On September 24, the Star Lancang-Mekong Express, a cross-border tourism train created by China Tourism Group on the China-Laos Railway, departed from Kunming Station, marking the official launch of cross-border train tourism on the China-Laos Railway. As an important part of the China-Laos Railway program, the Express takes new forms of tourism culture and transportation as breakthrough points and carries the hope of people in China and Southeast Asian countries for cross-border and cultural exchanges. The Express serves not only as a means of transportation but also as a vehicle for cultural exchange. It connects different nationalities and cultures of different countries and plays an indispensable role in promoting the cultural harmony of the world.
In the artistic design of the project, Professor Chen Jun and Professor Zou Zhou's design team focused on the basic style of the Express's private rooms, aisles, restaurants, and other spaces. When conceiving the overall artistic design of the Express's environment, they integrated the history, culture, and ethnic customs of regions, including Yunnan Province, Laos, and Southeast Asia. Through meticulous examination of Yunnan's unique natural environment and a profound understanding of its rich humanistic history, they aim to create a space that not only possesses visual beauty but also is rich in cultural connotations. Such design not only highlights the elegance and harmony of the interior environment of the Express but also artfully showcases the rich and diverse ecological structure of Yunnan Province and the unique charm of its regional cultures, ensuring that passengers can immerse themselves in a double feast of vision and soul during their journey.
In the design process, the team was highly attuned to Yunnan’s distinctive geographical advantages and its status as a biodiversity treasure trove. They aimed to seamlessly weave biodiversity elements into the train’s interior decor, artistically showcasing Yunnan’s breathtaking natural beauty. Every detail of the design reflects Yunnan's unique ecological rhythm. The illustrations are like moving windows, telling cultural stories and natural legends in Yunnan. This design not only enhances passenger comfort and enjoyment but, more importantly, positions the Express as a moving platform for promoting sustainable development and advocating for eco-friendly lifestyles. Through creative and meaningful designs, it is expected to arouse more people's care for the earth and jointly promote the sustainable prosperity of global ecology.
Through this comprehensive artistic enhancement, the Express not only embodies Yunnan’s unique visual identity in alignment with national strategies but also vividly displays the province’s abundant natural and cultural resources and its commitment to ecological values on a global stage. It transcends the category of traditional means of transportation and incarnates into a mobile bridge, becoming an ambassador for Yunnan culture to go global. The team's creativity and innovation in art design not only underscore the critical role of art in supporting the Belt and Road Initiative but also add valuable insight and strength to regional cultural exchange and cooperation. Through the Express, Yunnan's natural beauty and cultural charm are highlighted, conveying the ecological wisdom of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, as well as China’s commitment to building a shared future for humankind.
