Dr Xunchang Cheng
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British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow
Postdoctoral research
Office
Room B1, Typography & Graphic Communication, TOB2 (Building 21)Building location
Whiteknights campusAreas of interest
My areas of interest focus on the history, theory, and practice of Chinese typeface design, with particular emphasis on the technological, cultural, and political conditions that have shaped Chinese typography from early printing to the digital era. I am especially interested in how shifts in production technologies, including mechanical movable type, phototypesetting, and digital font systems, have influenced the development of Chinese typeforms and the methodologies of type design.
A central strand of my research examines Chinese typeface design as a form of visual and material culture. Through archival research, including the study of printed artefacts, type specimens, ephemera, and production records from China and overseas collections, I seek to reconstruct the historical processes of type-making and to situate typeface design within broader narratives of modernisation, standardisation, and cultural identity in modern China.
Teaching
My teaching is focused on postgraduate typeface design education and the broader field of graphic design. I lead Chinese typeface design workshops for MA Communication Design (Typeface Design pathway) students, with an emphasis on Chinese character structure and typeface design methodologies, and on providing critical feedback on students’ Chinese and bilingual type projects.
I also deliver collection-based sessions that engage students directly with archival materials. These sessions support research-led design practice and encourage critical engagement with typographic history, production processes, and material evidence. Within the Department, I contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate learning through international student catch-up sessions and cultural exchange activities, facilitating students’ transition into an international academic and creative environment.
In addition to activities within the Department, I have been invited to teach and contribute to teaching at external institutions in London (Kingston University) and Beijing (Central Academy of Fine Arts and Tsinghua University). In these contexts, my teaching extends beyond typeface design to encompass wider areas of graphic design, visual communication, and speculative approaches to writing systems, reflecting an integrated perspective on design theory and practice.
Research centres and groups
Centre for Book Cultures and Publishing, a cross-disciplinary research centre foregrounding global perspectives on book cultures, publishing practices, and the materiality of print and typography, where I hold a Visiting Research Fellowship.
Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI), where I serve as Board member and Secretary, engaging with international research networks and collaborative discourse across typeface design, script systems, and typographic practice.
Chinese Information Processing Society of China, where I contribute to research dialogues on script technology, information processing, and the development of type design standards.
Research projects
A critical examination of Chinese typeface design: dilemmas in the Mechanical Age and opportunities in the Digital Age, 1940s–1990s. From 2025, and ongoing, I am Postdoctoral Fellow for this British Academy-funded project. The research encompasses a multi-dimensional evaluation of Chinese typeface design from the 1940s to the 1990s, focusing on its transformation in the context of technological, cultural, and political changes in China. Of particular interest is the transition from mechanical movable type to phototypesetting to digital fonts, and the continuous adjustments in Chinese typeface design this transition required in order to align with evolving technological capabilities and governmental policies.
Background
My journey into typography began in 2012 during an internship at SinoType, where I joined the Source Han Sans and Serif projects and developed a sustained interest in Chinese typography. This early experience shaped my research direction and led me to pursue postgraduate study in typeface design. I was the first student from mainland China to undertake the Master's programme in typeface design at Reading, furthering my understanding of type design theory and practice.
Following my Master's degree, I continued with doctoral research, focusing on the historical evolution of Chinese typeforms. Throughout this period, I have been deeply engaged in projects that explore Chinese typography from both research and design perspectives, integrating archival work, international collaboration, and the development of historically informed type design practice.
Academic qualifications
PhD in Typography & Graphic Communication, University of Reading (2024)
Thesis: 'Evolution of Chinese typeforms up to the early twentieth century'
MA Typeface Design (Distinction), University of Reading (2018)
Project: Sino typeface family supporting Latin, Chinese, and Devanagari
Dissertation: 'Integration and development: the origin and evolution of Fang-song Ti'
BA Digital Media Design, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
Graduation project: Huo Ban, a documentary on the first generation of Chinese typeface designers
Dissertation: Research on the development and trends of Chinese printed typefaces
Awards and honours
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (2025–28)
Judge, D&AD Awards, Type Design and Lettering category (2025)
Chinese script specialist, Granshan Competition (2023/24)
Judge, Type Directors Club, Type Design Competition (2023)
Professional bodies/affiliations
Centre for Book Cultures and Publishing, Visiting Research Fellow
Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI), Board member and Secretary
Chinese Information Processing Society of China, Member