Systematic Literature Review on the Application of Chinese Mythological Elements in Design

This study investigates the contemporary application of Chinese mythological elements in design by conducting a comprehensive analysis of 66 scholarly publications. The research aims to identify the primary design carriers, examine the dominant categories of mythological elements used, and evaluate the level of tool integration in existing design methodologies. Results show that the use of mythological motifs is predominantly concentrated in two-dimensional design fields such as illustration, packaging, and animation. There is limited penetration into spatial design and three-dimensional product development, indicating a narrow range of application. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a strong bias toward surface-level features, such as form and color, while deeper cultural themes, symbolic structures, and narrative interpretations remain underexplored. In terms of methodology, most studies rely heavily on subjective analysis and case-based reasoning, with minimal use of computational tools or standardized extraction techniques. To address these gaps, the study proposes three strategic directions: expanding the application of mythological elements into structural and interactive design domains; enhancing the use of algorithmic and data-driven tools in element extraction and transformation; and incorporating interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks to support cultural depth and semantic construction. The findings underscore the need to transition from decorative use to cultural encoding, and from intuitive practice to systematized design processes. This research provides a foundation for developing a more robust and transferable visual language system rooted in Chinese mythology, thereby advancing its relevance in contemporary design practice.