Xiao Tianyu's Harmony-Light Chair.

Similar to Shao's chairs are the Harmony-Light Chairs by Xiao Tianyu, a designer born in 1987. With straight-edged elm wood casually built into big cotton seat covers, the design embodies contrasts.

Fawcett says the theme of tradition versus modernity is popular with Chinese designers because China is a society in transition.

"China has a long history, so designers can't look toward the future without looking at the past."

Also representative of this theme are ceramic sculptures made by Li Lihong, a professor of Chinese porcelain at Fudan University in Shanghai.