Introduction

Ce-memory, or “祭念” (Ji Nian), is an online platform that provides personal memory spaces, virtual grave-visiting and offline grave-visiting agent services. The overall design of the platform connects with Chinese rituals and traditional Chinese visual elements.

🔗 Full Casestudy

Background

The Annual Grave-visiting Tradition

Ever since ancient times, Chinese people have had the tradition of visiting the graves of their ancestors during Qing Ming Festival every year. The gravse-visiting, along with its rituals and activities are called “扫墓” (Sao Mu).

background

The Problem

However, the traditional SaoMu activity faces lots of challenges in the modern society:

  • Urbanization Effects

    The rapid development of urbanization separates people from their hometowns, which makes them unable to complete the yearly tradition.

  • Environmental Issues

    The traditional way of “SaoMu” includes rituals such as burning ghost money and setting off firecrackers, which would give out lots of toxic gas and greatly increase the risk of fire.

Idea

I had the idea to design an online platform that enables people to commemorate the decedent and practice the traditional rituals. When people are unable to make it to the graveyard, they can still participate the grave-visiting activity with their family and friends, in a virtual way.

Key Points

  • Online Memorial Space
  • Virtual Memorial Activities
  • Online and Offline Services

Concepts

concept

The Solution

Online Memorial Space

A digital platform designed as a virtual cemetery, where users can build inidividual virtual graves.

Design highlights:

ui-design

Virtual Grave-visiting

Users and their families can log in the virtual cemetery together and “stand” in front of the virtual grave to practice the SaoMu rituals.

Scroll to see the process:

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