Chinese artist Xu Tan's 'Keywords Project', begun in 2005, focuses on the relationship between vocabulary and consciousness. It consists of two components: 'Searching for Keywords' and 'Keywords School'. For the first part, 'keyword groups' are analyzed and compiled through interviews, surveys and collections from different regions of China. At the 'Keyword Schools', these keywords were discussed and exchanged in various public settings. 'Keyword Schools' has been carried out in Shanghai, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Shenzhen, Graz, New York, Guangzhou, Stockholm, Venice, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Qingdao, and Toronto. In 2011, the project came to a close at the Shenzhen OCT Contemporary Art Terminal. The present publication is a complete collection and introduction of the materials collected for this project.

Please note that two of the articles, 'Preface' by Huang Zhuan and 'On the Keywords of "Keywords": My Thoughts and Some Words' by Xu Tan, are available in English in a supplementary booklet attached to this publication.