Some Chinese Characters are Rendered Using Japanese Fonts when Exporting Workbooks to PDF

When a PDF is rendered for a view, there are some scenarios where the view will be rendered by the server (Tableau Cloud) and when it will be rendered by the client (the web browser). The workaround below is applicable for circumstances where the PDF is rendered locally by the client, but will not apply to a PDF rendered by Tableau Cloud.

For example, a PDF generated by a subscription or generated using the Tableau REST API will be rendered by Tableau Cloud, and will rely on the fonts supported by Tableau Cloud. A workbook exported from the browser may be client or server rendered, depending on the complexity of the view. Appending the url with the parameter ?:render=true may force client side rendering, depending on the complexity of the view. 

Workaround:

1. Install "Noto Sans CJK SC" font on the client machine. You can install the entire CJK font package on the client machine.

2. Set the workbook to use this font by opening the workbook in Tableau Desktop.

1. On the Format menu, select Workbook.
2. The Format Workbook pane replaces the Data pane on the left and provides a series of drop-down lists where you can change all the font settings in a workbook.  It is also possible to change the font settings for titles of worksheets, stories, and dashboards.  For the details, please refer to Format at the Workbook Level.