The application of Chinese classical aesthetics in urban design

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The application of Chinese classical aesthetics in urban design

Lv Jing, Tian Zhipeng

JLJU, Changchun, China

Abstract

chinese classical aesthetics

A unique aesthetic system has been formed along the long-standing civilization history, and then a set of urban design philosophies with Eastern aesthetics came into being accordingly. This paper organizes the origins and characteristics of Chinese classical aesthetics briefly and tries to analyze classical aesthetic elements in modem urban design, thereby providing a new train of thought for future urban design.

Keywords: China; classical aesthetics; urban design.

Лу Цзин, Тянь Чжипэн

ЦУС, Чанчунь, Китай

Применение классической китайской эстетики в городском проектировании

Абстракт

Уникальная система китайской эстетики сложилась еще во времена древней цивилизации через сплетение геомантии, философии и искусства. В этой статье кратко говорится об истоках и характеристиках классической китайской эстетики, анализируется её проявление в историческом и современном городском проектировании, показывается отличие от западного менталитета в создании концепций и проектов на самых разных уровнях, от градостроительства до архитектуры, скульптуры и живописи.

Ключевые слова: Китай, классическая эстетика, городской дизайн.

China has long-standing history and is one of the four great ancient civilizations in the world. Its history with reliable character record is as long as 3000 years, and there is the statement of 5000 years of civilization among the folks. In the long and centuries- old civilization history, Chinese nation developed splendid and magnificent civilization; meanwhile, a unique aesthetic taste which is contrastively different from the West also came into being. Up to the present, these aesthetic thoughts are still influencing Chinese's aesthetic views and impacting on modem urban design, thereby providing continuous inspirations for contemporary urban designers.

Summary of Chinese traditional aesthetic thoughts

Origin and development of Chinese traditional aesthetics

Chinese classical aesthetics is not changeless. In the long river of history, Chinese people's aesthetic consciousness is also developing and evolving with changes of age. To sum up, it is mainly composed of three sources: Confucianism and Taoism, Ideologies in Chu (a state in the Zhou Dynasty) and Zen Buddhism.

Confucianism and Taoism--In pre-Qin period, China ushered in the first ideology breakout in history and numerous philosophical thoughts sprung up, which was called “Contention of a hundred schools of thought” in history. Among them, what influences the later generations and aesthetic views most are Confucianism represented by Confucius and Taoism represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi. The essence of Confucianism is “benevolence” and “propriety” and it emphasizes on morality and ethics. It is represented as “neutralization” and harmony in aesthetics and it treats morality as an important standard of beauty. Taoism stresses freedom, and it advocates “letting nature take its course”; it is rep-resented as advocating nature and pursuing peripateticism in aesthetics.

Ideologies in Chu--Ideologies in Chu gained the name because of the poem Li Sao written by a well-known poet Qu Yuan in Chu State of Warring States period. Major representation is the unity of social moral sentiments with individuals. In aesthetics, it values the impacts of individual feelings and imagination and it pursues magnificence and freedom.

Zen Buddhism--Zen Buddhism is a branch of Chinese Buddhism. Buddhism was brought to China in early Eastern Han Dynasty and began to prosper in Sui and Tang

Dynasties. It began its integration with Chinese local culture and referred to each other. Gradually, Zen Buddhism with Chinese wisdom was bom. In aesthetics, Zen Buddhism has distinct religious psychological characteristics and it values the states of “everything is empty” and “common in nothing”; it regards intangibility as beauty.

Though these three ideologies have different emphases on the expression of beauty, they are unified in the viewpoints of “unity of heaven and man”, “harmony” and “deficiency and excess”, etc. They integrate and develop with each other and form the essence of Chinese classical aesthetics eventually.

Characteristics of Chinese traditional aesthetics

Artistic conception theory in ancient China

Artistic conception is a peculiar category in Chinese aesthetics, and it comes from the Chinese cosmology of “unity of heaven and man”. It means art creators endow subjective emotions to objective things and it is the combination of emotion and sceneries. In Chinese poems, poets always poured out their heart on things and expressed emotions by images. They usually showed their feelings by describing natural sceneries. Mr. Zong Baihua, a famous esthetician, summarized Chinese artistic conception as “order, dance and gap”. “Order” means the structure of order, “dance” refers to active forms, and “gap” means leaving blanks. In Chinese calligraphy art, lines were always used to show “dance”, and the art of composition of “using white as black”(fig. 1) was often used to express “gap”, and lines and art of composition were used to show author's emotions.

Figure 1. Chinese calligraphy

Yin and yang ideologies in ancient China

In History of Chinese Esthetics, Ye Lang mentioned that “Ideologies about yin, yang, softness and hardness in Yi Zhuan established the unified viewpoint of Chinese classical aesthetics about beauty.” In Xi Ci Zhuan, it says that “Yin and Yang Eire both doctrines.” To ancient Chinese, the universe was divided into yin and yang. Under the influence of this ideology, Chinese classical aesthetics divides objects of aesthetics into deficiency and excess, quietness and movement, big and small, magnificence and beauty, gracefulness and boldness. However, Chinese people always believe that the contrast and unity of yin and yang are under doctrines, so Chinese classical aesthetics pursue the combination of yin and yang instead of the separation of them two, i.e., feints and ambushes, the balance between quietness and movement and imagining the big from the small, etc.

Neutralization in ancient China

Neutralization is the highest state in Chinese culture, including the neutralization among people, between people and the society and between people and the universe. It refers to the viewpoints and attitudes that Chinese people have towards the universe, nature, others and themselves. In aesthetics, it is often represented as “harmony” and appropriate aesthetics. For example, the harmony of the five notes “Gong Shang Jue Zhi Yu” in ancient Chinese music, meaning “do re me so la” in Western music; the symmetry and stability of architecture and distribution, etc. “Neutralization” means being impartial, and it is the basis of the ideology. For example, there is a tonic at the center in music, and a main architecture in building groups. In summary, neutralization means organizing diversified and even contrastive things according to certain aesthetic rules and making them harmonious and balanced on appropriate premise.

The Application of Chinese Classical Aesthetics in Urban Design

Urban planning thoughts in ancient China

Representing ideologies of etiquette

Confucian influences on urban planning are mainly represented in its ideology of “propriety”. For example, there are detailed stipulations about the size, the shape and structure of the capital, the width of the streets and distribution of the architectures in Zhou Li. Kao Gong Ji, which generated long-standing influences on the construction of later generation's capital.

Guanzi's urban planning ideology

Guanzi is also called Guan Zhong, and he lived in the Spring and Autumn Period which was 3000 years from now. He was a well-known politician, militarist, philosopher and economist in China, thereby being called “The First Prime Minister in the Spring and Autumn Period”. Guanzi reflected his main thoughts, and it is the first book in Chinese history that discussed urban design thoughts comprehensively. He proposed projects of site selection, shape and structure, scale, partition, etc. and thoughts of establishing a city's structure to local conditions. As for site selection, it is recorded in Guanzi. Du Di that “When saints are selecting the location of capitals, they always choose stable, reliable and rich land. The places should lean against mountains and near rivers or lakes. Irrigation canals and ditches should be equipped in the capitals so that the water flows into river again.” Therefore, we can see that as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, Guanzi paid much attention to the supplementary relationship between site selection and economic development. As for urban structure, he proposed “It should rely on natural resources and advantages of terrain. Therefore, the construction of city walls does not need to adhere to rules and the laying of roads does not need to stick to straight yardsticks.” He emphasized adjusting measures to local conditions and making plans for the city according to terrain. In addition, Guanzi also had unique thoughts about urban functions. He believed that “the defense of a country lies in cities, and the defense of cities lies in armies; the defense of armies lies in its people while the defense of people lies in food”, which represented Guanzi's economic thoughts. He held that cities should not only have function of defense, but also some economic functions. Therefore, we can say that the urban planning thoughts represented in Guanzi still have its application even in today. It not only has scientificity, but also the traditional Chinese aesthetic views of “complying with nature.”

Introduction to the design philosophy of “Law phenomenon ”

The urban planning design principle of “Law phenomenon” historical traditions. Literally, it means imitating heaven and earth. Heaven and earth have important symbolizing significance in Chinese culture. It is recorded in Zhouji, an important literature in ancient China, that “As Heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive along.” It means that heaven and earth not only has natural and geographical significance in Chinese people's perception; under normal circumstances, heaven is regarded as the dominator of everything and the spiritual nature in philosophy; since Chinese nation is a farming nation, earth is regarded as the carrier of life and materials. In cultural context, it means broadness and thickness. Together, heaven and earth constitute the integral cosmology of ancient Chinese people. Ancient China imitated astrology in the sky when building cities so as to reach respond to astronomical phenomena in the sky and observing geography on earth so as to show their worship to heave and earth as well as the pursuit for unity of heaven and earth. For example, capital of Wu State in Spring and Autumn period decided the location of its gate according to stars.

Geomancy--Feng Shui

Feng Shui is an ancient theory. There are no clear records about its origin, and maybe it came into being with human being's activities. Taoist yin-yang and five elements theories are integrated continuously in its development and it combined the public's aesthetic habits. It is a theory integrating geography, astrology and landscape science and so on, and finally, a theory which could guide people for architectural activities and even other activities was formed, and it generates profound influences on Chinese urban planning. Concerning the essence of geomancy, Professor Yu Xixian from Peking University said that “its essence is the evaluation and choices of site selection about geology, physiographic, water, sunlight, wind direction, climate, weather and landscape and a series of natural, geographical and environmental elements so as to reach the purpose of driving off the evil and enjoying a life of ease and comfort as well as creating a good environment suitable for long time of habitation.” The basic content of geomancy is avoiding cloud and embracing sunlight, holding against mountains and facing water. It stresses the integration of mountain and water to gather strength. In geomancy, it still shows Chinese people's worship and respect to nature and it is valuable experiences of Chinese people's summary of dwelling environment aesthetics.

Examples of Chinese classical aesthetics in urban design

The application of landscape in Chinese urban design

Landscape has special cultured connotation in Chinese culture, and Chinese landscape cities are not only the variants of urban landscaping. Confucius in Spring and Autumn period once said, “The wise enjoy water and the benevolent enjoy mountains”. Mountains are steady and water is flexible. They are endowed with honesty and wisdom respectively. In the period of Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the society was instable and corrupted, so numerous scholars gave up urban life, stayed away from the mortal world, lived a sequestered life and enjoyed themselves among mountains and water in order to keep their noble-minded character. From then on, mountains and water were endowed with spiritual effects by these hermits. They were no longer simple landscape; rather, they existed as the opposite of filth, corruption, ugliness and turmoil. In the special context of Chinese culture, they represent pure, silent, proud and free characters. They were also spiritual sustenance of Chinese scholars and a piece of pure land in their heart. Wen Zhenheng, a painter at the end of the Ming Dynasty, once said, “People living in mountains and water are superior to people living in villages, while people living in suburbs were the lowest”. Therefore, we can see that an environment with mountains and water was the first choice for scholars to retire from the world. The previous parts mentioned that in Chinese ancient philosophy, Confucius's Confucianism and Zhuangzi's Taoism had the most profound influences; Confucianism encouraged people to pursue success in career actively, and when people retired after winning merit or when they met setbacks, they pursued generous, free and easy spiritual realm of Taoism. Therefore, Taoist philosophy represented by landscape culture is an inseparable constituent of Chinese people's spirit. Therefore, to construct a landscape city should not only start from environmental landscape, but also from spiritual perspective, integrate mountains and rivers to cities and build free and unfettered spiritual atmosphere of the Taoism. The picture (fig. 2) is the design of a community of Chinese landscape spirit.

Figure 2. A community of Chinese landscape spirit

Design of axle wire in cities

Take Beijing as an example. Beijing has the most famous urban axle wire in the world, and it was formed in the Great Capital of the Yuan Dynasty. It was developed and innovated both in Ming and Qing Dynasties. It starts from Gate Yongding in the south and ends to bell tower in the north, and is 7.8 km long. It connects the South Gate, Gate Yongding, Gate Daqing and Tian An Men, the three palaces of the political center, Mount Jing, and the bell tower on the axle wire, and there are Temple of Heaven and Temple of Earth on both sides. The whole axle wire is magnificent, solemn and rhythmic, presenting royal majesty and rigorous order. It is the epitome of axle wire construction in this ancient Chinese city and it has become a symbolic architecture in Beijing. The architect Liang Sicheng had spoken highly of this axle wire and called it “the greatest south-north axle wire”. In 2008, Olympic Games was held in Beijing, and this world-famous axle wire was extended to the north. National Stadium and the Water Cube were constructed along the wire, which add modem smells and dynamics to this ancient wire. The location of this axle wire in Beijing represented Chinese classical aesthetics' pursuit for “center”, and the orderly architectures on it present harmonious aesthetics. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the main architecture and leads the whole building group. The buildings make a distinction between the important and the lesser ones, presenting “neutralization” and rituals in Chinese classical aesthetics. At present, the design of axle wire is often applied in the design of urban political center.

Figure 3. Beijing urban axle

Deficiency and excess

In Chinese aesthetic tradition, “deficiency and excess” is the representation of artistic conception aesthetics. Chinese people believe that without deficiency, there would be no excess. Though deficiency means emptiness, it can set off real objects and express many connotations and beauty in combination with real objects. Deficiency and excess supplement each other and they are dialectical unity. This aesthetic taste is represented in may Chinese artistic works. In techniques of Chinese paintings, there would be lots of white spaces in the image to express wispy artistic conception. For example, Liu Songnian's JiangFuQiuTingTu (fig. 4) from the Southern Song Dynasty, there is a large white space in the composition of the painting, and the white space almost takes up 1/2 of the whole painting, forming distinct contrast with nearby trees, architectures, boats and so on. Expressing excess with deficiency and expressing infinity with emptiness can increase the depth of field and layering of the image and build intangible and distant artistic conception. It seems that the painting is empty, but the implication is continuous. This is the application of deficiency. This aesthetic method of combining deficiency and excess is often applied in the design of architecture. Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in Temple of Heaven (fig. 5) is an architecture with religious colors in China, and it is built for ancient emperors to worship gods. The architecture itself is not large, but it brings virtual images such as sky into the aesthetic category of the architecture skillfully and combines them with the architecture, thereby building a broad artistic conception and making the architecture more flexible. In this way, the architecture itself can also express the magnificence and mystery which do not conform to its own size. The methods of imagining the big from the small and applying deficiency skillfully represent the magnificence of the real objects. In urban design, the method of “deficiency and excess” is often adopted so as to form changes of rhythms in urban space (fig. 6).

Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

The application of traditional elements in urban landscape design Urban landscape means under the big concept of cities, human beings make improvements on sites, river system, plants, architectures and so on by means of real techniques and operational means of landscaping art and create a harmonious environment which can satisfy demands of appreciation and entertainment in the end. Traditional cultural elements symbolize traditional culture and elements that constitute objects, and they are the minimum units of traditional culture. They can reflect the cultural temperament and spirituality of a nation in a specific historical period. Traditional cultural elements in China are colorful and they are the crystal of laboring people. Their representatives are: jade articles, stone implements, bricks from Qin Dynasty and tiles from Han Dynasty, writing bushes, ink sticks, paper and ink-stones, facial makeup in operas, paper-cut, shadow puppets, decorative patterns of various equipments.

Urban square design

Urban square is one of the main landmark landscape designs. Since it is an important node in urban landscape, many landscape elements can be designed out of it. Therefore, it plays an important role in urban landscape. Chinese elements that are applied in urban square landscape design can present the cultural deposits of cities and manifest urban characteristics and form impressive city cards.

Public design

Public design is an individual symbol of cities. The reasonable application of traditional Chinese elements in the design of urban public articles can provide more sense of belonging to urban residents, improve the taste of the city, increase more individual characteristics to the cities and help cities get rid of triviality and vapidity. For example: the structure of Chinese classic architecture is adopted for bus stations in Dujiangyan City (fig. 7), and the canopy in the bus station is made into the shape of roof of Chinese ancient architectures. Dujiangyan City situates in Sichuan Province, and it is a famous tourism city. Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project in the Spring and Autumn Warring State Period is the city's tourism brand. The design of the bus stations in the city agrees with the style of the scenic spots so that the entire city has an antique flavor, thereby presenting the city's profound cultural deposits and enhances tourists' tourism experiences.

The sculpture of Window of Suzhou (fig. 8) has extracted the elements of Wu culture in Suzhou successfully. In the modeling, it applies Chinese traditional patterns and extracts the giant Chinese knot, which symbolizes good luck and happiness. It embellishes green belts of urban roads so that the city looks more passionate in the color. It also makes he gentle and ancient Suzhou more charming.

Resources of Chinese traditional elements are very rich, and they can be applied in multiple landscapes. For example, the following paper-cut sculpture(fig. 9) and the auspicious cloud style chair (fig. 7) both exert different roles in the city and enriches the beauty of the city.

Figure 7 Figure 8

Figure 9 Figure 10

Conclusion

Chinese traditional aesthetics is deeply rooted in the cultural soil of the splendid Chinese civilization and it contains several thousands of years of cultural accumulation. No matter in the past or the future, it will always have significant impacts on urban design. In the current world, globalization is becoming even more violent, and Chinese urban design is under profound influences of Western urban movements. Many big cities are becoming more and more convergent. Under this circumstance, how to maintain the unique charm and characteristics of Western cities and how to absorb nutrients from traditional aesthetics and apply them to the design of modem cities are problems for every urban designer.

References

1. Ye lang, China, The outline of Chinese aesthetics, Shanghai People's Publishing House, 2005.

2. Zhu Liangzhi, China, The fifty topics of Chinese aesthetics, Peking University Press, 2006.

3. Zong Baihua, China, Strolling in aesthetics, Shanghai People's Publishing House, 1981.

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