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Space, architecture, and meaning in the Italian Renaissance and Chinese Song Dynasty

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Abstract

Architectural and aesthetic features of traditional Chinese architecture have been quite often demarcated by the influence of three branches of Chinese philosophical thought—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. However, in this short paper it couldn’t include such an extensive scope. Therefore, the focus on one of three branches is necessary. First of all, in Section I of this paper, it attempts to introduce the design of traditional Chinese corridor functioning for connecting architecture and outdoor space. By this way, the meaning of “being” (you) and “non-being” (wu) of the Pre-Qin dynasty would be the central theme of the exploration. Secondly, in Section II, it intends to deeply investigate this pair of terms by the framework of a new term “Daoiast naturalism based on humanity” to contrast with another one “Western humanism based on God.” Section II mainly focuses on the analysis of the former in terms of Daoist metaphysics. Secion III begins with the exploration of main features of western humanism from the ancient Graeco-Roman tradition to Renaissance not inclusive of the Enlightenment, the modern time and the present. In Section IV, it chooses one of the greatest architect Brunelleschi’s masterpiece— Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore as the representative of Renaissance Italy to embody the harmonious, moderate combination of human creativity and the spirit of Christianity. Last but not least, in Conclusion it points out the supervenien relation between the western humanism and Daoist naturalism may renew the vision of lifeworld in which western and eastern cultures are merged into together.

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Notes

  1. The pair of terms you and wu in the context of Laozi have been translated by many scholars with different aspects of consideration: Hans-Georg Moeller translates them as “presence” and “non-presence”, Roger T. Ames and David L. Hall refer them to “determinate” and “indeterminate”, and Brook Ziporyn designates them as “being-there” and “not-being-there”. Franklin Perkins explicates that “wu refers not to radical nothingness but to lack of differentiated beings.” The author of this paper cannot avoid the same problem encountered by those translations in “leading into an alternation between those tending toward reification and those rejecting it”, pointed by Franklin Perkins. Therefore, Section II of this paper aims to have further discussion on the meanings of those two terms. See Franklin Perkins. “Metaphysics in Chinese Philosophy.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/chinese-metaphysics/ (accessed April 2, 2015) (Perkins 2015).

  2. For this reason, using “western” as an adjective before the “humanism based on God” is insufficient or it needs to include much more explanation on the Enlightenment, modern time and even the present. However, the final decision of using the term “western humanism based on God” intends to point out the general tendency that would guide the following research direction.

  3. Xiaogang Liu. Laozi Gujin (Laozi: Past and Today) (Beijing: The China Social Sciences Academy, 2006, 2009) (Liu 2006, 2009, p. 168).

  4. Huai Wang. Laozi Tanyi (Exploration on the Meanings of Laozi) (Taipei: The Commercial Press. 1969, 1989) (Wang 1969, 1989, p. 47).

  5. Xiaodong Li and Kangshua Yang. Zhongguo Kongjian (Chinese Space) (Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press, 2007) (Li and Yang 2007, p. 113).

  6. Li and Yang, Chinese Space, 115–116.

  7. Sicheng Liang. The Complete Works of Liang Sicheng (Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press, 2002), 3: 239 (Liang 2002); Sicheng Liang. A Pictorial History of Chinese Architecture: A Study of the Development of Its Structural System and the Evolution of Its Types. trans. and ed. Wilma Fairbank. (Beijing: SDX Joint Publishing Company, 2011) (Liang 2011, pp. 226–227).

  8. Sicheng Liang, A Pictorial History, 227.

  9. Sicheng Liang, A Pictorial History, 222.

  10. Confucius et al. Liji (The Book of Rites). ed. Dai Sheng, trans. James Legge (Beijing and Washington: Intercultural Press, 2013); Ibid, It says: “A great officer or (other) officer should go out or in at the ruler's doors, on the right of the middle post, without treading on the threshold.” “When two men are sitting or standing together, do not join them as a third. When two are standing together, another should not pass between them.”

  11. Scholars have different viewpoints on this point. Some views the concept of axis and symmetry is the unique feature of Chinese culture; some only mention these characteristics but not stress on the unique. This paper would take them as distinctive but not unique features only in Chinese culture. For many scholars explore western architecture in reference to symmetry and proportion in details. See P. H. Scholfield. The Theory of Proportion in Architecture (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1958, 2011) (Scholfield 1958, 2011); Richard Padovan. Proportion: Science, Philosophy, Architecture. (London: E & FN Spon, 1999) (Padovan 1999).

  12. There are the others of Pre-Qin Daoist Ontology illuminated by Zhuangzi, Liezi, Huainanzi, and in Lüshi Chunqiu. See Haiyan Ye. Exploration on Zhuangzi’s Ontology (Taipei: Cultural Foundation of Chia Hsin Cement Corporation, 1976) (Ye 1976).

  13. Huai Wang, Exploration on the Meanings of Laozi, 104.

  14. This modern interpretation originates from Lai Huiling’s lecture on Daoist Wisdom and Art of Life which is designed for General Education at I-Shou University, Taiwan. The notes taken by the author of this paper when being an auditor on Prof. Lai’s class haven’t been examined by

    Prof. Lai yet. If there is any incompleteness, the author of this paper should take full responsibility.

  15. Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu: Tao Te Jing. trans. James Legge. Chapter 25.

  16. Laozi, Chapter 40.

  17. Huai Wang, Exploration on the Meanings of Laozi, 164.

  18. Zhou on the “Ontology - Tao” has the similar viewpoints which states that Han Feizi’s annotation on Laozi views Dao as “the principle of everything”. For example, Zhou claims that Chinese in Pre-Qin had proposed the Earth is round. The principle of that Earth is round is preceding the first circumnavigation of the Earth resulting from Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition in the 16th century (Laozi 1977, 2015, pp. 18–19).

  19. Laozi, Chapter 42.

  20. Zhang proposes the scientific point of view to explore on Laozi’s thought in the 1990s. Zhang also deeply explores on the relation of Laozi’s Dao and Ziran. Please See Yangming Zhang. “The Relation between Laozi’s Dao and Ziran.” in Laoxue Yanzheng (Verification on Laoxue), 13–25).

  21. Martin J. G. Veltman, “The Higgs Boson,” in The Higgs Boson: Searching for the God Particle, ed. Scientific American (New York: Scientific American. 2012) (Veltman 2012, p. 2.1); Ibid, Chris Quigg, “Elementary Particles and Forces,” 1.1.

  22. Cian O’Luanaigh. “The Higgs Boson”. CERN. URL = https://home.cern/topics/higgs-boson, (accessed 21 Jan, 2014) (O’Luanaigh 2014); Matilda Heron. “ATLAS and CMS Experiments Shed Light on Higgs Properties”. CERN. URL = https://home.cern/about/updates/2015/09/atlas-and-cms-experiments-shed-light-higgs-properties (3 Sep, 2015) (Heron 2015).

  23. Huai Wang. Exploration on the Meanings of Laozi, 107.

  24. David Papineau. "Naturalism". The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Edward N. Zalta. URL = http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2015/entries/naturalism/ (accessed Fall, 2015) (Papineau 2015).

  25. Franklin Perkins. “Metaphysics in Chinese Philosophy.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/chinese-metaphysics/ (accessed April 2, 2015).

  26. The perspective of this paper on Daoist naturalism only focuses on the ontology; other perspectives may provide valuable, complementary aspects such as Liu Xiao’s saying, “…the essential or core significance of Laozi’s Ziran is the concept of humanist nature.” See Liu Xiaogang (2010) “Laozi’s Ziran,” Culture and Social Transformations in Reform Era China, 75–96; also see Liu Xiaogang (2006). Laozi Gujin (Laozi: Past and Today. Beijing: The China Social Sciences Academy, 2006, 2009), 46–59, 272–278, 288–294, 508–509, 623–624.

  27. Jacob Burckhardt. The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy. intro. Hajo Holborn (New York: Modern Library, 1954, 1982, 1995) (Burckhardt 1954, 1982, 1995, pp. 215–216); Ibid, 171–280, 286–354.

  28. Erwin Panofsky. Renaissance and Renaissances in Western Art (New York: Stockholm, 1960, 1969, 1972) (Panofsky 1960, 1969, 1972) New York: Icon Editions. Harper & Row Pub., 1–113.

  29. Jacob Burckhardt, The Civilization of the Renaissance, 357–358.

  30. Michelangelo & Bull, George. Michelangelo: Life, Letters, and Poetry (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009) (Bull 2009).

  31. Erwin Panofsky. Gothic Architecture and Scholasticism: An Inquiry into the Analogy of the Arts, Philosophy, and Religion in the Middle Ages (New York: Stockholm, 1960, 1969, 1972; World Publishing-A Meridian Bo, 1973) (Panofsky 1973, Sec. IV–V).

  32. Zhang Yangming deeply explores on the relation of Laozi’s Dao and Ziran. Please See Yangming Zhang. “The Relation between Laozi’s Dao and Ziran.” in Laoxue Yanzheng (Verification on Laoxue) (Taipei: Xinwenfeng Pub, 1994), 13–25.

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  1. Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Verena Xiwen Zhang

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Zhang, V.X. Space, architecture, and meaning in the Italian Renaissance and Chinese Song Dynasty. Int. Commun. Chin. Cult 4, 339–351 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40636-017-0105-2

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