Idea Of Space In The Yi-ology And Traditional Chinese Architecture

The Zhouyi is venerated as the top of the Five Classics and the source of great Dao, serves a far-reaching influence on Chinese culture. Yi philosophy affects Chinese people’s cosmology, thinking mode and value system in various levels. After the Han dynast, as the official academic system, Confucianism went through hundreds of years and came into being the main ideology. The Zhouyi’s influence is embodied in traditional Chinese architecture and forms the basic ways and developing orientation of traditional architecture. Traditional Chinese architecture reflects a deep value of Yi-iology philosophy. With other school’s idea, Yi-ology consist the main cultural characteristic and inner spirit of traditional Chinese architecture. Knowledge on space is the main part of architecture which we should start from. The concept of space established by ancient scholars is the entry point and key point in this dissertation.We analyze the concept of space. Space does not but belongs to sensory form and is the way by which human being grasp the outside world, so there is not an independent space beyond subject’s knowledge. We can not manage to image the real condition so the so-called world is the one we observe and design. The idea of space if the principle and ways we imagine the myriads. The idea of space in Yi-ology is comprehension and acknowledge of the ancestors under the view of Yi-ology. Owe to its unique academic position, cosmology and hexagrams and statements as well, the idea of space in Yi-ology has a mystic and distinct expressing system and has a far-reaching influence on traditional Chinese architecture.In the first chapter, we elaborate the impact from the idea of space in Yi-ology on the architectural composition. The thoughts of the fixed position of heaven and earth, valuing the Mean and so on in the Yi are reflected in the building as a way of survival experience. It forms the characteristics of distribution of buildings, selecting the central area and symmetry. Through interpreted by Confucius and his disciples, the Five Classics are transformed into classics being handed down. The ideas of space in the classics are about cabalistic universe schema. The principle of position and the architectural composition related are the supreme doctrine in Chinese architecture. Yi-ology has an important effect on traditional Chinese architecture. The mode Great Ultimate-four images-eight trigrams-sixty four hexagrams, shows the Chinese ancestors can solve complex problems by simple ways. The specific thinking way forms the style of traditional Chinese architectural composition in which courtyard lays out flat. The way that simple elements constitute basic ones, basic ones constitute advanced ones and so on, at last, constitute supreme forms, is the base on which Chinese architecture began advancing to standardization and modularization. This reflects the idea of space in Yi-ology.In chapter two, we discuss the effect of the idea of number in Yi-ology on Chinese architecture. There are two spatial arrangements in Chinese architectural theory:solid outside and vacant space inside, and vacant outside and solid inside. It is related to Yi-ology closely. This chapter discusses the relation between one and many and the traditional Chinese architecture. The theory about great expansion being elaborated by WANG Bi and other scholars, the one in the number of fifty was regarded as Grand Ultimate. This results in the idea of one and many, solid and vacancy. Traditional courtyard consists of the building around and the vacancy in the middle. The trisection principle is the theoretical basis for the main arrangements of courtyard. The number three includes heaven, earth and human being, the Dao of the three powers is the content of the six lines and sixty four hexagrams. The number three has many meanings: up-middle-down, east-middle-west, south-middle-north and so on. Based on the number three, it came into the number five as it’s recorded in the Hunanzi. The theory of nine palaces has a long history, many documents such as Guanzi, Lvshichunqiu, the Book of Rites, recorded it. In the Han dynasty, Yiwei connected the nine palaces with the Zhouyi and formed eight trigrams and nine palaces and nine palaces numbers as well. Mingtang mode of courtyard arrangements developed to be an important way in Chinese architecture.In chapter three this dissertation explains the relation between thinking mode of image in Yi-ology and symbolism. With analogy, the Zhouyi established symbolic system to represent the myriads by Yin and Yang. This thinking way shows the characteristic. With the establishment of the Zhouyi’s academic position, the characteristics of the thinking mode came to integrate into the deep structure of Chinese culture. The symbolism is an important method of Chinese culture and forms an impressive symbolic culture. As an important cultural carrier, traditional Chinese architecture makes the building corresponding to heaven and earth, four seasons. It pins great hopes on the building. We also elaborate the philosophy of cosmic harmony including Yi number, Yi image, astronomy, geography and calendar as well.In chapter four, this dissertation discusses the inner logic of humanistic connotation in Yi-ology and traditional Chinese architecture. Firstly, it explains the influence of rites on the building. Yi and rites share the same origin. The rites are the main principle and accordance of traditional Chinese architecture. Especially in imperial residence, they are according to honor low concepts. Every part of the building is in accordance with the rites. It results in the rich and variety of Chinese architecture. Secondly, this dissertation discusses the interaction idea in the Yi applied to the Chinese architecture. Responding to each other is the premise for the communication between heaven and human being. Human being gets the comprehension and acknowledge on the world through enlightenment. Chinese thinking mode shapes the characteristic of experience space.In chapter five, we seek the approach to developing modern Chinese architecture. WANG Bi’s distinguish between speech and meaning opened the trend of aesthetic appreciation, forming Chinese specific indistinct feature. It helped us find the development orientation of modern Chinese architecture, and focus on the meaning conceived in the building. Combined with the western architectural theory and ways, Chinese architecture devotes to the spiritual meaning of buildings. It establishes modern Chinese architecture rooted in Chinese culture and reflecting traditional Chinese cultural feature.