Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional virtues - How to understand the differences between Chinese and western architectural aesthetic values

How to understand the differences between Chinese and western architectural aesthetic values

1. Differences in building materials.

Western traditional architecture has long been dominated by stones; Traditional oriental architecture has always been framed by wood.

2. Differences in architectural shapes.

Different from western stone buildings, China's traditional modeling especially emphasizes "linear beauty" and pays attention to the smoothness of lines, thus constructing various cornices. It can be said that cornice design is a bright pearl in China classical architecture. On the other hand, western architecture generally develops vertically and is built tall and big.

3. Express differences in ethical awareness.

Classical garden architecture is the most representative of traditional architecture in China. Influenced by Confucianism, the pursuit and preference of literati influenced gardening. Therefore, the traditional gardens in China are literati gardens in practical sense, and they always pay attention to the aesthetic principle of "vivid charm". In ontological understanding, they attach importance to overall harmony and emphasize the harmonious relationship between man and nature and between people. The artistic style of western architecture pays attention to the beauty of confrontation between man and nature. From the perspective of historical development, the west regards nature as an inanimate substance. Before the Middle Ages, Christianity even banned travel. What they see more is the violent and dangerous side of nature. The temples and shrines standing proudly everywhere show a kind of opposition and conquest with nature, which has aroused people's aesthetic feelings such as surprise, excitement and terror.

Reasons for the differences between Chinese and western architectural aesthetic values;

1. Differences in physical geography.

Due to the natural environment in the west, especially in ancient Greece and Rome, where there are many exposed rocks and trees, especially the geological factors of rocks, traditional western architecture embodies a stone-based style, that is, cold, hard, thick, huge and huge stones are mainly used to pursue a tall, powerful, mysterious, majestic and shocking effect, reflecting a religious spirit of abandoning the world. In ancient Central Plains, there were many trees, which made it easy to use local materials. In addition, it is relatively difficult to find and carry stones suitable for building in the Central Plains, so buildings are mainly made of wood.

2. Cultural differences.

China people attach importance to overall harmony, the unity of opposites, and the harmonious relationship between man and nature and between people. In the mainstream of western philosophical tradition, there is no harmony between man and nature, only mutual confrontation between you and me, which is almost one-sided.

3. Difference of time and space combination.

The mixed farming economy and fishing activities of primitive residents in the west make westerners living here have a strong sense of geographical orientation and spatial layout, and it is very easy to have a strong sense of space. Therefore, most western buildings are planned radially from the center, and the center point is the church or square. They gradually got rid of isolated single design and accidental cooperation with each other, paid more attention to the integrity of architecture, and embodied the new spirit of facing new life during the Renaissance. However, the orientals living in the farming geographical environment work at sunrise and rest at sunset on the flat and continuous alluvial plain. Their lives are very regular and their work is quite orderly. Day after day, year after year, they live a cycle of rural life. Its single farming economic structure depends heavily on the changes of the four seasons, and people are prone to have a strong sense of time.

It is precisely because of the different cultural origins that different architectural cultural concepts, aesthetics and forms are created. Chinese and western ancient buildings have their own characteristics, which bring people different life styles, different psychological concepts and different aesthetic enjoyment.