Heaven, earth and man : aesthetic beauty in Chinese traditional vernacular architecture : an inquiry in the master builders' oral tradition and the vernacular built-form in Chaozhou

Abstract

Aesthetic beauty in architecture is a rational understanding of the universal order in which each part of the building, both inside and out, must fit together to form a harmonious whole. This thesis investigates the aesthetic beauty of Chinese traditional vernacular architecture through a close examination of the master builders’ oral tradition and the vernacular built-form in Chaozhou, contributing to a discovery of new knowledge in the study of vernacular architecture. This thesis shows that the beauty of Chinese traditional vernacular architecture is expressed through a mathematical articulation of numbers, dictating a pattern of modules and proportions encoded in the builder’s oral tradition.

Through an extensive review of the Chinese classics, this study reveals that the beauty of architecture is found in the harmony between the macrocosm of the cosmos and the microcosm of the house. Delving into the builders’ oral knowledge and tradition, this study shows that the aspiration of dwelling in harmony is achieved through an elaborate preparation of the building’s orientation and dimensions. Through the learning of the Chaozhou builders’ oral knowledge of feng-shui, this thesis reveals that the finding of the optimal orientation is primarily derived from the birth date and time of the house’s owner in the cosmic order of cosmology and astrology. The building therefore mirrors the universal order.

Through the learning of the Chaozhou builders’ oral knowledge of dimensions anchored in the ancient Chinese classics of Yijing 易經, Zhoubi Suanjing 周髀算經, Huainanzi 淮南子, Hanshu 漢書, Chunqiu Fanlu 春秋繁露, and so forth, this study builds a theoretical foundation for aesthetic beauty within the vernacular built-form. It unveils the modular system of 0.9chi and 0.6chi, a numerical representation of Heaven and Earth stemming from the musical pitch-pipes of huang-zhong and lin-zhong. This study also reveals a proportional system of 2:3 (3:2), 3:5 (5:3), 5:7 (7:5, or √("2" )), and 1:1, which reflects a higher order of the cosmos. The finding highlights the thesis argument that the aesthetic beauty of the vernacular built-form is a mathematical expression of numbers embedded in the builders’ oral tradition; that the beautiful aspiration of living in harmony amongst the three components of Heaven, Earth, and Man, comes to fruition through the fitting of modules and proportions.

Lastly, this study showcases the theoretical framework of the beauty of mathematics through three living architectural examples: Ai-ji House, Dian Ancestral Hall, and Chen House in Chaozhou. This study tests the aesthetic beauty in a real-life situation where the numerical pattern of modules (0.9chi and 0.6chi) and proportions (2:3 (3:2), 3:5 (5:3), 5:7 (7:5, or √("2" )), and 1:1) are identified. This study also argues that aesthetic beauty is hidden in the vernacular built-form that can be defined through the building’s dimensions, the beauty that is firmly associated with the builders’ oral tradition. The beauty found in the vernacular-built form stems from the brilliant mind of the master builder, who acts as the pivotal leader in fitting the building dimensions together in a harmonious way.