Human-House-World: Architectural Philosophy and Architectural Aesthetics

Author: Zhao Xinsan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The author philosophizes and aestheticizes architecture, making it human-centric. In his view, the happiest state of life is when the heart and mind are at peace. Good, poetic architecture elevates the spirit, shelters and settles the soul, and becomes the object of one's deepest love, closest kin, and lifelong devotion. This book examines the beauty and principles of architecture from a unique perspective, using literary brushwork to reveal the philosophical and aesthetic truths hidden within its deep structure. The author states: "Every time I write a book, I attempt to delve into the world of life and the essence of God. Only in the act of thinking and writing do I come closest to the 'Heaven-Earth-Man-God' fourfold structure, feeling most at ease and grounded. This time, I tried (and am still learning) to regard all houses from ancient to modern, from east to west, as a collective whole, to observe, contemplate, and survey them. I strive to do just that. This is perhaps what 'philosophy of architecture' entails. At least, I am walking this path. Along the way, the geometric beauty of architecture is unparalleled and uniquely divine. During my writing process, I am like a cup of clear tea and a dim lamp, lost in the geometric realm of architectural integration, finding joy in my solitude."