Prof. Zhan Donghua, College of Liberal Arts, Jiangxi Normal University
There were two primary spatial concepts in early China: one rooted in practical experiences and imaginations of early people, and the other derived from philosophical speculations of pre-Qin thinkers and Han Confucians on cosmology, Daoism, Yin-Yang, and the Five Elements. These two perspectives have deeply penetrated and influenced the formation of later literary and artistic works, becoming the conceptual origins of artistic spatial forms.
Ancient Chinese spatial concepts were not exclusive to philosophical inquiries but were also shared concerns of mythological imaginations, religious practices, astronomical observations, geographical studies, ritual practices, and other cultural forms. They were prominently manifested in contemporary artistic production. In fact, ancient spatial concepts exerted influence on art simultaneously through ideological influences and conceptual guidance. Art, in turn, symbolically reproduced and represented these spatial concepts through mimetic construction. The resulting plethora of artworks, in various symbolic forms, carried and highlighted people’s spatial imaginations. This artistic “reinforcement” of conceptual ideas enhanced the importance of space in daily life and social-cultural realms, linking space to significant issues such as the cosmic order, royal authority, life and death, fortune and misfortune, status and morality, thereby serving as guiding philosophical concepts for problem-solving. Indeed, the early pragmatic spatial concept gradually elevated to the level of ideology in the Confucian classics of the Han dynasty and, through continual reinforcement and application in later generations, became an integral part of ancient Chinese thought.
The pragmatic spatial concept primarily addressed practical social issues such as agricultural production, royal politics, and religious beliefs, while the speculative spatial concept focused more on theoretical issues such as the ontological constitution of the universe, the operation of Dao, and the laws of change in phenomena. Therefore, compared to the pragmatic spatial concept, the speculative spatial concept was more abstract and had a stronger influence on art. The former directly influenced the surface forms and patterns of artistic production, while the latter exercised a guiding role over the internal aesthetic genes and spiritual realms of art.
It is important to note that the influence and penetration of these two types of spatial concepts on art are not uniform. The pragmatic spatial concept mainly impacted ritualistic art, while the speculative spatial concept was closely associated with literati art from the Han and Wei dynasties onwards. Ritualistic art represented the collective will of gods, emperors, states, and tribes, aligning well with the pragmatic spatial concept. On the other hand, literati art, especially poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting, emphasized the expression of individual intellectuals' spiritual pursuits and character realms. It stemmed from the speculative spatial concept of pre-Qin thinkers, opening up a broad and free ideological domain for this type of art. Of course, both speculative and pragmatic spatial concepts originated from early cosmological theories, branching out from the same source while following different paths. This divergence with shared roots led to distinct yet intersecting and interconnected impacts on later art.
In summary, these two types of spatial concepts are important ideological sources for traditional Chinese artistic forms, exerting spreading and infiltrating influences on the ideological meanings, thematic scope, lyrical styles, narrative structures, and experiential frameworks of later literary and artistic works, thus bearing major significance for the formation and consolidation of artistic forms.
Published on February 29, 2024