Poetic and Pictorial Splendor-Expression of Traditional Chinese Literati in Chinese Architecture

The expression of traditional Chinese literati is based on connection, seeking emotion and harmony. With various forms, though, this style of expression shares the same value in some art forms, like traditional Chinese poetry, calligraphy and paintings, and Chinese architecture. Based on the commonalities of various forms of literature and art, this paper offered an insight into Chinese architecture in light of poetic and pictorial expression of traditional Chinese literati. In order to illuminate the corresponding connection between traditional Chinese poetry, calligraphy and paintings, and Chinese architecture, this paper discussed the expression of Chinese architecture corresponding to the essence of traditional Chinese poetry, calligraphy and paintings respectively from the perspective of philosophy, aesthetics, and culture study of Chinese architecture. Via analogous analysis, which includes the analogy between the emotion of architecture and the feelings in traditional poetry, the analogy between the order of architecture and the spirit of calligraphy, and the analogy between the artistic conception and the picturesque scene, the poetic and pictorial expression of Chinese architecture was clarified. This paper emphasized that Chinese architecture needs to jump out of the concrete image, eradicate the interdisciplinary boundaries, and stress the integration of arts and humanities in a higher level, to express Chinese architecture in a Chinese way. That means making Chinese architecture modern in forms and techniques, and traditional in spirit and artistic conception.