1. Discuss the Nanchan Temple as a typical example of ancient Chinese architecture. What are the key characteristics of form, material and structure, how do they relate directly to the natural environment of ancient China, and how do these traits relate to the key cultural concerns and ways of thinking in ancient Chinese society? In other words, how is it typical of ancient Chinese architecture in general, and how can you use it as an example of some of the “big ideas” (for China) discussed in class?
2. Now consider the Ise Shrine in the same way? What is Japanese about it, and how does it exemplify several of the main ideas we discussed? How would you distinguish it from the Nanchan Temple? What’s different, but also what is similar, and why? Remember to consider the site (designed landscape) immediately around the central shrine buildings, as it has important implications for answering the question.
3. a) How did Confucian philosophy influence or parallel any aspect of ancient Chinese design? (Explain two examples of links between Confucianism and design we talked about.)
b) How did Daoism influence ancient Chinese design?
Be specific
– remember that Daoism has several, specific key ideas associated with it which you need to know in order to answer this question (give three examples).
4. a) How did specific Shinto beliefs and attitudes impact or relate to characteristics of Japanese design? Give several examples, citing specific works, or at least types, of design.
b) How did the story of the bamboo cutter most directly seem to parallel or relate to Shinto ideas or attitudes?
5. Look at the Chinese Silk Banner in the textbook, and consider the silk robes we examined in class. How does the banner express typically ancient Chinese ideas or attitudes? What main ideas does silk as used in ancient Chinese design seem to most directly relate to, and how? (Clues can be found in what we got from the Emperor-goes-to-the- Moon story.)
6. a) Consider the Japanese Album Leaf calligraphy shown in the textbook and in class; how is it typically Japanese in character, and how does Japanese calligraphy relate to Chinese calligraphy?
b) Comment on how the Enso – like the one you made in your discussion section – could express or embody any of our main ideas about Japanese design.
Note:
There
are
more
questions
than
usual,
so
you
will
need
to
figure
out
how
to
write
less
in
answer
to
some
of
the
questions
and
more
for
others.
To
be
complete
and
specific
enough
to
do
well,
you
will
need
to
plan
and
edit
these
carefully
to
fit
into
the
two-page
format.
Good
luck.
1.
Discuss
the
Nanchan
Temple
as
a
typical
example
of
ancient
Chinese
architecture.
What
are
the
key
characteristics
of
form,
material
and
structure,
how
do
they
relate
directly
to
the
natural
environment
of
ancient
China,
and
how
do
these
traits
relate
to
the
key
cultural
concerns
and
ways
of
thinking
in
ancient
Chinese
society?
In
other
words,
how
is
it
typical
of
ancient
Chinese
architecture
in
general,
and
how
can
you
use
it
as
an
example
of
some
of
the
“
big
ideas
”
(for
China)
discussed
in
class?
2.
Now
consider
the
Ise
Shrine
in
the
same
way?
What
is
Japanese
about
it,
and
how
does
it
exemplify
several
of
the
main
ideas
we
discussed?
How
would
you
distinguish
it
from
the
Nanchan
Temple?
What
’
s
different,
but
also
what
is
similar,
and
why?
Remember
to
consider
the
site
(designed
landscape)
immediately
around
the
central
shrine
buildings,
as
it
has
important
implications
for
answering
the
question.
3.
a)
How
did
Confucian
philosophy
influence
or
parallel
any
aspect
of
ancient
Chinese
design?
(Explain
two
examples
of
links
between
Confucianism
and
design
we
talked
about.)
b)
How
did
Daoism
influence
ancient
Chinese
design?
Be
specific
–
remember
that
Daoism
has
several,
specific
key
ideas
associated
with
it
which
you
need
to
know
in
order
to
answer
this
question
(give
three
examples).
4.
a)
How
did
specific
Shinto
beliefs
and
attitudes
impact
or
relate
to
characteristics
of
Japanese
design?
Give
several
examples,
citing
specific
works,
or
at
least
types,
of
design.
b)
How
did
the
story
of
the
bamboo
cutter
most
directly
seem
to
parallel
or
relate
to
Shinto
ideas
or
attitudes?
5.
Look
at
the
Chinese
Silk
Banner
in
the
textbook,
and
consider
the
silk
robes
we
examined
in
class.
How
does
the
banner
express
typically
ancient
Chinese
ideas
or
attitudes?
What
main
ideas
does
silk
as
used
in
ancient
Chinese
design
seem
to
most
directly
relate
to,
and
how?
(Clues
can
be
found
in
what
we
got
from
the
Emperor-goes-to-the-
Moon
story.)
6.
a)
Consider
the
Japanese
Album
Leaf
calligraphy
shown
in
the
textbook
and
in
class;
how
is
it
typically
Japanese
in
character,
and
how
does
Japanese
calligraphy
relate
to
Chinese
calligraphy?
b)
Comment
on
how
the
Enso
–
like
the
one
you
made
in
your
discussion
section
–
could
express
or
embody
any
of
our
main
ideas
about
Japanese
design.
Chocopie
201xvt5e_1.docx
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