1000 words short answer essay, all base on the keynotes

1.a) 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 the main form of ancient Chinese architecture we studied, and how can you use it as an example of some of the “big ideas” (for China) discussed in class? Consider Confucianism and Daoism as two different strands of Chinese thinking, and discuss how the Temple reflects both in specific ways.

key characteristics of

form: combine nature and human (nature form) nature surrounded, turned to Qi

material: the whole structure is made by wood, patina, luster

structure module:, only use wood structures to support the whole structuer, no nails，repeated rectangles, table-like unit of posts, beams and brackets, supporting the roof, symmetry, orderly pattern, geometric,

relate to natural environment:

form: integration: architecture enmeshed with trees or landscape or the yinyang symbol from daoism

material: wood is flexible, plentiful; brings humans into close relationship with natural forms(trees)

structure: wood structure works really will when earthquakes, changing heat, or humidity happened because the way they build it is flexible, it will change as earth’s surface movement.

relate to the key cultural concerns(big ideas):

(please look at keynotes) harmoney, yinyang, Qi, human and nature

(maybe mention the luster and the patina at somewhere, discuss how chinese architecture get Qi from nature and express in building and look at the “emperor-goes- to - moon” story, and the other one, those are really important of “big idears” )

confucianism and daoism: please look at notes

b) Now consider the Ise Shrine in the same way? What is Japanese about it, and how does it exemplify 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 compared with the Nanchan Temple setting) as it has important implications for answering the question.

Remember to discuss Shinto as a characteristically Japanese way of spirituality, as it is expressed at the Shrine.

if nanchan temple is the harmony between nature and human but express the Qi and their ideas of nature at the same time, the ise Shrine is more focus on get close with nature, purity, etc. The same thing is they both harmony. (other please look at notes)

2.a) Consider the “Moon Cakes” (Rainbow-Bridge-to-the-Moon) story. What is the type of building that is noted early in the story and is important to it’s imagery and themes. What is the significance of this particular building to the story in terms of what the story is about and what it presents as key themes? What is the history, very simply, of this building type as we discussed it in class, and why is it so significant as an expression of certain ancient Chinese ideas?

luster, moonlight, rainbow bridge, connection between nature and human, harmony, and so on, maybe need search about the story

most of the answers should be on the notes, you may need to combine some of them and see the connection of those. And please make sure you use the key worlds in the essay, it is not a research paper, so don't need to talk about details like measurement or really history things. for the stories you can search with the story and the keywords in the notes. I will ask my friend to give me her essay so that you can have a look, but please don’t copy it. And I will sent it to you before Wednesday afternoon. Thank you