Bearing the expectation on architectural discovery, my empty mind during this trip were suddenly hit by an questioning of something core to architecture---SPACE. I finally have the time to compile all those sudden influx of ideas on 'SPACE', here in the form of a blog entry.
Whence does space originated?
Can space exist independent of man?
(if no one witnessed the life of an orchid in an empty valley, did the orchid actually bloom and wither?)
Is space a necessary extension of man's consciousness? ( I think, therefore space exist?)... Then,
The book of Lao Zi and Bible, two great oriental and occidental classics, both declared that nothingness existed prior to our appearance.
Lao Zi said:" As the origin of heaven and earth, it is nameless; as the Mother of all things, it is nameable."
名可名，非常名。無名天地之始；有名萬物之母。
The Bible stated:" In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Earth was formless and empty; darkness prevailed while the spirit of God hovered over the waters."
Lao zi clearly said that heaven and earth existed for a long time in a nameless state, but man gave a name to everything, thus established a relative significance of his own existence. Since man was not able to name what he could not see or sense, the incorporeal which received no name was assumed not to exist. Our notion of space is therefore totally dependent on our limited ability to comprehend it, as if its existence is only an extension of human consciousness.
LAo zi continued to speak of the "way"(道):" So, as ever hidden, we should look at its inner essence; as always manifest, we should look as its outer aspects." Simply speaking, we should try to learn the essence of the "way" from what is not apparent, and its operation from what is obvious.
OK, now finished taking clue and quotes from the old man, back my questioning of SPACE...
Are we then really able to grasp the existence of space?
What is the true relationship between space and man? Is it clear and definite, or confused and uncertain?
Does space require form to exist, as light needs shadow to be perceived?
It is extremely interesting that the Bible describes the earth in the time before man as being formless and empty: a space not only without man but also without form and empty, what is then?
The Bible continues:" And then the Lord God said, 'let there be light', and there was light." This is rather intriguing: why should there be light? Is it a preparation for the advent of man, so man will be able to see? Heaven and Earth have existed in darkness, what is light for? Is it an attempt to bear witness for man's perception?
The 'light' mentioned here is perhaps similar to what Lao Zi described as a "name". Light allows man to have perception by its illumination, while man gives a name to everything, suggesting that a world without light or name nevertheless exists.
Look at it but you cannot see it, its name is FORMLESS
Listen to it but you cannot hear it, its name is SOUNDLESS
Grasp it but you cannot get it, its name is INCORPOREAL
These three attributes are unfathomable; therefore they fuse into one. Its upper side is not bright: It's under side not dim.
Continually the Unnameable moves on, until it returns beyond the realm of things.
We call it the formless Form, the imagineless IMAGE.
We call it the indefinable and unimaginable.
Confront it and you do not see its face! Follow it and you do not see its back!
What a perfect description of the essence of space! Not only does it insinuate that space cannot be completely understood via our sensory organs, it also vividly portrays the elusive, formless, posture-less, neither bright nor dim qualities of space, and in a friendly manner further postulates the convoluted, both distant and close relationship between space and man.
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