Cosmic Order

Centering the World

The Virtue of con-formity

• Cosmic geometry: – comprehend – diagram – Imitate

• Why?– Forms and harmony– Civilization vs. barbarity; wen hua 文化

– Form vs. essence; cf. skandhas vs. soul

• Where is Beijing?• What is its geometry?

Walled City Forbidden City Temple of Heaven

What are the primary forms of the city?

Forbidden City

What are the primary forms?

The Temple of Heaven

What are the primary forms?

Cardinal, axial, tripart homologyForbidden City Temple of Heaven

Polarities, Cycles, and Microcosms

• Qi, pneuma: STUFF• Yin-yang: ALTERATION

– Bi-polarity, NOT duality• Five Agents: CYCLE• Macrocosm-microcosm: HOMOLOGY

Some Corresponding Bi-polarities

– yin-yang– north-south– west-east – inner-outer – Earth-Heaven; – moon-sun– civil-military

• The trouble with polarities– Change: tension, imbalance

The Luo Shu

Correspondence Logic and Microcosmic Homology

• Of relationships, not essences• A is to B as x is to y

– yin is to yang as water is to fire• A is to B is to C is to D is to E as v is to w is

to x is to y is to z– wood is to fire is to earth is to metal is to water

as spring is to summer is to mid-summer is to fall is to winter

CENTER as Mediator

• In the triads– The Central Harmony

• In the 9 squares of the Luoshu– Centered by 5, mid-summer, the spleen

• In the 5 Agents– Centered by earth

• Cardinal Axiality– The central axis centers

The Forbidden

City

The Forbidden City

The Central Axis of the Forbidden City

Hall of Supreme Harmony

The Central Axis of the Forbidden CityNorth Triad

Palace of Earthly TranquilityHall of Peaceful Unity

Palace of Heavenly BrightnessCenter Triad

Hall of Protecting HarmonyHall of Middle Harmony

Hall of Supreme HarmonySouth

Hall of Martial Hall of FlorescentValor Culture

Gate of Supreme HarmonyMeridian Gate

Taiyi Dipper Lords

The Power of the De

• “The Master said: He who rules by de(virtus) is like the pole-star, which remains in its place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.”-Analects II,1

• An unmoved center

North-South Suburban Altars

Altar of Earth, North

Forbidden City, Center

Altar of Heaven, South

East –West Suburban Altars

Altar of the Sun, East

Forbidden City, Center

Altar of the Moon, West

The Temple of Heaven

Altar of Heaven, SouthWinter Solstice: cosmic harmony, return of yang

Circle in the square

Altar of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven

Hall of the Imperial Firmament, CenterEmperor’s ancestors

Altar of Heaven, SouthWinter Solstice: cosmic harmony, return of yang

North to South from mid-point

Altar of Heaven (south)

Hall of the Imperial Firmament (center)

Hall of the Imperial Firmament

The Temple of Heaven

Hall of Yearly Sacrifice, NLunar New Year: peace and good harvest

Hall of the Imperial Firmament, CenterEmperor’s ancestors

Altar of Heaven, SouthWinter Solstice: cosmic harmony, return of yang

North to Southfrom Hall of Yearly Sacrifice

Hall of Yearly Sacrifice

Inside the Hall of Yearly Sacrifice

• The cosmos in time and space

• Number as spatialized time– 4 = seasons– 12 = lunar months

• Round over square– Heaven over Earth

Structural HomologyForbidden City :: Temple of Heaven

Implications

• Yin Yang• North & West Center South & East• Great Hall Imper Firm Altar of Heaven• Earthly affairs Ancestor cult Cosmic balance • Earth Human Heaven• People Emperor Cosmic order

• The Center animates, activates, balances• Both a place and a function

Power and its Spatialization• Power constitutes form

– It centers itself (centering is a spatializing action)

– It thereby defines space and hierarchy• Form constitutes power

– The occupant of the central position balances and harmonizes all others

– Hence is powerful– The occupant of the center dominates by

mutual consent (all recognize the center as center)