Lang Zhao
The Neglected Shadow City
Summary
This thesis explores the historical roots, cultural transmission, and the revival of shadow aesthetics in modern urbanscapes in East Asia. The study begins with the essay In Praise of Shadows (1933) by the Japanese writer Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (1886-1965), and incorporates the theories from Atomic Light (Shadow Optics) (2005) of Akira Mizuta Lippit (b.1964) to elucidate the different symbolic meanings of shadows in Eastern and Western cultures and their philosophical backgrounds.
Firstly, the thesis discusses the aesthetics of light in ancient Greek culture and visuality. In contrast, East Asian culture, particularly the Wu-shaman culture of Wushan in China, values the combination of shadows and interiority, reflecting a visuality which emphasizes perceiving the inner spirit of objects through shadows, embodying a cosmology where everything has a soul. These differing worldviews have led to variations in architectural aesthetics between the East and West. Secondly, the thesis provides a detailed analysis of the origins of Wushan’s shadow culture, exploring the role of lacquerware in Wu-shaman culture and how to turn the pile dwelling architecture into unique shadow architecture. This architectural culture has not only been preserved in China but also spread throughout East Asia. Lastly, the thesis uses Chongqing's pile dwelling Hongyadong as an example to demonstrate shadow aesthetics in modern urbanscape. Hongyadong, through the lighting effects of its night scene, creates a place spirit of everything has a soul, successfully preserving and showcasing the charm of East Asian shadow culture.
In conclusion, this thesis, through a multidisciplinary approach involving aesthetics, anthropology, and visual culture, deeply excavates and elucidates the origins, dissemination, and modern application of East Asian shadow aesthetics. It provides important aesthetics references for cultural heritage preservation and urban planning.
Additional info
Lang Zhao is an director, cinematographer, urbanscape researcher.
East Asian Shadow Urbanscapes
My research first address the following questions: What is "Animistic Visuality" and how does it form shadow aesthetics? By extending the philosophical reflections on East Asian shadow culture mentioned by Jun’ichirōTanizaki in "In Praise of Shadows", and combine them with Akira Mizuta Lippit’s theories. This will explore the dichotomy between "Animistic Visuality" and the modern visuality dominated by Western rational thought. Through deduction, I reveal the connections between "Animistic Visuality" and elements of shadow aesthetics, demonstrating that shadow urbanscape as an aesthetic object reflects the beauty of the "inner light" embodied in the "Animism" worldview.
Secondly, I explore the origins, development, and influence of Wushan shadow culture throughout East Asia. The core of Wushan shadow culture lies in the aesthetic system of "shadow taboo," which encompasses the reverence and awe for shadows and blackness. This taboo stems from the unique natural environment and climatic conditions of the Wushan area, making shadows a crucial element in daily life and religious ceremonies. This led to the creation of "shadow architecture" pile dwellings and a distinctive aesthetic experience that spread throughout East Asia.
Finally, this dissertation will focus on how Wushan’s shadow culture left a profound impact on East Asian architecture and urbanscapes. I will employ art history and iconology methods to examine paintings and visual materials of Wushan pile dwellings from the World War II period, analyzing the historical background of Wushan as the first city in the world to suffer "strategic bombing", marking the end of "animistic visuality" and "shadow aesthetic culture" during the war. Using the example of Wushan pile dwelling shadow urbanscapes, particularly Hongyadong, I will illustrate how its shadow exterior, as part of the city's nightscape, embodies the "animism" aesthetic characteristic. This positions Hongyadong as a quintessential example of modern East Asian urban aesthetics, thereby reintroducing Wushan, the "neglected Eastern shadow city," to the world.
Shadow urbanscape in Japanese film Spirited Away
Paintings of shadow urbanscapes in Chongqing
Modern shadow architecture Hongyadong
Modern shadow urbanscapes in China
