The political color in the royal garden architecture

1. Introduction

Royal gardens crystallize civilizational prowess， embedding imperial systems in spatial/material design to manifest political power structures through built forms.

2. Origin， development color characteristics royal garden architecture

Chinese royal gardens originated as Shang/Zhou （1600–256 BCE） hunting preserves like King Wen’s Lingyou， featuring natural lscapes with earthen tones. Qin/Han （221 BCE–220 CE） exped them into celestial-patterned complexes （e.g.， Epang Palace， Shanglin Yuan） using imperial black/red to symbolize centralized power. Tang/ Song （618–1279） merged artificial-natural beauty， with Tang palaces like Daming reflecting prosperity literati gardens integrating poetry， while colors exped to include yellow. Ming/Qing （1368– 1912） reached their peak through mega-complexes such as Beijing’s “Three Hills Five Gardens”（e.g.， Yuanmingyuan， Summer Palace）， blending Jiangnan aesthetics with political authority under“avoiding noisy governance.” Across dynasties， these gardens materialized imperial power China’s artistic engagement with nature.

3. Political colors in royal garden architecture

3.1 Architectural layout symbol imperial power

Imperial palace locations embodied the “harmony between nature man” through astrological alignment. The Middle Palace constellation， regarded as the Heavenly Emperor’s celestial abode， was mirrored terrestrially as the emperor’s “Purple Palace on Earth.” This cosmological correspondence justified immense imperial expenditure， transforming palaces into physical manifestations divine mate.

Palace layouts rigorously adhered to sacred principles： “Front court/back bed” spatially separated administrative zones （e.g.， Yuanmingyuan’s Zhengda Hall Light） from imperial living quarters （Jiuzhou Qingyan）， reinforcing governance solemnity. The“five gates/ three courts”sequence enforced hierarchical order through ceremonial thresholds， while“left ancestor/right society”placements signified dual reverence for lineage statecraft. Collectively， these designs ritualized imperial authority across governance， domestic life， religious observance.

Royal gardens amplified sacred majesty through axial symmetry symbolic proportions. The Forbidden City’s Hall Supreme Harmony epitomized this political theology： its monumental scale （63m width ×35m depth × 35.05m height） deliberate 9：5 ratio （evoking the “revered sovereign”） visually asserted imperial supremacy. Strict symmetry throughout palace complexes conveyed dynastic stability， while balanced compositions transformed architecture into instruments ideological power， where every dimension axis served the narrative eternal imperial order.

3.2 Architectural color imperial power display

Imperial palaces embodied nature-man harmony via astrological alignment （e.g.， Purple Palace） strict layouts （“front court/ back bed”）， reflecting imperial power’s sacred duality.

4. Cultural connotation political color royal garden architecture

4.1 Influence imperial power thought

Royal gardens enforced social hierarchy through architectural symbolism， preserved cultural heritage， legitimized imperial power via religious cosmology as divine mate.

4.2 Cultural inheritance innovation

Royal gardens blended imperial symbolism with nature-culture harmony through multifunctional designs （leisure/art display） innovations like borrowed scenery， embodying China’s cosmological philosophy power-nature unity.

5. Conclusion

Royal gardens embodied imperial supremacy through central-palace layouts， solemn architecture， symbolic yellow/red colors， vital for understing China’s political heritage.

Reference

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