DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0198
134
CHINESE ABCHITECTURE.
Book III.
trutli seems to be, that they are a people natnrally excelling in con-
structive talent, and in all technic arts, but 'wholly devoid of either
gesthetic feeling or desire to share in that higher class of human
utterance.
This national idiosyncracy is no doubt the real fundamental cause
of tliis absence of architectural remains. Other causes may be
assigned wliich contributed to the same result. In the first place, the
Chinese never had either a dominant priesthood or a hereditary
nobility. The absence of the former class is a very important con-
sideration, because, in all countries where architecture has been car-
ried to anything like perfection, it is to sacred art that it owes its
highest inspiration, and sacred art is never so strongly developed as
under the influence of a powerful and splendid hierarchy. Again,
religious and sectarian zeal is often a strong stimulus to sacred archi-
tecture, and this is entirely wanting in this remarkable people.
Though tlie Chinese are bigoted to a greater extent than we can well
conceive in all political matters, they are more tolerant than any
other nation we know of in all matters concerning religion. At the
present moment three great religious sects divide the empire nearly
equally between tliem. For though Buddhism is the religion of the
reigning family, and perliaps numbers more followers than either of
the other two, still tlie followers of the doctrines of Confucius, the
contemporary and rival of Sakya Sinha, are a ruore purely Chinese
sect than the other, and hold an equal place in public estimation;
wliile, at the present time, the sect of Laou Tse, or the Doctors of
Beason, is more fashionable, and certainly more progressive, than
the others. Christianity, too, might at one time have encroached
largely on either of these, and been a very prevalent religion in this
tolerant empire, had the Jesuits and Dominicans understood that the
condition of religious tolerance here is a total abstinence from inter-
ference in political matters. This, however, the Boman Catholic
priestliood never could be brought to understand ; hence their expul-
sion from the realm, and the proscription of their faith, which other-
wise would not only have been tolerated like all others, but have bid
fair to find more extensive favour than any. Tliis toleration is highly
laudable in one point of view; but the want of fervour and energy
from which it arises is fatal to any great exertions for the honour of
religion.
In the same manner the want of an hereditary nobility, and indeed
of any strong family pride, is equally unfavourable to domestic
architecture of a durable description. At a man’s death his property
is generally divided equally among liis children. Consequently the
wealthiest men do not build palaces calculated to last longer than for
their own lives. The royal palaces are merely somewhat larger and
more splendid than those of the mandarins, but tlie same in character
ancl erected for the same purposes.
There is no country where property is so secure as it is in China.
Private feuds and private wars are unknown ; foreign invasion has been
practically impossible and little dreaded. Ilence they have none of
CHINESE ABCHITECTURE.
Book III.
trutli seems to be, that they are a people natnrally excelling in con-
structive talent, and in all technic arts, but 'wholly devoid of either
gesthetic feeling or desire to share in that higher class of human
utterance.
This national idiosyncracy is no doubt the real fundamental cause
of tliis absence of architectural remains. Other causes may be
assigned wliich contributed to the same result. In the first place, the
Chinese never had either a dominant priesthood or a hereditary
nobility. The absence of the former class is a very important con-
sideration, because, in all countries where architecture has been car-
ried to anything like perfection, it is to sacred art that it owes its
highest inspiration, and sacred art is never so strongly developed as
under the influence of a powerful and splendid hierarchy. Again,
religious and sectarian zeal is often a strong stimulus to sacred archi-
tecture, and this is entirely wanting in this remarkable people.
Though tlie Chinese are bigoted to a greater extent than we can well
conceive in all political matters, they are more tolerant than any
other nation we know of in all matters concerning religion. At the
present moment three great religious sects divide the empire nearly
equally between tliem. For though Buddhism is the religion of the
reigning family, and perliaps numbers more followers than either of
the other two, still tlie followers of the doctrines of Confucius, the
contemporary and rival of Sakya Sinha, are a ruore purely Chinese
sect than the other, and hold an equal place in public estimation;
wliile, at the present time, the sect of Laou Tse, or the Doctors of
Beason, is more fashionable, and certainly more progressive, than
the others. Christianity, too, might at one time have encroached
largely on either of these, and been a very prevalent religion in this
tolerant empire, had the Jesuits and Dominicans understood that the
condition of religious tolerance here is a total abstinence from inter-
ference in political matters. This, however, the Boman Catholic
priestliood never could be brought to understand ; hence their expul-
sion from the realm, and the proscription of their faith, which other-
wise would not only have been tolerated like all others, but have bid
fair to find more extensive favour than any. Tliis toleration is highly
laudable in one point of view; but the want of fervour and energy
from which it arises is fatal to any great exertions for the honour of
religion.
In the same manner the want of an hereditary nobility, and indeed
of any strong family pride, is equally unfavourable to domestic
architecture of a durable description. At a man’s death his property
is generally divided equally among liis children. Consequently the
wealthiest men do not build palaces calculated to last longer than for
their own lives. The royal palaces are merely somewhat larger and
more splendid than those of the mandarins, but tlie same in character
ancl erected for the same purposes.
There is no country where property is so secure as it is in China.
Private feuds and private wars are unknown ; foreign invasion has been
practically impossible and little dreaded. Ilence they have none of