ABSTRACT
This chapter constructs an architectural theory for China from the philosophy of the pre-Qin Confucian philosopher Xunzi. The premise is that since “architectural theory” in China largely emerged from the influx of European ideas beginning around the First Opium War (1839–1842), architectural theory in China never had the opportunity to spawn from China’s own philosophical roots. This chapter promotes looking to Xunzi in this regard. Specifically, Xunzi’s idea of the “badness” of human nature surprisingly serves as the starting point for an indigenous Chinese architectural theory that sets standards of excellence in the areas of tectonics, craft, and architectural education.
