Chinese opera and ancient architecture -- Condensed architectural poetry

    Although Chinese drama and architecture are different art forms, they share many similarities on many levels behind their artistic appearance. On the carved patterns of ancient Chinese buildings, there are many plots of dramatic characters. Then, does drama influence architecture, or does architecture spread drama stories? Perhaps the answer comes back to human behavior.

                                   
    Human ritual activities are not only valuable to the ritual itself, but also have a profound impact on all aspects of human life. For example, because of the profound influence of Confucianism, life in traditional Chinese society is carried out according to a certain standard, which is the "ritual system". It gives Chinese life a strong ritualized character.

Drama is the distillation of real life, but also a mirror of life. And life is characterized by drama. Looking at real life from the perspective of drama, it is easier to grasp the structure of life. As the material carrier of life, architecture, like the stage of drama, inevitably reflects the structure of life on the carved pattern. In this sense, architecture is dramatized. On the other hand, architecture serves as a carrier, and People's Daily life in it is recorded and depicted, which is a picture of dramatic characters. Art comes from life, so the influence between drama and architecture should complement each other.

Since the 16th century, Chinese drama themes have been applied in architecture. In the 17th century, the "background themes" directly related to Chinese drama developed most rapidly. The craftsmen moved a large number of Chinese opera scenes to the building components, and the typical pieces that the owner likes to see are left on the wall in the form of group painting, which can be enjoyed at any time. Chinese dramas have greatly enriched the themes of wood carving in architecture.