Town Plaza, The Humanities Research

City square is not only a center of political, economic as well as cultural activities, but also an important symbol of different cities. Since mid-1990s city squares become one of the eminent elements in China, recognized as an important means to exhibit a good image, to create identity for city, and to accelerate economic development as well. However, due to the lack of deep understanding of as well as thorough research on them, a great majority of Chinese squares built during this period are based on typical western-derived forms, which results in a great number of architectural and social problems that inspire the author to investigate their history so that the evolution of city square can be better understood. This dissertation aims to deepen the comprehension of urban square cultures, hence engenders the effort to explore the cultural tradition of ancient Chinese squares, which is a valuable resource available for the perfection of city squares to make them meaningful, significant and vigorous places, and a spring of city robustness as well. This dissertation focuses on social and cultural interpretation of urban squares in order to make squares into places for people. Accordingly, the designing of city square should adapt well to both psychological characteristics and social needs which need to be based on indigenous cultures of Chinese squares. A series of historical and sociological methods that enabled the examination of public squares start with a perspective of social space, seeking to place the understanding of city squares within the larger context of society's institutions and its history. In order to search robust elements to create a square life with various aspects, the central part is arranged as following: First, this dissertation gives a description of the western squares, analyzing both their culture and social life. Seeing that a majority of Chinese squares are copies of western ones, the author explores the historical emergence and evolution of western squares, dividing them into five phases, that is, ancient Greece, ancient Roman, medieval times, Renaissance and baroque times, and the contemporary era. It is found that western squares are a cultural system of its own. Second, and as the focus of this dissertation as well, this dissertation examines the evolution of Chinese square, Specific emphasis being given to the ancient period. This part is divided into three chapters: by careful analysis of the abundant written document, chapter 2 explores both origin and evolvement of ancient squares which are divided six types, revealing that Chinese squares were a longest-lived cultural system. are discussed Chapter 3 explores modern squares from 1898 to 1978, investigating two aspects of both the rise of western-derived squares and decline of traditional Chinese ones. Chapter 4 examines contemporary squares since 1978, focusing on their defects and related reclamations. In the last parts of each chapter, the author interprets culturally squares during every phase and related contradictions of urban cultures. Making use of drawings and documents, it analyzes factors influencing traditional Chinese squares. This dissertation analyzes the break of the Chinese square tradition and causes, experiences and lessons of mistakes in square construction, demonstrating that the public involvement is the fundamental solution of the problems of contemporary squares, and an arena to construct the socialist democracy. Finally, this dissertation makes a concise contrast between Chinese squares and western ones, demonstrating both of them have not only a great number of analogies, but also more fundamental differences which are crucial to understanding of their cultural character. There are four domains where the author has made some innovation and characteristics: 1)From a sociological perspective, the dissertation make a systemic research on traditional Chinese square culture, drawing a new conclusion that there existed diverse square culture and square life.2) this dissertation makes a systemic comparison between Chinese and western squares, emphasizing that Chinese square construction should make use of both native forms and national styles while borrowing western forms. 3) Based on the analysis of the history of Chinese squares, the author presents a viewpoint that Chinese square tradition had been broken in the modern context of violent social change, in accordance bring forward theoretical guidelines for ideal squares-construction, insisting that current square-construction should make use of China's own square tradition. 4) Abundant documents are available in this dissertation, which is able to be taken as a base for more researches.