Abstract
This article explores the Forbidden City’s zaojing (coffered ceiling) as a case study in reinterpreting ritual space through a “more-than-human” design lens. Bridging Confucian cosmology with contemporary post-humanist design theory, we argue that the imperial Chinese ritual environment was inherently more-than-human-centric, embedding non-human agencies (cosmic forces, mythical beings, and natural elements) into architectural design. We begin by examining Confucian cosmology and imperial architecture, highlighting how the built environment embodied a cosmological order beyond human-centered needs. We then outline a theoretical framework drawing on more-than- human design principles and spatial semiotics to understand architecture as an active mediator between human and non-human realms. The Forbidden City’sornatezaojingisanalyzedasacosmic design medium – a richly symbolic ceiling that not only communicated the unity of Heaven and humanity but also was believed to wield agency (e.g. warding off evil and revealing truth). Through thispost-humanist reframing, wediscusshowritualarchitecturecanbeseenasanearlyprecursorto designapproachesthatdecenter thehuman, integrating symbolic ecologies and non-human agency. We conclude that design heritage like the zaojing offers valuable inspiration for contemporary more- than-human design, demonstrating how built environments can cultivate profound connections between people, nature, and the cosmos.
Keywords
More-than-human-centered design; Zaojing (coffered ceiling); Confucian ritual space; Symbolic ecology
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.409
Citation
Gao, N., Tong, Y., Sui, A.,and Zeng, H.(2025) Confucian Ritual Space as More-Than-Human Design: Reframing the Zaojing in the Forbidden City, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.409
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 1 - More Than Human-centered Design
Confucian Ritual Space as More-Than-Human Design: Reframing the Zaojing in the Forbidden City
This article explores the Forbidden City’s zaojing (coffered ceiling) as a case study in reinterpreting ritual space through a “more-than-human” design lens. Bridging Confucian cosmology with contemporary post-humanist design theory, we argue that the imperial Chinese ritual environment was inherently more-than-human-centric, embedding non-human agencies (cosmic forces, mythical beings, and natural elements) into architectural design. We begin by examining Confucian cosmology and imperial architecture, highlighting how the built environment embodied a cosmological order beyond human-centered needs. We then outline a theoretical framework drawing on more-than- human design principles and spatial semiotics to understand architecture as an active mediator between human and non-human realms. The Forbidden City’sornatezaojingisanalyzedasacosmic design medium – a richly symbolic ceiling that not only communicated the unity of Heaven and humanity but also was believed to wield agency (e.g. warding off evil and revealing truth). Through thispost-humanist reframing, wediscusshowritualarchitecturecanbeseenasanearlyprecursorto designapproachesthatdecenter thehuman, integrating symbolic ecologies and non-human agency. We conclude that design heritage like the zaojing offers valuable inspiration for contemporary more- than-human design, demonstrating how built environments can cultivate profound connections between people, nature, and the cosmos.