2007年10月8日 星期一

Design philosophy in Tao Te Ching!!

From I came to American,I always try to introduce Chinese culture to my forgien colleagues, but there is one situation make me feel shacked,even thought after almost 2 months,I still want to write down this.


Aug.3, that was a really beautiful night,at a backyard of German bar,My colleagues and I were having German sausages and beers with my colleagues, when I told about my religion is one kind of mix of Taoism and Buddhism,suddenly my boss Mr.D .tell me he know what is Tao,I feel really surprised .And he told me he had speech in China in Oct. 2004. and he use Tao Te Ching to describe his design philosophy as following:



Tao is defined as the "all-pervading eternal cosmic unity-the source from which all created things emanate"and Te signifies the" personal qualities of individual and all entities in the universe".

It means Integrity :including all the human needs,social context,and technical breakthroughs into a good cause or an innovation production.When done right,all elements seem to dance together.

道德經第十一章 虛中章
_Thirty spokes converge on a single hub,but it is in the space where there is nothing,that the usefulness of the cart lies. 三十輻共一轂,當其無,有車之用。

_Clay is molded to make a pot,but it is in the space where there is nothing,that the usefulness of the clay pot lies.埏埴以為器,當其無,有器之用
_Cut out doors and windows to make a room,but it is in the space where there is nothing,that the usefulness of the room lies.鑿戶牖以為室,當其無,有室之用
_Therefore,benefit may be derived from something,but it is in the nothing that we find usefulness.故有之以為利,無之以為用。
Designer need to find the essence of product,don't do over-designed.disingenuous,and meaningless.

I would say it's so cool to use Tao Te Ching to describe the design philosophy.
I think sometimes, we do need to turn back to see what we have.
Then we may have more confidence to show our self.

解釋:三十根輻條彙集于車轂而造車,有了其中的虛空,才發揮了車的作用;糅和陶土製作器皿,有了器皿內的虛空,才發揮了器皿的作用;開鑿門窗建造房屋,有了門窗四壁內的虛空,才發揮了房屋的作用。所以,"有"之所以能給人以便利,是因為它營造的"無"發揮了作用。