Journal article
Hypoiconicity in the architecture of Suzhou: authentic resemblance, diagrammatic reduction, and metaphoric displacement
Social Semiotics, Vol.30(1), pp.114-132
2018
Abstract
In this paper, I discuss the architecture of the Chinese city of Suzhou from the perspective of hypoiconicity, Charles S. Peirce's subdivision of iconicity into direct resemblance, diagrammatic resemblance and metaphoric resemblance relations. Accordingly, the paper distinguishes our iconic recognition of traditional, architectural motifs in old Suzhou from their diagrammatical representations, and their metaphoric displacement in the modern parts of the city. At the same time, the paper provides a minimal sketch of the city's cultural background as a frame of reference for my argument, as well as photographic evidence, without however addressing photographic iconicity itself. Instead, the focus is on how we recognize traditional architectural motifs in terms of their quality, their internal structure, their repetition in the cityscape and emplacement, and how their modern modifications revive, and yet differ from, their traditional function. As such, architectural motifs are viewed as a significant feature of human dwelling within the broader domain of social semiotics.
Details
- Title
- Hypoiconicity in the architecture of Suzhou: authentic resemblance, diagrammatic reduction, and metaphoric displacement
- Authors/Creators
- Y. Chu (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Social Semiotics, Vol.30(1), pp.114-132
- Publisher
- Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group
- Identifiers
- 991005540346207891
- Copyright
- © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Arts
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 10 Arts & Humanities
- 10.126 Philosophy
- 10.126.1995 Philosophical Semiotics
- Web Of Science research areas
- Communication
- Humanities, Multidisciplinary
- Linguistics
- ESI research areas
- Social Sciences, general