Proportion and Vitality -Aesthetic Viewpoints of the Architectures of the East and the West-

비례(比例)와 기운(氣韻) - 동서양 건축에서의 심미성 -

All architectures in the history have certain attitudes of aesthetic expression of their own. Depending on the culture, such aesthetic attitudes are not the same but different. This paper aims to identify the nature of the difference of aesthetic attitude in the architectures of the East and the West. As a way of approach for this purpose, two keywords are employed as representative concept. They are: 'proportion' and 'vitality'. Proportion, of course, represent the attitude of the Western, while, vitality, the Eastern. Although these two words are subjective selection, it is hoped that the nature of aesthetic attitudes could be observed through the windows of these two representative concepts. We all know that the architects and students of architecture of this period, are very much concerned about the aesthetic expression of their design. However, the value judgement of aesthetic quality seems quite confused in modem period. If the nature of aesthetic attitudes of the Eastern and the Western architecture is well understood, such understanding will help much for the direction of architectural aesthetic of future architecture.