“你看，這條中軸線連接著南面的午門和最北側(cè)的玄武門。中軸線由南至北橫穿宮城，串聯(lián)起最主要的建筑群：三大殿、后三宮和御花園。在中軸線的左右兩側(cè)，對稱排列文華殿和武英殿，東六宮和西六宮。我這是用中軸線表現(xiàn)出宮城的對稱性；再利用左右兩側(cè)的對稱性把臣民的朝拜焦點集中在整個宮城的核心宮殿太和殿。這就是萬歲爺無上尊崇核心之地。這也是我想表達的 ‘居中為尊 ’?！?/span>

The young man explained, “This central axis will connect the Meridian Gate in the south of the imperial palace with the Xuanwu Gate in the northernmost area, dividing the palace into two parts and connecting the most important groups of buildings – the Three Great Halls, the Three Rear Palaces and the Imperial Garden. On one side will be the Hall of Literary Glory, and on the other side the Hall of Martial Valor, as well as six palaces on either side. That is how I will bring balance to the imperial palace. The balance between the left and right sides will focus the imperial audiences granted to ministers and com-moners on the core building of the complex, the Taihe Hall. This is the center of worship of the emperor, and how I will express the concept of ‘occupying the seat of the highest honor’.”

說到得意處，年輕人便收不住話頭了：“不同于中國園林較為婉轉(zhuǎn)的建造方法，皇帝的宮殿一定要凸顯盛世極權(quán)。在我們老祖宗留下的建造創(chuàng)意中，對稱美往往被工匠利用來彰顯一個事物的至高無上性。而這個中軸線，不過是幫助觀摩者按圖索驥罷了。他會順著這條中軸線，從午門一直看過來，最終把目光停留在那個中心宮殿上?！闭f罷，他用手指用力地點了點圖紙上的中心點，自豪地笑了。

Having blurted this out, the young man couldn’t help continuing, “Unlike the compara-tively modest design of Chinese leisure grounds, the imperial palace must directly express its nature of being replete with supreme power. In the creative concepts of construction handed down to us by our forefathers aesthetic balance is one which workmen constantly use to highlight the ultimate nature of any object. This axis will just help observers to in-tuitively grasp the sublime essence of the design, and their eyes will, by seeing the whole length of the axis from the Meridian Gate, rest on the central hall.” With this, he stabbed his finger at the representation of the central hall on the blueprint, smiling proudly.

蒯師傅的想法果然受到了明成祖的高度認(rèn)可。蒯師傅也就成為這座宏偉宮殿設(shè)計思想的提出者。蒯師傅獨具匠心地利用中軸線的對稱性把這個皇家宮殿設(shè)計得氣勢恢宏，規(guī)整精巧，使故宮成為中國古代建筑史上最濃墨重彩的一筆。

Master Kuai’s idea showed a good grasp of the concept of his illustrious ancestor. Master Kuai himself became the originator of the design for this magnificent palace com-pound. It was his unique sense of craftsmanship that enabled him, through his balanced central axis, to endow the imperial palace with its imposing aspect and exquisite regular-ity. It also makes the Forbidden City outstanding in the history of ancient Chinese archi-tecture.

——《用英語講中國故事》基礎(chǔ)級

建在中軸線上的皇宮