Author's Preface

The first question readers of this book may ask is, “What does ‘Ching Chi’ mean, and how is it related to the concepts of presence and existence design?”
This takes me back to my childhood. In elementary school, I first came to understand that "human life has its end," and the concept of "existence" became deeply imprinted in my heart. Whenever I found myself alone, it would surface in my mind. Understanding it was not a comfortable experience, and this feeling of pain has accompanied me as I grew up.
In high school, I had heard the term "existentialism," but it wasn't until university that I became acquainted with the existentialist writer Albert Camus. During my graduate studies, I encountered certain points that seemed to resonate with those studying architecture—such as Lin Huiyin, mentioned in Chinese architectural history textbooks (though few knew at the time that she was Xu Zhimo's lifelong love), and the American architectural master Louis Kahn with his obscure design language, like the personification of bricks. Through these inspirations, particularly after the earthquake in 2000, I finally integrated this aspect of existence that had always been part of me with my lifelong passion for spatial design, culminating in this book.
The meaning of "Ching Chi" is quite simple: it refers to something that appears ordinary but holds deep significance. The expression of existence design, from an external viewpoint, is like the clear water in a glass, while the extraordinary aspects lie within, requiring a deeper understanding. The feeling of "existence" is reflected in the evaluation of Baoyu's writings in the book Dream of the Red Chamber, where the emperor praises Baoyu's work, saying, “... Baoyu’s writing is indeed Ching Chi; he must have been there before, thus expressing it so…” This is also the reason for the title of this book.
This book is divided into two parts: the first part explains "sense of existence" and "existential space," while the second part discusses the linguistic design methods and photographic examples of "existential space."