Heart of Forest Springs†in the Construction of Metaverse Landscape: Contemporary Digital Translation and Practice of the Aesthetic Concept of “The Lofty Ambition of Forest Springs

Abstract

The propositions proposed by Guo Xi, the painter of China’s Northern Song Dynasty, to landscape painting in The Sublime Ambition of Woodland Springs - such as the ‘spirit of woodland springs’, the ‘three distances technique’ and the idea of ‘places fit for both wandering and dwelling’ - constitute the essence of traditional Chinese landscape painting aesthetic system. In today’s new media environment, especially with the introduction of virtual reality, such as the metaverse, the traditional landscape aesthetic has a chance for renewal. The ‘Heart of the Forest and Springs’ metaphorically refers to a realm beyond world utilitarianism, merging with nature by virtue of a pure and clear mind.Discussing the contemporary aesthetic making of the “Heart of the Forest and Springs,†this paper adopts cross-media narrative theory to explore how landscape creation in the metaverse can solve the problem of the traditional landscape aesthetic unity with the aesthetics character of the media of digital media. Adopting case analysis, it shows the way to realize the “dwell picturesque spirit†aesthetic of Linquan Gaozhi in virtual spaces and its spiritual healing power, also providing fresh thoughts for the contemporary aesthetic transformation of classical aesthetic ideas.