On the Formative Factors of Urban Narrative Space〔＊〕

Li Peng，Zhang Nan

（School of Architectural Art Central South University，Changsha Hunan 410075）

The theory of narrative space has gained more and more attention with the deepening of the study.This paper focuses on the formative factors of narrative space，especially on the detailed analysis on the diversified events，which has great importance on the improvement of the theory.

Ⅰ.Urban narrative space

Urban narrative space focuses on the characteristics and rules of urban narrative space by integrating narrative narratology，ekistics，architecture，semiology，communication，cognitive science，psychology and linguistics.Liu Naifang（2012）defines urban narrative space as cognitive space，space of city tell-ing stories and observers’profound cognitive image based on the diversified urban events and the formation of event space during different periods in space.

Ⅱ.On the formative factors of narrative space

Narrative space consists of diversified event factor，temporal factor and spatial factor.Spatial factor in narrative space overlaps the spatial research on urban planning field.The key should be attached to the diversified event factor and its relevance in space diachronism.

1.Diversified event factor

According to Modern Chinese Dictionary，event refers to the “unusual great matters that happen in history or society”，which suggests its major impact.Classification of events varies from the perspectives of research.Events can be classified as minor events，medium events，large events and huge events according to their scale，influence and media attention.

This paper defines urban diversified events from the perspective of urban story as urban events that happen in urban space and exert unusual influence on urban.These urban events have been given new content of space，which tends to give rise to a series of response from people.The diversified events in urban have formed the collective memory of people.The classification is made according to the initial elements and major influence of these events in Figure 1.

（1）Natural events

Natural events refer to those that exert major impact on human activity in a broad scale as a result of natural elements，such as earthquake，volcano eruption，flood and drought，which have impacts on human life to some extent and bring forth a series of events as well as social events with certain influence.Some of these natural events can sometimes totally change the lifestyle of local people and be preserved as a special memory for many people.

Natural events can be divided as positive natural events and negative events according to that whether they are beneficial to people or not.

a.Positive natural events

Take Qiantang Tide as an example.Qiantang Tide，as an eternal splendid natural sight，has caught the attention of a lot of visitors.Due to the fact that Qiantang Tide had brought disasters before people adopted defense measures，local people has kept launching superstition activities in order to pray for safety.Such human activities have turned Guanyan Town，Haining City into a unique narrative space，which has brought about a series of economic，figure and cultural events.

b.Negative natural events

Natural disasters tend to exert great impact on human mind，form widespread influence and bring forth many relevant events.

Take the Lisbon Earthquake in 1775 as an example.It has huge historical influence，thus being regarded as a“terrifying earthquake that people bear in their deep mind”.Lisbon Earthquake has also become the synonym for mass destruction.

（2）Non-natural events

Non-natural events refer to contrived incident.Cheng Shidan holds that they include political events，economic events and cultural events on the level of urban.Liu Naifang holds that diversified urban events include celebrity events，historical events，construction events，cultural events，commercial events，warfare events，custom events and festival events.This paper divides diversified urban events caused by non-natural elements into political events，economic events，cultural events，figure events，social events and theme events.

a.Political events

Political events refer to events directly relevant to politics，such as war，election and political campaign，especially wars which cause great impact to urban space.Political events tend to incur a series of major economic，historical and figure events.

Take the fire in Wenxi，Changsha，as an example.In the midnight of 12，November，1938，the fire in the south gate of Changsha gave rise to the panic and people thought the fire was set because of the approaching of Japanese troops.The fire lasted for five days and nearly burnt down the ancient city，which gave a fatal blow to the historical cultural city with almost 3，000years.

b.Economic events

Economic events refer to economic activities，such as commodity fair，customer display，trade negotiation，F(xiàn)ortune Forum and Heads of State Summit with the aim of economic development as well as construction，commercial and manufacturing events with the aim of economic construction.Take China-ASEAN Expo as an example.

c.Cultural events

Entertainment such as concert，play，film festival，art festival and beauty contest and cultural activities such as religious activities and memorial activities，as well as tales，legends and folk stories all belong to cultural events.

Myth，legend and folk story are considered the three types of folk prose narrative literature，many of which have formed on the basis of ancient people’s understanding and imagination of natural phenomenon and social events.

d.Figure events

Figure events refer to the relevant stories and memories left in the cities by public figures and celebrities.These people and events serve as the mark of the cities and the code to interpreting urban space.

e.Social events

Public pay great attention to the major impact brought about by major epi-demic situation，accidents and terrorists attack.These group events are imprinted in urban space，which exert psychological influence upon both parties involved and social public，such as SARS in 2002.

f.Theme events

Traditional festivals，custom activities，large-scale games and expos can be seen as urban theme events.People hold such activities on a regular basis to attract the attention of local people and foreigners so as to realize communication and exchange.

2.Temporal factor

Narration is the art of time.Temporal factor is an important component of narrative space theory.Time represents the formation of history；urban politics，economy，military，education，thought and art have become the urban memory as time goes by，which form the unique historical background and humanity tradition and contribute to the profundity of urban.Thanks to the cultural heritage given by history，certain events and history can reflect their significance in the space.

（1）The speed of narrative time—relevant to narrative degree of closeness

The speed of narrative time is a relative concept which becomes a variant when historical time projects into narrative process.The speed of narrative time will show when there is a reference object.

The speed of narrative time of the inner organization of narrative text is in direct proportion to the narrative degree of closeness of narrative plot.The more intense the plot is，the slower the speed of narrative time，while the more loose the plot is，the faster the speed of narrative time.

（2）The frequency of narrative time— relevant to the repeating of narration

The frequency of narrative time refers to the repeated narrative expression of the same narrative content，which shows the importance and influence of the event to some extent.Events with higher frequency have greater importance，influence and attention.

（3）The expression of narrative time— relevant to the accuracy of narration

There are various forms of narrative time，the accuracy of which can reflect the true process and scope of the event.This paper divides the expression of narrative time into three categories：specific time，fuzzy time and situational time.

3.Spatial factor

Narrative time is always been closely connected to space，and the narrative event proceeds spontaneously with pass of time and the transfer of space.Space provides material foundation for human activity，development of events and flow of ideology.As recognized space，narrative space becomes vivid dynamic space since it carries human memory.The research on narrative space should focus on its realness，which means that the space where an event happens should be real.

Narrative space possesses the dual characteristics of materialness and non-materialness.Narrative space will present new form or content as time goes by，which is a lively and dynamic event space.Space event increase as times goes by and the form and structure of space will also be updated.Narrative space serves as the basic carrier of urban memory.The key of space should be its realness，which can present the local culture of urban narrative space and its fine historical cultural essence，thus contributing to the recognition and identification of the public.

Ⅲ.Conclusion

In conclusion，the formative factors of urban narrative space are quite abundant.Diversified event factor is the key of narrative space，temporal factor is the process of diversified events in space，and spatial factor constitutes the event carrier of diversified events.Abundant events，the change and development of space and the long history have constituted an accumulated narrative space with great vitality.

Notes：

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