Shallow Graves and Empty Tombs: The Architecture of Death under the Chinese Concept of Tianxia

Abstract

The disruptive situation caused by the Corona virus we are currently experiencing reveals various narratives of self-isolation, levels of catastrophe and an acute sense of our vulnerability. The ubiquitous masks, surreal outfits, health care gowns as well as the many graveyard scenes pose questions regarding our representations of death. An elegiac pathos of distance has developed, unbelievable fights over stocks of masks on European airports tarmacs have occurred: from savagery to humanitarianism, this pandemic has revealed the burning scars of our modern societies. As a reminder of mortality, the ongoing disaster becomes the occasion for a philosophical reflection, challenging the founding assumptions of secular democracy with an urgent need to rethink the relationship between nature and culture.