The basic element of design is time and space. We all know that the physical time concept is considered to be absolute before Einstein. Because of Einstein's new theory, time becomes relative. Therefore, the time-oriented experience turns into a problem which needs to be testified by science.

Eastern culture and art, especially the Chinese culture, put emphasis on the expression of time in stead of the spatial concept and form, which obviously reflect in the environmental construction. There are two different ways of Chinese and Western environmental construction system. In <Shuo Yuan>, Professor Chen Congzhou from Tongji University said “a still object gets the dynamic potential", which refers to the relative between static and dynamic state. Static state is one kind of existence form of space, and dynamic state is one kind of medium to realize it. In the Eastern traditional perception, this cognition indicates that the space and time belongs to the unified system, which is the key point for the architectural environment construction. And this cognition of time and space also indicates the Environment-based Artistic Perception.

Environmental Art is not one resulting from the attempt to resolve the problems between humans and its environment. Environmental art is in essence an embodiment of the expression of art form across space-time. On the surface level, environment and art are not intrinsically related, as the environment in its purest sense refers to Nature, while art represents the ultimate realization of man-made artifacts. In the realisation of made-made art form, except for music which is expressed abstractly, "to make eye-pleasingly art-pieces with personal sense without limitations" In the expression of other art forms, ‘appearance’ and ‘sight’ are the commonest and most comprehensive associative elements.

Although there is no human‘s will in it, the mountain, water, plant and animal constitute a perfect harmonious prospect in the natural landscape.(Picture 1) Human beings could use concrete craft to express concept and will, and could achieve the acme in the field of visual form. There is an ivory carving lunch box in the picture (Picture 2) which is made by hand. It is amazing to carve the netlike pattern in 0.3mm depth on the ivory. From these samples, we could say that the nature and man-made are completely in two different kind of realms.

Men appreciate art, abstract or tangible, through various communication media. The fundamental appeal of any piece of art is to delight and satisfy the desires of its audience, through their perception of its expression in different types of art forms. "Therefore, art is often considered as a deliberate undertaking to provide to others a perceptual experience of pleasure, arising from which sensory manifestation the satisfac- tion to one’s sense of beauty. Whether the effort is successful or not also depends on the ability of appreciation and aesthetic judgment of the audience, to be in tune with the message". As such, the human perception is the basic criteria for the appreciation of art.

The goal of the form of expression of any art creation is to satisfy the perceptual experience of its audience, to fulfill their perceptual experience of joy. The attainment of aesthetic sensibilities should be the basic goal of art creation. Since that aesthetic perception is the essential content of the creation of beauty, and that ‘beauty’ is generally defined in association with the manifestation of aesthetic sensibilities, it appears that a work of art capable of manifesting aesthetic sensibilities is beauty attained.

Yet, is all art beautiful?  Especially when we view art in a historical context, "we found that art is not necessarily always beautiful no matter now and then". Nonetheless, we tend to believe on the physical definition of beauty by British scholar, Herbert Read (1893-1968), in which beauty exists in the integrity among the myriad related forms in men’s sensory perception. This notion has important meanings to the birth of environmental art. The expression of art must be achieved through a corresponding material carrier. As for its basic factor contributing to the material foundation, time is the existing form of matter in motion. It is the motion of matter, continuity of changes, chronological manifestations. Space is the objective form of material existence. It is expressed in length, width, height, and is the expression of the extensiveness and expansiveness of material existence. Time and space are the fundamental source of matter. The ideal art manifestation should be time-space in unison.

However, due to technical conditions, traditional art often falls into the category of fundamental material source. There came the statements about ‘time art’ and ‘space art’. Music becomes a classical time art, painting a classical space art, opera a combination of time-space art. The appreciation of music depends mainly on subjective audition; the appreciation of painting subjective vision, the appreciation of opera through a combined perception of sight, hearing and smell.

Following the development of technological media, the form of expression of tradition art has gradually replaced by one accepted by one’s all five senses. The invention of film is a classical example. But the means in which men perceive work of art are still in subjective or objective state of estrangement. Despite today’s multimedia technologies, the achievements of visual images are still not evolved further from that of second stream films, from which a whole body and mind artistic perception is hardly derived. Thus there are the exploration of the new media art and the predominance of behavioral art. It is in this trend of search of art form in all directions that forms in parallel environmental art. "The human environment is nonetheless a perceptive system, and is made up of chains of experiences. From the aesthetic point of view, it is endowed with vivid, direct and indirect experiences, at the same time shaped by cultural and collective consciousness. All of these provided environmental experience a heavy feeling." Since that environment can provide men with the integral key to perceptions, it is the very existence of the integral key to perceptions that establishes the framework of the aesthetical judgment of the palace of art. "The sense of beauty is not only a physiological perception; yet it is not an abstract reality; it is perceived through a medium and a sequence of conditions."

As a result, environment, as a containing perceptual experience, is the ideal subject for the integrated time-space artistic creation. "Environment encompasses a physical-cultural dimension, assimilates individual behaviors and reactions to form a collective consciousness.  It is easy to understand the properties of environmental experience of direct, present at time and space, if one admits the aesthetic elements of environment."

Environment-oriented artistic creation should fulfill the prerequisites for environmental aesthetics, and distinguish in the following three aspects:

1. An environmentally beautiful object encompasses a comprehensive discipline, not a specific work of art.

2. Unlike the appreciation of a work of art that involves one or more senses, it requires all five senses to appreciate environment.

3. Tends to be dynamic and subject to continuous changes affected by space-time, while art object is static.

Since that "Environment is a word of vast contents, since it contains products and physical environment we have built, together with all things we have created, internally and externally, perceptions and material world, human and nature is not against each others, they are actually united as one" Creation using environmental art as guidance must consider the relationship between human and nature which is the fundamental relation of the work with the natural environment. When man-made visual appearance interplays with nature, it allows an aesthetic perceptual experience of the environment, which is the core of environmental art perception

These photos were taken in a <Village Cuisine> restaurant beside Mt. Lu in JiangXi Province of China. Although this restaurant did not exist now, it had been one way to the habitant's livelihood. Without the professional designers, the entire en- vironment was designed by habitants. There were clean vegetables beside the door, which was a good way for display and advertising. When these photos were taken, there was a cyan traveling bus parking nearby and two girls dressing in red shirt holding red balloons, which assumed a particular color quality. In this specific time section, the environment had achieved one ideal condition. We could say that the sensation of this scene was better than eating in a luxurious Five-star hotel. Without saying, these tourists had a great time, which was a fantastic space-time experience in specific environment. This scene would change in half an hour, and the newcomers could have different experience then.

2. Time-based Environmental experience

Traditional visual arts involve an episode of the space in motion as the ultimate characterization. Despite the time factor in its manifestation, the concept of space is still the dominant basis.  However, in architectural art based on environment, in which human interact with its environment, as art form, time and space are two factors in engaging image characterisation in specific context, among which time plays the dominant position. We have different feeling while appreciate paintings in gallery or on the street. In certain circumstances, we go gallery for specific works with anticipating. For example, when we want to see some exhibitions we have known its contents and the style. We go to gallery for the authentic paintings, since they have the complete information transmission. We could seat still and appreciate the masterpiece in silence. This process of communication would benefit us in thinking and inner-feeling. Nevertheless, if the environment has changed from gallery to other places, the sound, color, light or shadow could affect our psychological processes involved in appreciating. Galleries have set the certain scene modes for artworks that are suitable for the audience. It may not work in other locations even with the same paintings or sculptures. Since environmental art is one involving one’ s all five senses, a perceptual experience against specific context, it is a process depending on the succession of time in its repetitive judgment Thus time is a relatively more important factor than space. There appears the interaction between the substance and hypothetical form of space. It is through time that men, through observations and appreciations that time is the means through men’s observations and appreciations that are communicated the meanings of the work of art. The scope of environmental aesthetics surpasses the traditional static appreciation of art, it is an aesthetic engagement. Thus the manifestation of the characteristics of environmental aesthetics requires a break through from traditional concept. This is the relativity of the time factor to space factor. If the value of aesthetics in town and regional planning was not appreciated, it was due to the fact that the environmental aesthetics based on the time-space concept has not been comprehended and devoted much attention. Even as for the aesthetic values of architecture and landscape design are concerned, popular judgments were based on traditional aesthetics and they are not fully evolved into the environmental aesthetics proper. It is thus necessary to establish an integrated time-space environmental art design system, as the basis of the theoretical values of environmental aesthetics.In the process of environmental aesthetic judgment, in simultaneously discarding the static appreciation, we have to entrust vivid aesthetic values to the environment, by applying a time control system, in the environmental experience of space creation. The key is the control of pace because the speed of operation directly affects the result of spatial perception. Men operate in different pace, create different space perception, and form different perceptions of environment aesthetics. Trekking and riding a cable car up a mountain are different environmental aesthetic experiences. Similarly the relation between the operating pace and space perception of the researchers are of paramount importance. Among the present executed space art creations, the Disneyland of United States was generally appraised as successful example of the implementation of time management system. Tourists in journeying in the Disneyland, come to realize that the strategy of the theme park is being achieved by different transport means, vehicles and boats, in being ride in different speeds, controlling the time of visit of particular spots of interest, to achieve, to its fullest extent, the maximum aesthetic values in the environmental perceptual experience.From 1980s to1990s, many theme parks had been constructed in the cities of China imitating the mode of Disneyland. However, since the Chinese planers、designers and constructors did not completely understanding the fundamental points , most of these parks had been pull down. The reasons could be summed up as: all design principles had been oriented by form construction not the time series. When these forms were beginning to date, the attractive feeling, expected value and the esthetical experience of the scene had disappeared in succession. Once people had the visual fatigue, they would not be willing to come anymore.Disneyland is a ‘little world’ filled with the true, the good and the beautiful. It is wonderful paradise when people all around the world dressing in various clothes are singing in different chorus and dance accompanying the different melody. The tourists appreciate the short tour and always expect more fantastic site experiences. Most of them tore themselves away and want to come back again. In Disneyland, pedestrian-flow control is the key point in processing design. If all the tourists have to queue for each scene, they would not have the patient to wait. Nowadays Disneyland mode has been imitated and expanded all around the world for commercial purpose. However, if this expansion has reached a certain level, the curiosity and novelty could disappear gradually, which would lead to the result that no one comes again in the future. It will leave you the great memory about the fancy sight-seeing and space-time experiences, which could not go through anymore.The characteristics of expression of environmental art are decided by the integrated time-space artistic form of expression. Values are derived from experiences. The perpetual experience of aesthetic judgment is formed through the accumulation of subjective impressions across time, forming an integral perception in reaction to the database of the phased space forms.3. Time-space expression in Chinese traditional architectureIn the East, especially in the Chinese philosophy, the relationship between human and nature is fundamental issue. The sky refers to the world of objectivity, also Nature. Men refer to the human society. How to deal with the relationship between men and nature? "Theories in ancient China suggested that, man and nature cannot be opposing but united as one. Both the Confucius and the Tao believe that the relation between man and nature should be in perfect harmony. The Chinese painting of mountains and water is totally different from oil painting in the west. Chinese painting is intent to express the abstract imagery of the theory of ‘harmonizing man and nature’, and to reflect the relationship between them. However, after the foundation of new China in1949, the wrong theory about‘Man can conquer the nature’had dominated the social media for a certain time. This theory obviously counteracts the Chinese traditional culture, therefore it had been completely abandoned. Chinese traditional culture is the wisdom on‘harmonizing man and nature’and aims to realize the balance between them, which also integrates with the global sustainable developing principles. In the Warring States Period, Xunzi firstly brought forward the most famous Chinese traditional viewpoint about the relationship between human and nature. It could be summarized as follows: there are immutable circulating rules in nature which could not be changed by activities of human. Nature and human are different, but human could make the perfect cognition of nature by all means and also could make use of nature for their own purpose. The theory of harmony between human and nature was first proposed by Zisi and Mencius, which means there would be intrinsic communication between human and nature. If all human beings could follow their inherent nature, we could make better cognition of nature and could realize the harmony throughout the world. Zhuangzi had a similar thought as other thinkers. His opinion was that everything on earth and human should be the all and the one originally. However human beings had broken the balance and the connection between man and nature only by their subjective initiative. In Xihan Dynasty, Dongzhongshu emphasized that human should be part of the nature in order to create a harmony world. After Song Dynasty, most Chinese thinkers had the same proposition with Mencius. Furthermore, they had demonstrated the theory form different aspects, such as "TRUTH" "INBEING" "LIFE" and so on. In Ming and Qing Dynasty, Wangfuzhi's opinion was that the truth (principles) in both human and nature would be the same. Therefore, man could utilize his own truth to know and to make use of nature. The theory of harmony between human and nature is the most outstanding viewpoint in Chinese traditional philosophy. It was based on the analysis of the intrinsical relationship between human and nature, and aimed to realize the harmony during the development.In the framework of traditional Chinese thinking, the use of architecture, landscape, town planning as the background to environmental design are embedded in the Chinese culture. The idea of harmony between men and nature reflects the focusing perception of the universe as men and nature in one. The concept of space accords completely with the modern day time-based space design and environmental concept.Forbidden City in Beijing is the typical symbol of Chinese traditional perception about space and time. Although it constructed following the feudal imperial authority's concept, it still reveals the theory of‘harmonizing man and nature’. Based on this case analysis, we could get a better understanding of the‘Time-based' environmental design perception. The Forbidden City in Beijing used to be the former Imperial Palace for the Ming and Qing Dynasty. It is a pity that we could not experience the amazing tour walking along its axis nowadays. The distance from the DaQing men to the Meridian Gate (1250m, 550m from Tiananmen to the Meridian Gate) is longer than it from the Meridian Gate to the Supernatural Might Gate (960m).

      While the great ceremony was held in the Forbidden City in Qing Dynasty, pilgrims entered the DaQingmen, walked through the Thousand-Step Corridor and the bridge on Outer Golden, and reached the Tiananmen. Then they entered Duanmen, get through the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Supreme Harmony and went over the bridge on Inner Golden River. Finally, they reached the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It is a well designed axis which concludes six closed rectangular space. The first space is the narrow Thousand-step Corridor which is 70m in width and 540m in length. The second space is Tiananmen Square shaped by Tiananzuomen and Tiananyoumen which is 360m from east to west and 120m from south to north. The third space is the square between Tiananmen and Duanmen shaped by the Gate of Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Gate of God of the Land and Grain which is 100m from east to west and 160m from south to north. The forth space is the square between Duanmen and Meridian Gate which consists the south part and the north part. The south part is 100m from east to west and 260m from south to north, and the north part is a 75m square. The fifth space is the square between Meridian Gate and the Gate of Supreme Harmony with Inner Golden River in the middle which is 200m from east to west and 130m from south to north. The sixth space is the square between the Gate of Supreme Harmony to Hall of Supreme Harmony which is 200m from east to west and 180m from south to north. This is the original axis guiding from Great Qing Gate to the Forbidden City.(Picture 8)The southbound axis is a space-time series propelling gradually with clear levels. That is formed three levels space with wide views in a small confined space. The landscape node of the first level is Tiananmen Square which could be seen entering DaQingmen. There are no architectures between the first space and the second space, which create a leisure atmosphere from narrow site to wide site. The landscape node of the second level is Meridian Gate. Because of Duanmen between the third and forth space masking the Meridian Gate, this gate only can be seen in the forth space showing its deterrence beauty. The landscape node of the third level is Hall of Supreme Harmony that is also the key node of the whole axis, which is clearly defined against those spaces before. The Hall of Supreme Harmony set on the high stylobate shows the mighty dignity of reigning all over the world.The Emperor's dignify creating by former six spaces has achieved the highest level which is unable to be surmounted. However, according to human's basic needs, "the size of emperor's bed remains to a regular measurement. In the Golden Age of Three Emperors of Qing Dynasty, emperor Qianlong enjoyed staying in the Room of Three Rare Treasures in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Although the Room of Three Rare Treasures was much smaller than Hall of Supreme Harmony, its usage rates was much higher than the latter one." Emperors adopted different space measurements to construct the inner space and outer space, such as the layout and space form of Summer Palace which is a typical example to show the selecting tendency of being people or being the emperor. This is the key point that we should comprehend while studying the Chinese traditional space-time perception.