The arrangement of the fountain should also conform to the principles of architectural aesthetics, especially to the basic laws of formal beauty.
(1) Neat and uniform: This can also be described as simple uniformity or neatness, which is the simplest form of beauty. This is the most commonly used principle in fountain layout, mainly referring to a large fountain with many individual components. In this case, we often use the same specifications of nozzles to create the same water shapes, which can be vertical water columns, downward flowing water tongues, or upward dancing water tongues with certain shapes of splashes. Neatness means that the same shape appears repeatedly, giving a sense of order and a feeling of aesthetic beauty. Moreover, neatness can allow smaller components to form a larger whole; for example, a small fountain in a square may be inconspicuous, but a row of neatly arranged small fountains can leave a deep impression. A thin stream fountain may feel insubstantial, but if arranged in a certain shape, it can create an impression of a water wall or a layer of water mesh. Of course, neatness and uniformity should not be absolute; it does not mean that all fountains in the entire square must be the same. Generally, neatness and uniformity have a certain range, meaning that within a certain range, they are the same, and beyond this range, the shapes change, while in another range, there is another form of neatness and uniformity. This is called grouped uniformity. Each group has a unified shape, and there are distinctions between groups. Grouping should be appropriate; if there are too many groups with too few components in each, it will lead to the opposite of neatness and uniformity, becoming chaotic. However, the range of neatness and uniformity should not be too large, and the number of groups should not be too few, otherwise it will lead to monotony. The principle of neatness and uniformity should also be reflected in a fountain group having a controlling element, the most common controlling element being height. For fountains, a very tall main fountain is often set at a certain position, creating a strong impression, while some smaller fountains are in a subordinate position, giving the audience an overall feeling of the fountain group. Overall unity is also reflected in dynamic fountains that repeatedly present a certain form of change at regular intervals, which is different from the spatial overall unity mentioned earlier; it is a temporal overall unity.
(2) Symmetry and balance: Symmetry refers to a line becoming the central axis, with equal sides on both left and right, or it can be symmetrical relative to a central point. Compared to neatness and uniformity, symmetry introduces variation, with differences in direction and position. Symmetry is the most commonly followed aesthetic principle in architecture, as many things in nature are symmetrical, such as the positions and sizes of human eyes, ears, hands, and feet, as well as the shapes of various animals. Therefore, humans become accustomed to seeing symmetrical things. Most ancient Chinese architecture is symmetrical. Most classical fountains are also symmetrical, often with the main axis of the building as the central axis of symmetry. Although some modern fountains seek to break the pattern of symmetry and pursue variation, the vast majority of fountains still regard symmetry as their basic style.
An important form of symmetrical variation is balance. The characteristic of balance is that the shapes on both sides do not have to be equal; they just need to be roughly comparable on both sides of the axis. Therefore, compared to symmetry, balance is more lively and free. In the layout of fountains, the two sides do not have to be the same, and the quantities do not have to be equal; they just need to be of comparable size and close in number, giving a sense of balance and stability. A further variation of symmetry is echoing, which is more free than balance. Sometimes, a large fountain is arranged on one side, while several small fountains or other architectural features are arranged on the other side. Although one side is high and the other is low, one side is solid and the other is void, one side is large and the other is small, the shapes, despite their differences, still echo each other.
Although the two sides of balance are not identical at the center (or axis), they have a certain equivalent meaning in aesthetic terms. At this point, we must emphasize the center of balance; otherwise, we will lose the standard of measurement, leading to a feeling of disorder. Therefore, a strong element (such as a taller main fountain) should be added at the center of balance. This is the primary principle of balance. The second principle of balance is the lever balance principle, which states that smaller objects that are farther from the center can be balanced by larger, more important objects that are closer to the center.
