CHINESE

By: Gie Gie Diala and Precious Odnimer

INTRODUCTI
ON  China
 has a unique and time-
honored architectural
tradition, dating back to
the Zhou era 2,500 years
ago. Discover the
reasons behind its
features and how
China's architecture
reflects Chinese culture.
Since ancient times,
several types of
architecture have been
traditionally built by the
Chinese, and they are
introduced here.
 Dougong Braces
 Wooden buildings had intricate roof framework

 Since ancient times, the people built wooden buildings, structures built
with rammed earth, and buildings and structures built with stone or
brick. Each of these kinds of construction had different features.
 The buildings were built to survive the frequent earthquake, typhoon and
flood disasters and to be easier to rebuild. Along with survivability and
ease of renovation, the buildings reflected and helped to propagate social
order and religion.
 PREFERENCE FOR LUMBER
CONSTRUCTION

 China's culture originated thousands of years ago along the Yellow River and Yangtze
River. In the environment of the river basins, the seismic activity and frequent flood
disasters prompted the people to build flexibly using wood for most buildings.
 The wooden architecture has distinctive features that changed little from the Zhou Dynasty
(1045–221 BC) era up until early modern times when China adopted Western architecture.
 The basic features of traditional lumber architecture were a stamped earth base, load
bearing wooden pillars that were not planted into the foundation, and slightly flexible
brackets. These design features made the buildings resilient to earthquake and storms,
and they also allowed for reconfiguration, expansion and reconstruction if the buildings
were damaged.
HEAVY
OVERHANGING
ROOFS
On large buildings, such as this in the Forbidden

city, roofs might overhang the walls by several
meters.
 A noticeable feature of the traditional wooden
buildings are the heavy ceramic tiled roofs with
wide eaves and slightly upturned corners.
 The builders considered it important to cover
wooden buildings with overhanging roofs.
 This was to protect the building from weathering
since wood rots much faster when it is wet. The
wide eaves also provided shade in the summer,
and in the winter, the slanted sunlight warmed the
buildings.
RAMMED EARTH
BUILDINGS
 A Hakka earthen building, Fujian

 n places where a clan's compound faced the

danger of attack such as the Hakka villages
in Fujian, people built earthen buildings 土
楼 (tǔlóu). In these compounds, thick walls
of rammed earth and sometimes bricks and
stone were built in a circle without windows,
and inside dwellings were constructed.
 THE INTERPLAY OF
ARCHITECTURE AND
CULTURE
 The various styles of architecture that
have been built since the Zhou era
reflect how the various Chinese people
over the centuries adapted to the
environment. The architectural designs
conformed to their needs and culture
and also helped to propagate social
norms and order.
WOODEN COURTYARD
COMPOUNDS
 In most areas, where the clan families felt safe enough
to live permanently the clans built easily modifiable
wooden courtyard compounds for three generations.
This is the typical style for clans that could afford to
build and maintain such compounds.
 Because the clans could more easily modify their
dwellings as their needs changed over time, clan
members found it advantageous to stay put on clan
properties instead of moving on to another plot of
land to build a new compound.
 They could renovate and more easily repair the
damage from disasters and avoid relocation, so
family members had to learn to live in enclosed
compounds with little personal space throughout their
entire lives even as their roles changed as they aged.
 QIAO’S FAMILY COMPOUND

 , Qiao’s Family Compound is the representive. With

unique pattern and vivid carving, it reflects the
unique living styles of northerners in ancient China
during the Qing dynasty, also incarnated the life of
Shanxi merchants (Jin merchants).
 This type of housing arrangement served to propagate generation after generation
the ancient traditions that dictated how families were to interact and of the roles
and responsibilities of the members such as piety towards parents, respect for the
elders, women's traditional roles, and etc. These courtyard compounds

 were called siheyuan (四合院) that means 'four combined courtyard

 Whether for imperial palaces or the courtyard buildings of peasant clans, there
were several rules that dictated how to best build compounds such as three
sections along a north/south orientation, symmetrical layouts, one-story design,
southern entrances, and inner courtyard space.
SOUTH FACING
ORIENTATION
 This long narrow courtyard that was oriented
north/south allowed the sunlight to warm the
main building with the big doorway.
 The south facing orientation had a practical
reason. When courtyards were built with taller
buildings in the north and in the south shorter
walls facing east and the west, it allowed the
maximum amount of sunlight to warm the
building during the winter months when the
sunlight was angled strongly from the south.
 This is particularly a northern Chinese
feature.
 This is why the door and windows of the main
building faced southwards and opened over
the inner courtyard that let in the sunlight.
 Symmetrical layouts of the compound with
the larger main building in the center of
the compound flanked on all sides by
smaller ones or gates placed
symmetrically helped to buffer the
important main building from the
elements or attacks from the outside. So
the side and southern buildings blocked
the wind and also shielded the main
northern building from arrows or other
projectiles of attackers.
SINGLE-STORY
CONSTRUCTION
 One-story buildings survive earthquakes and
storm winds better than multistory buildings.
It is more difficult to build strong multistory
buildings with wood. So for both commoner
dwellings and the residences of the rich clans,
officials, and the imperial clans, low buildings
were the preferred style except in the
southeastern corner of China where there is
little earthquake activity.
 There, if a clan could afford it, they could build
two-story buildings. A thick, tall wall
sometimes served to protect their buildings
from occasional typhoons.
FENGSHUI
DESIGN
PRINCIPLES
 Fengshui is geomancy. The principles of
this philosophy/religion dictates how to
locate, orient, and build habitations and
towns for the best effect.
 It accords with Taoist ideals of harmony.
These design ideals were thought to
promote the occupants' health, wealth and
happiness, and through following these
principles, builders thought to direct the
flow of the qi energy as part of Traditional
Chinese Medicine practice.
HEAVEN WORSHIP AND SOUTH-
NORTH ORIENTATION
 Since ancient times, it was believed
that Heaven was at the North Star,
and this was where the supreme god
who was originator of the earth,
 So within their compounds, the clan
heads were positioned closer to
heaven than the others in the clan,
and they also saw themselves as the
representatives of the clan to Heaven.
 The northern part of the compound
was considered the most important
section for this religious reason as
well
 HIERARCHICAL LAYOUT
 Three-gateway entrances (central one for
important people, smaller ones either side
for less important people), like those of the
Forbidden City, were a sign of China's
heirarchical culture.
 Their choice of layout of their compounds
was not only due to practical reasons. The
design and layout tended to reinforce
social and religious ideas and
the dominant status and role of clan
rulers.
 . The rulers of a clan and of the nation
aimed to promote their status by having
the biggest and most imposing dwellings.
SOCIAL ORDER
Heavenly Gods

Emperial Family
Nobles
Officials
Peasants
Artisants
Merchants
Slaves
 To impress their dominance, the clan
rulers would almost always live in the
tallest and biggest structure.
 It was against their rules for others of
lower rank to live in a similar-sized or
bigger dwelling. They would sit in the
highest seat and have the biggest
dwellings, and this served to
psychologically impress
subservience on those of lower rank.
 The lowest class were housed in the
smallest dwellings, so they would feel
that they were subservient and less
important socially, and thus the
design of the structures served to
preserve the social order.
THE PREDOMINANT ROLE OF EMPERORS
 Forbidden City plan view:
 Ancient, and military defensive projects.
Chinese imperial buildings included palaces,
government offices
 The imperial dynasties demonstrated the
largest, most imposing structures. Generally,
their architectural style
 was formal and solemn, and they were
centrally located and built in grand scale in
order to promulgate the society's formal
hierarchical order.
 The emperors' Hall of Supreme Harmony was
the biggest and tallest building in the
Forbidden City for court functions, and to the
north of it in the emperors' residential inner
courtyard, the second biggest building of the
palace complex,
LUMBER ANCINET CHINESE
BUILDINGS
 Wooden Buildings Were Built to Survived Natural Disaters and
Wars

 The lumber construction was the most common architectural

style for both commoner and imperial dynasty residences,
 To build towers, mausoleums, fortresses, bridges and other
kinds of architecture, they usually used rammed earth, brick or
stone. Ethnic minority groups had their own preferred
architectural styles.
 Ancient (imperial) Chinese architecture started developing
very rapidly from the Han Dynasty (206 BC– 220 AD)
onwards. At this point, builders had mastered earth
ramming skills for city walls and the Great Wall and knew
how to fire tiles and build with cut stones.
 During the Sui (581–618) and Tang (618–907) dynasties,
kiln firing techniques improved, and brick structures
became more popular.
MAUSOLEUMS AND TOMBS
 Though for inhabited buildings,
they usually used wood, for
mausoleums and tombs, they
used stone and bricks to make
permanent structures. The dead
didn't need to remodel their
tombs. So it was more logical to
build permanent structures to
house their remains.
 The mausoleums and tombs were
designed and located according
to fengshui principles, so most
Chinese mausoleums were built
on or near mountains. Other
distinguishing features include a
path leading up to the structure.
 CHINESE LANDSCAPE GARDENS

 Gardens and courtyards were an important part of clan and official

compounds.
 Garden and courtyard architecture was considered very important
for the compounds of imperial clans, officials and wealthy clans.
Fengshui principles determined the layout so that they could control
the cosmological and health effects of the various elements of the
gardens.
 The garden was used as a private garden by a
government officer in the Ming Dynasty (1368–
1644.
 Situated in Suzhou, Lingering Garden
 It is praised as one of China's four famous gardens,
along with Humble Administrator's Graden in Suzhou,
the Summer Palace in Beijing, and the Chengde
Summer Palac
 HUMBLE ADMINISTRATOR'S
GARDEN

 The Humble Administration

Garden is the biggest Chinese
classical garden among Suzhou's
famous gardens. It has some little
hills, bamboo houses, forest of
pine trees and small lakes.
 COMMONER RESIDENCES

 The architectural style of traditional Chinese residences

was functional and suited to local conditions.
 For example, in Southwest China, bamboo houses suited the muggy
environment and local resources well.
 In the northern part of Shaanxi Province where the weather is cold
and dry in winter, the loess-carved dwellings were good at retaining
heat and were cheap to construct.
 Interior view of "Yuchang" earth
buildings located in Xiayang town,
Yongding county, in east China's
Fujian Province
 STONE BRIDGES
 During the Sui Dynasty and afterwards,
some builders demonstrated special skill
in the construction of stone bridges that
have survived through centuries of
earthquakes, floods, and wars.
ZHAOZHOU
BRIDGE
OR ANJI  The 1,400 year old
Zhaozhou Bridge is
BRIDGE celebrated as China's
oldest standing bridge
and the oldest open-
spandrel stone bridge in
the world.
 because iron was utilized
for supporting and
stabilizing parts that
allowed the bridge to
slightly adjust due to
earthquakes, the settling
of the ground, and
environmental changes.
RELIGIONS
 China has four official religions. Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity have a
long history in China.
 Since the Chinese imperial court contributed to the introduction of Buddhism in
China, Buddhist buildings in China normally followed the imperial style of
construction, which was glorious and grand.
 Taoist buildings in China were closer to the style of buildings for commoners
compared to the other religious buildings. They are usually built compactly with
brick to be strong enough to last a long time.
 Muslim architecture in China was a blend of traditional Chinese and Middle
Eastern styles.
 As for Christianity, most churches in China follow Western architectural designs.
5 TYPES OF ANCIENT
CHINESE
ARCHITECTURE
 1. Imperial Palaces
 Imperial palaces were originally built to serve the
extravagant lifestyles of the emperors, as well as to provide
a centralized location for demonstrating imperial
political control.

 The imperial palaces were built on a grand scale, sparing

no expense to display the majesty and dignity of the
imperial power of the time.
 FORBIDDEN
CITY

 The Forbidden City is located in the center of Beijing. The

largest ancient palatial architectural structure in the
world is now home to the Palace Museum.
 Built between 1406 and 1420, the imperial palace is a
complex composed of 980 preserved ancient wood and
stone buildings.
SHENYANG
IMPERIAL
PALACE
 The Shenyang Imperial Palace, also
known as Mukden Palace, was
initially constructed in 1625, prior to
the establishment of the Qing Dynasty.
 With 300 rooms and 20 courtyards,
Shenyang Imperial Palace is a sight to
behold.
2. DEFENSIVE WALLS
 Many ancient Chinese cities
were surrounded by a set of
walls. Outside the cities, there
were sometimes barrier walls at
the kingdom/empire borders.
Most of them originally served
as defensive fortifications.

 3 ANCIENT WALLS ON CHINA

1. XIAN’S CITY WALL

2. PINGYAO’S WALLS
3. GREAT WALL OF CHINA
 The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone,
brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials,
 Length: 21.19618 million m
 The primary purpose was always to protect the Chinese Empire
from the Mongolians and other invaders.
 The fortifications of Xi'an, an ancient capital of
China, represent one of the oldest, largest and
best preserved Chinese city walls. It was built
under the rule of the Hongwu Emperor Zhu
Yuanzhang as a military defense system.
 The walls surrounding Pingyao were
first built in 827 BC. In the early days
of the Ming Dynasty, Shanxi bordered
Eastern Mongolia. The city walls were
built in order to prevent the enemies in
Eastern Mongolia, the Tatars, from
invading.
 3. PAGODAS
 Pagodas are actually native to India.
These octagonal towers were
introduced to China along with the
introduction and integration of
Buddhism. The design of the traditional
Indian pagoda changed as the
structure was integrated into Chinese
Culture.
 Xishuangbanna's White Pagoda
 Iron Pagoda, Kaifeng
 The Three Pagodas in Dali
 SAKYAMUNI PAGODA OF
FOGONG TEMPLE IN
YINGXIAN,

 The pagoda is 67.31m tall, with a diameter of 30.27m. It has

5 floors from the outside, and 6 floors inside. The whole
pagoda was built with timber, without using any nails or
rivets.
The Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple are an
ensemble of three independent pagodas arranged on
the corners of an equilateral triangle, near the old town
of Dali, Yunnan province, China, dating from the time of
the Kingdom of Nanzhao and Kingdom of Dali in the 9th
and 10th centuries
 MANFEILONG
PAGODAS

It was built in the year 1024 and is a

famed stupa complex in Xishuangbanna. It
is also known by two other names: White
Pagoda and Bamboo Shoot Pagoda.
4. ALTARS AND
TEMPLES
 Altars and temples are important components of
Chinese culture. They provided ceremonial sites
for offering prayers and sacrifices to heaven.
Sacrifices were also offered to the moon, the sun,
the earth, the mountains, scholars, and ancestors.
 THE HANGING TEMPLE
OR THE FOGUANG
TEMPLE

 Built in 782, Nanchan Temple is known as the oldest

surviving wooden architecture in China. Built in 875,
Foguang Temple is the second oldest surviving wooden
architecture in China, with many valuable collections of
Buddhist sculptures, fresco, calligraphy tracing back to
Tang Dynasty.
TEMPLE OF
HEAVEN
 the public has access to the
enormous park where they can
practice Tai Chi, a martial art
style that dwells on developing
and controlling energy within
the body.
 Famen Temple is famous for important
Buddhist relics.
 One theory, supported by unearthed
eaves-tiles and carved bricks of Han
dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), is that the
temple was built during the Northern
Zhou dynasty, by Emperor Huan and
also by Emperor Ling of the Eastern
Han dynasty (25–220).
NANSHAN TEMPLE,
SANYA
 Other attractions in the
temple include the Golden
Jade Guanyin Statue and Sea
Watch Terrace. Nanshan
Temple is famous as the
world's tallest Guanyin
Bodhisattva.
 Mausoleums are a very important aspect
of Chinese culture and architecture. The
ancient Chinese believed that the spirit
lived on after the body passed away.
Therefore, elaborate mausoleums were
built to honor those who had moved on
to the other dimension.
THE MING TOMBS
 The History of the Ming Tombs
 The Ming Tombs hold a place in Chinese history, being the
place where 13 out of the 16 emperors of the Ming Dynasty
were buried, together with their wives and concubines,
including the founder of the dynasty Zhu Yuanzhang.

 Construction of the first tomb was started in 1409 AD by the

third emperor of the dynasty. Subsequent tombs were built on
each side of the first one and all the tombs share an avenue
located at the middle of the whole area. The avenue is known as
the Sacred Way
 THE GREAT RED GATE
 The Spirit Way, or Sacred Way, starts with a huge stone memorial archway lying at
the front of the area. Constructed in 1540, during the Ming Dynasty, this archway is
one of the biggest stone archways in China today.
ELEGANCE AND DECORATION
 Elegant Exteriors
 ancient Chinese architecture are greatly praised for their elegant profiles and
varied features such as overhanging eaves, upturned roof corners, and different
shapes of roofs.
 Architects in ancient China paid special attention to color and adornments, from
the whole building to specific parts.

 Carved beams, painted rafters, various patterns, inscribed boards, couplets hung
on the pillars, and wall paintings were used to add a colorful and beautiful style to
interiors.
 Stone lions, screen walls, ornamental columns, as well as flowers were used to
decorate the exteriors of buildings.
BALANCED
SYMMETRY
 Most traditional Chinese buildings strictly
followed an axis-centered principle with
symmetrical wings. The biggest building
was in the center, and on either side, they
constructed smaller buildings as need
arose. Along with practical reasons for the
symmetrical design described above such
as for protection, the style accords with
their aesthetic standards for harmony,
balance and symmetry that date from
Shang Dynasty times.
GORGEOUS
DECORATION
 Architects in ancient China paid special attention to
color and adornments, from the whole building to
specific parts. They used different colors or paintings
according to particular building functions or local
customs. Buildings were often quite colorful.
 Carved beams, painted rafters, various patterns,
inscribed boards, couplets hung on the pillars, and wall
paintings were used to add a colorful and beautiful
style to interiors.
 Stone lions, screen walls, ornamental columns, as well as
flowers were used to decorate the exteriors of buildings.
3 ARCHITECTURAL STYLES OF
CHINESE ARCHITECTURE
 1. Imperial Buildings
 Ancient Chinese imperial
buildings included palaces,
government offices, and military
defensive projects. All of them
demonstrated the political
control of the particular era.
Generally, their architectural
style was formal and solemn.

 Ex. Shemyang Imperial Palaces

2. Traditional Residences
 The architectural style of traditional Chinese residences
was functional and suited to local conditions.
 For example, in Southwest China, bamboo houses suited
the muggy environment and local resources well.
 In the northern part of Shaanxi Province where the weather
is cold and dry in winter, the loess-carved dwellings were
good at retaining heat and were cheap to construct.
3. Religious Buildings
China has four official religions. Taoism,
Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity have a
long history in China.
FAMOUS
ARCHITECTS
I. M.
PEI
 Ieoh Ming Pei, FAIA, RIBA,
commonly known as I. M. Pei,
is a Chinese American
architect. Born in Guangzhou
and raised in Hong Kong and
Shanghai, Pei drew
inspiration at an early age
from the gardens at Suzhou.

 Famous Work:
 Louvre Pyramid
LOUVRE PYRAMID
 The Louvre Pyramid is a
large glass and metal
pyramid designed by
Chinese-American architect
I.M. Pei, surrounded by three
smaller pyramids, in the
main courtyard of the Louvre
Palace in Paris. The large
pyramid serves as the main
entrance to the Louvre
Museum.
LIN
HUIYIN
 Lin Huiyin was a noted 20th-
century Chinese architect and
writer. She is known to be the
first female architect in
modern China and her
husband the famed "Father of
Modern Chinese Architecture“

 Famous work:
 Monument to the People's
Heroes
LIANG
SICHENG
 Liang Sicheng was a Chinese
architect and scholar, often known as
the father of modern Chinese
architecture. His father, Liang Qichao,
was one of the most prominent
Chinese scholars of the early 20th
century. His wife was the architect
and poet Lin Huiyin.

 Famous work:
 Monument to the People's Heroes
 The Monument to the People's
Heroes is a ten-story obelisk
that was erected as a national
monument of the People's
Republic of China to the martyrs
of revolutionary struggle during
the 19th and 20th centuries. It is
located in the southern part of
Tiananmen Square in Beijing, to
the north of Mausoleum of Mao
Zedong
 Yan Liben, formally Baron Wenzhen
of Boling, was a Chinese architect,
painter, and politician of the early
Tang Dynasty. His most renowned
work is the Thirteen Emperors
Scroll.

 Famous work:
 Daming Palace
 The Daming Palace was the imperial palace
complex of the Tang dynasty, located in its
capital Chang'an.
 It served as the royal residence of the Tang
emperors for more than 220 years. Today, it
is designated as a national heritage site of
China. The area is located northeast of
present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.
Thank you.

谢谢
Xièxiè