Highlights of Chinese Civilization and

Local Culture

00041010

School of Foreign Languages

Suzhou University

Architecture
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Chapter Eight
Architecture and Craft

Features
Timber frame structure
Symmetry as courtyard style
Rich artistic image

A. Decorative roof
B. The use of foil structure
C. The use of color

Classification by structure
lou (Multistory buildings)
tai (terraces)
ting (pavilions)
ge (Two-story pavilions)
ta (Chinese pagodas)
xuan (Verandas with windows)
xie (Pavilions or houses on terraces)
wu (Rooms along roofed corridors)

Traditional Architecture Styles

Imperial architecture
Religious architecture
Garden architecture
Residential architecture
Bridge architecture

Imperial Architecture
Imperial mausoleums
Imperial palaces
The number Nine and imperial architecture
The notion of Ruler is affiliated with the Sun
Dragon and Phoenix

 1. E Pang palace of the Qin dynasty

2. Wei Yang palace of the Han dynasty
3. Daming Palace of the Tang Dynasty
4. Forbidden City in Beijing & in Shenyang

E Pang Gong

the forbidden city

An Underground Palace --- Ming Tombs

A Chinese imperial mausoleum usually consists of
two parts, the divine road and the burial palace. The
marble archway or paifang is the beginning of the
divine road and of the whole Ming Tombs. This
carved archway is the largest existent one in China.
It bears patterns of clouds and dragons, which is a
characteristic of imperial architecture.
The divine road is a passage in front of the tombs to
facilitate the sacrificial ceremonies. The two
hexagon stone pillars are the sign of a divine road.
Behind the engraved pillars are 24 stone animals.
They are four horses, four legendary animals called
qilin, four elephants, four camels, four legendary
animals called xiezhi, and four lions. Behind the
stone animals are 12 stone figures. Each of these life
like statues is carved out of a whole rock.
Stone figures and animals along the divine road
serve as guardians and waiters, and the animals are
employed to rid evil spirits and symbolize peace.

Religious Architecture
Chinese Buddhist architecture
Taoist architecture
Confucianism and Chinese architecture

Chinese Buddhist Architecture

It consists of temple, pagoda and grotto.

Localization starts right after Buddhist

architecture was introduced into China with
Buddhism during the Han dynasty, interpreting
Chinese architectural aesthetics and culture.
Chinese Buddhist architecture follows

symmetric style strictly.

Famous grottoes are Mogao Caves, Yungang

Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes.

Taoist Architecture
It applies two architectural styles - traditional

style and Bagua style.

In the former style, traditional symmetric

architectural layout is applied. Main halls are

set up on the central axis.

The second is the Bagua style in which all

structures surround the Danlu in the center.

The center axis from the south to the north is
very long and structures flank the axis. The
style reflects Taoist philosophy that the human
cosmos follows the natural cosmos to
integrate energy, qi and spirit.

Confucianism and Chinese

architecture
A value and ethical system based on "Loyality

( )", "Filial Piety ( )", "Chastity ( )",

"Righteousness ( )".
Put a strong emphasis on the relationship between

ruler and subjects, father and son, husband and

wife as well as the absolute authority of the ruler,
father and husband.
Rever 5 virtues such as Benevolence ( ),

Righteousness ( ), Rite ( ), Wisdom ( ), Trust

( ).

Garden Architecture

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History
The ancient Chinese gardens originated in the
Shang and Zhou Dynasties, when monarchs began
to build parks for their own leisure and pleasure.
Classification
Imperial gardens
Private gardens
Monastic gardens

Residential Architecture
Traditional Chinese residences reflect

the national culture, the sub-culture of a

specific region and that of the ethnic
group within it.

seven major styles of traditional

domestic architecture
Beijings Hutong and Courtyard
the Si he yuan in northern China Courtyard

House
Shikumen - a type of tenement housing unique
to Shanghai
Yaodong in north China
Seal-like Compound (Yi Ke Yin)
the earthen buildings (tu lou) of Hakkas
Miao-style house / the stilt house (Diaojiulou)

Beijing 's Hutong and Courtyard

A hutong is a unique form of community that

exists only in China .

It means a small street or a lane between two
courtyards, or a community within the city
consisting of hutong residences.
People name each hutong by various means.
A lot of smaller hutongs have been formed
inside bigger hutongs

Siheyuan
Siheyuan is the traditional courtyard-style residence

of Beijing. This architectural style is world-famous

for its unsophisticatedness and elegance as well as its
unique artistic attainment. It is called Siheyuan
because the houses in it are constructed in such a
way that zhengfang, xiangfang and daozuo are
connected with walls and that the whole complex
creates an enclosed square courtyard. It has been
several hundred years since this kind of
architectural form took shape.

Li Yutangs quotes:
"in the dwelling there is a garden, in the
garden there is a house, in the house there
is a courtyard, in the courtyard there is a
tree, on the tree there is the sky, in the sky
there is the moon, what a fortunate life!

yaodong ( )
A yaodong ( ) is a dugout used as an

abode or shelter in China. Yaodongs are

common in north China, especially on the
Loess Plateau. The history of yaodongs goes
back to time immemorial, and continues
today.

Shikumen
History of Shikumen
The origin of shikumen buildings can be traced back to the
1860s when people from southern Jiangsu and northern
Zhejiang ran into the foreign settlements in Shanghai due to
the Taiping Heavenly Uprising.

A valuable Architectural Legacy .

It is a combination of Eastern and Western architectural
styles featuring the traditional Eastern grey brick door lintels
with a Western style of decorative engraving on the walls.

Seal-like Compound (Yi Ke Yin)

In southern China 's Kunming , Yunnan

Province, there is a variation of Siheyuan.

Here the courtyard compounds are called
YikeYin, which is Chinese for seal because
when viewed from above the layout resembles
the familiar shape of the square seal to be
seen on Chinese documents and paintings.

Tulou (Earthen Building)

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Three types of Hakka dwellings:

Phoenix house
Round house
Piang Fong (flat house)
The buildings are usually formed in two or
three circles. The kitchen and dining room
will be found on the first floor. The second
floor is used as warehousing, and the third
and fourth floors contain bedrooms. The
inner circle is 2-storied with 30 to 50 rooms
which function as guesthouses. In the middle
is a rectangular hall, a public place for
several hundred inhabitants.

Diaojiulou (House on Stilt)

Diaojiaolou (literally means hanging attic) is

a residential house with a dense architectural

flavor of the ethnic minority in the
southwestern Yunnan Province. The wooden
building is built close to the mountain or
above the river with an extended floor space.
These houses are usually built on slopes with
only support poles and no foundations, and
are entirely made of wood without iron.

Bridge Architecture
Beam Bridge
Arch Bridge
Cable Suspension Bridge
Floating Bridge

Beam Bridge
The earliest reference to the beam bridge in the

Chinese history is the Ju Bridge dating from the

Shang Dynasty. From the Zhou Dynasty to the
Qin and Han Dynasties, bridges with timber
beams and stone piers were dominant.

Famous bridges:
1. the 362-span Anping Bridge
2. the 47-span Wanan Bridge
3. Jiangdong Bridge in Zhangzhou
4. the Fengyu Bridge (all-weather bridge) built by

the Dong people

Arch Bridge
The joint of the beams and sides evolved

gradually into isometric trilateral, and pent lateral

arches, and finally into semicircular arch. The
span, too, was gradually extended, from 2 or 3 m
up to 37.02 m (clear span).

Famous bridges:
1. Zhaozhou Bridge (Anji Bridge)
2. Feng Bridge (the Maple Bridge)
3. Baodai Bridge (the Precious Belt Bridge)

Cable Suspension Bridge

Cable suspension bridges vary in kind

according to the materials of which the

cables are made, rattan, bamboo, leather
and iron chain.

Famous bridges:
1. Fanhe Bridge
2. Jihong Bridge
3. Luding Iron-chain Bridge

Floating Bridge
To cross the river, boats were linked together to

form a floating bridge. It is also named qiaohang

(the bridge boat) and zhouliang (the boat beam).
The earliest reference to the floating bridge is

shown in the Book of Songs. In the 12th century

B.C, King Wen of the Zhou Dynasty ordered a
bridge to be built on the Wei River.
Pujing Floating Bridge in the Tang Dynasty

Feng shui and Chinese

architecture

1.
2.
3.
4.

History
The principles of feng shui
Yin and Yang
The bagua - directions and elements
Schools of feng shui :
The Form school
The Compass school
The Black Sect school
Flying Star school

History
It is generally believed that Qin fire had all

feng shui books burned. The most

authoritative work is Qing Nang Jing given
by Huang Shi Gong to Zhang Liang during
the late Qin Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty,
Yang Yun Song and his disciples wrote several
books that are considered the most
authoritative work by all feng shui schools.

The principles of Feng shui

Qi( ), the energy of the universe, is carried

in the wind and retained within water. Both

elements were used as a way of directing Qi
Feng shui is not only a practice that is related
to physical space, but also to the inhabitants of
the space itself, as both are interconnected.
The goal of feng shui guidelines is to locate
and orient dwellings, possessions, land and
landscaping, etc., so as to be attuned with the
flow of qi.

Yin and Yang

Fundamental to feng shui is the idea that yin

and yang are the two basic principles

underlying all matter and energy in the
universe. These forces are opposites, but are
not in opposition. Rather, they are
complementary and need each other to exist
and flourish. The constantly changing
interactions of yin and yang give rise to the
infinite variety of patterns in life.

The bagua - directions and

elements
The bagua (or pa kua) of the I Ching

(Book of Changes) is an octagonal

diagram used in feng shui analysis. Each
direction on the octagon (north,
northeast, etc.) is associated with certain
significant aspects. When one maps the
bagua onto a home, village, cemetery,
etc., information about correct
orientation and placement can allegedly
be gleaned.

The Influence of Ba Gua on the

earthen buildings of Hakkas
Originally, the Hakkas came from central China and

were influenced profoundly by traditional Chinese

culture. Earthen buildings were created using the ba
gua (Eight Trigrams) theory, more widely known in
the West as Feng Shui, which was thought to be the
essence of ancient Chinese culture. From a more
practical point of view, as the Hakkas usually lived
in barren and remote hilly environments, they
needed to defend themselves from wild animals as
well as other clans.

Use in burials
The effect of proper feng shui on the living is

thought to carry over to the afterlife. In

traditional feng shui belief, the feng shui of
cemeteries affects the state of the dead spirits
and, indirectly, their living descendants. Spirits
of the buried were believed to remain at their
gravesites or by the homes of their kin, and just
as bad feng shui harms relaxation and ease of
mind among the living, the spirits of people
buried with bad feng shui will be anxious and
restless, and therefore more likely to trouble
the living. This reasoning led to careful feng
shui planning of cemeteries

Philosophy of Space

Liang Sicheng
Chinas Architecture History

China Architecture Institute

Assignment