History of Chinese Architecture
Countries like Korea, Vietnam and Japan has been influenced by Chinese architecture since Tang dynasty.
In historical China, architectural emphasis was laid upon the horizontal axis, in particular the
construction of a heavy platform and a large roof that floats over this base which began as a native
tradition and was eventually influenced by the Buddhist building for housing religious sutras which came
from India
Ancient Chinese tomb model representations of multiple story residential towers and watchtowers date
to the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD)
Styles of Chinese ancient architecture are rich and varied, such as
-Temples
-Imperial palaces
-Altars, pavilions
-Official residencies -Folk houses which greatly reflect Chinese ancient thought - the harmonious unity
of human beings with nature.
Traditional Chinese Buildings are always found in pairs or groups, whether they are residences,
temples or palaces. Traditional Chinese Architecture, unlike that of other cultures, uses-wood-frame
construction as one of its most distinctive features.
Since ancient times, Chinese culture has been heavily influenced by conservative philosophies like
Confucianism, Taoism etc. Over the centuries, the structural principles of Chinese architecture have
remained largely unchanged, the main changes being on the decorative details.
SHANG DYNASTY
• first dynasty with written records
• Shang Dynasty's architectural style followed the Neolithic times.
Dwellings were partly sunk beneath ground level
• traditional Chinese style buildings started to take shape
ZHOU DYNASTY
• people in China learned how to make bronze out of tin and copper
• more architectural forms appeared
• Long defensive walls came into being
• Mourning halls, tombs, and altars also became ordinary
QIN DYNASTY
• though short-lived, is remembered for its military strength and its unification of China
ARCHITECTURE OF THE QIN DYNASTY
• is characterized by defensive structures and elements that conveyed authority and power
• City walls used for defense were made longer
• Secondary walls were often built to separate the different districts
• Versa5lity in federal structures was emphasized conveyed by architectural elements such as:
High towers
Terraces
Pillar Gates
High Buildings
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications built by a number of emperors to
protect the northern borders against nomadic tribes.
• Built by extending and connec5ng exis5ng walls made by
the feudal lords to protect the people from the Mongols.
• Made mostly of earth and stone
• The wall stretched from the China Sea port of
Shanhaiguan over 3,000 miles west into Gansu province.
The Terracotta Army
• Army of sculptures buried with Qin Shi Huang
• Consists of 8,000 soldiers, horses, and chariots built as a
protec5on for the Emperor in the afterlife
• The figures were painted in bright pigments
• original colors of pink, red, green, blue, black, brown, white, and lilac were visible
Han Dynasty
• Timber was the chief building material in Han Dynasty architecture
• the techniques used for timber buildings gradually improved and were perfected.
• Builders had mastered firing 5les and could build with stones skillfully.
• Great palaces and pavilions were constructed
Architecture of the Han Dynasty
• Remains of Han Dynasty architecture include:
-ruins of brick and rammed earth walls
-rammed earth platforms
-funerary stone pillar gates
• Another huge breakthrough was decorations:
-splendid paintings
-silks
-ceramics
SUI AND TANG DYNASTIES
• The application of bricks became more popular.
• Vast public works, such as the Grand Canal, were built.
• Chinese roofs became more and more exquisite as advances had been made in baking glazes.
• The whole architectural style during this period was grand and lavish.
Jing -Hang Grand Canal
• a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the longest as well as the oldest canal or artificial river in the world.
Ming Dynasty
• Early Ming Emperors built Taoist temples to show their power Golden Hall in the Wudang Mountains
• The great achievement of the Ming Dynasty architects was that they built the great palace called the
Forbidden City
THE CHARACTER AND MEANING OF CLASSICAL CHINESE ARCHITECTURE
THE EXPOSED STRUCTURE
• In ancient China, almost all of the main structures of classical Chinese architecture were made of
wood. Thus, the art of traditional Chinese architecture may be seen as the aesthetic of wood.
Dougong- Bracket Sets
Muguija- Timber Frames
Taizi- Podium
Courtyard
GEOGRAPHY
• The Chinese Empire, comprises the China proper, Tibet, and Mongolia
• covers a larger area than the whole of Europe.
• It is for the most part mountainous
• It has four great trading rivers which facilitate internal commerce
• Neolithic settlements grew up along the main river systems.
• Those that dominate the geography of China are the:
Yellow River (central and northern China)
Yangzi River (southern and eastern China)
CLIMATE
Cave Dwellings
• dug in Shaanxi
• mild temperatures in winter and were cool in summer.
LongjiRice Terraces
• stilted bamboo houses
• provides cool and dry accommodation in the moist and hot climate of South China.
GEOLOGY
Abundance of minerals including:
Coal, iron salt, copper
Dougong Bracket System
• The Forbidden City is a good example of the durability of the wooden buildings.
• After they were built about 600 years ago, Beijing has experienced about 200 earthquakes.
FengshuiDesign Principles
• Fengshuis geomancy.
• dictates how to locate, orient, and build habitats on 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,
• Builders thought to direct the flow of the qi energy.
Major 10 Principles of Feng Shui
1. Take the environment as a whole
2. In accordance with local condi5ons
3. Leaning against mountains and facing water
4. Observing Terrain
5. Examining Geology
6. Analyzing Water Quality
7. Facing South
8. Moderate Size and Well Situated
9. Taking Advantage of Qi (Feng ShuiEnergy)
10. Remolding Feng Shui
CHINESE ARCHITECTURAL BUILDINGS
TIANZI HOTEL in HEBEI
The building is ten stories high and holds the Guinness World Record for the “biggest image building”.
Even the name of the hotel “Tianzi” has auspicious connotations –it means “Son of Heaven”
THE FANG YUAN BUILDING
The name of the building means “HOUSE OF MONEY” with “Fang” being house, and “Yuan” being the
name of currency used in China
PIANO AND VIOLIN BUILDING IN HUAINAN CITY
Located in the Shanna district in Huainan City, this glazed structure takes the form of a violin at the
front leaning against a grand piano. Completed in 2007, it was designed by a group of architectural
students from the Hefei University of Technology.
WANGJING’S SOHO PEAKS
The Chinese believe that if you live in a home where you can see three visible peaks of a mountain, your
descendants will grow to become prominent officials or ministers or even become a KING! Hence
popular traditional Chinese water-color mountain paintings tend to feature towering mountains which
have three discernible peaks.
WUJIN’S LOTUS CONFERENCE CENTRE
This lotus building reflects the purity of the lotus long regarded as a sacred flower by Buddhists, Hindus
and Egyptians. Buddhists believe many Buddha emerge from the center of the Lotus –especially the
famous Padmasambhavawho is also known as the “Lotus Born”.
CHINESE RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS
BUDDHISM
• Buddhism was introduced to China from India around the first century AD, since the fourth century
AD, it was widely spread and gradually became the most influential religion in China.
• Because of varied introduction time and channel as well as regional, historic and social backgrounds,
Buddhism in China is divided into three branches, namely Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and
PaliBuddhism.
PAGODA
• Pagoda, symbol of Buddhism is often erected in temples.
• Pagodas were made of stone, wood, colored glaze or metal.
• Pagodas have an odd number of layers. Seven-layer and Nine-layer pagodas are commonly built.
• The shape of cross-section is rectangular, eight-sided or even circular.
• Initially, the pagoda served as the central axis alongside which rows of halls and monks' rooms spread
out. Later, pagodas were built near the main palace hall.
• Chinese pagodas, in short, are a significant part of the country's cultural heritage -with their beautiful
shapes, bas-relief carvings, dougongbrackets and upturned eaves.
GROTTOES
• Grotto, another type of Buddhist architecture, is often chiseled into cliffs. In the 3rd century, Chinese
Buddhists began to build grottoes and Xinjiang is the first area where grottoes were hewn.
• Grottoes are decorated with painted sculptures, carvings and frescos.
• Craftsmen revealed real life pictures and their understanding of society in these art works, which gave
them great historical and cultural value.
• The four famous grottoes in China are: MogaoCaves, LongmenGrottoes, YungangGrottoes and
MaijiCaves.
MOGAO GROTTOES IN DUNHUANG
• northwest Silk Road
• commonly known as "the Caves of the Thousand Buddha’s", frescoes and statues.
• 1,000 years.
• largest and most plen5ful Buddhist grottoes in the world.
STUPA
• Stupas appeared in China with the import of Buddhism and, during a long history of well over a
thousand years, have become a valued part of the national Buddhist art.
• Stupa, a word from ancient Sanskrit meaning a square or round tomb or a 'soul shrine’.
• The perfect proportions of the Buddha’s body correspond to the design of religious monuments STUPAS
• Its architecture developed from the pre-Buddhist Indian grave-mound.
• Under these mounds the saintly ascetic was buried; their bodies were seated on the ground and
covered with earth.
• These dome-shaped graves, or tumuli, of the saints were regarded as holy places.
• And were destinations for pilgrimage for the devotional and places of practice for meditators.
TEMPLE
• Buddhist temples tend to be decorated in red or black, and there is a main hall for a statue of a
Bodhisattva, followed by a smaller hall with statues of other Buddha's and deities.
• Buddhist Temples are called Miao
THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN IN BEIJING
largest existing imperial sacrificing temple in China
• World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
• Ming Dynasty, emperors offered sacrifices to God
and prayed for a good harvest.
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
Temple of Heaven is not a single building but a complex located in the southern end of central Beijing.
The temple was used by the emperor to make offerings to the heaven and to prey for a good harvest.
LAMA TEMPLES
• Lama Temples Are Buddhism temple found in Tibet.
• It is where the seat of the Dalai Lama is situated.
IMPERIAL PALACE CHINESE ARCHITECTURE
FORBIDDEN CITY
• Situated in the heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex. It has lavishly
decorated ceremonial halls and royal palaces. All the gates, palace and other structures of the Forbidden
City were arranged about the north-south central axis of old Beijing
• There are 980 buildings, with more than eight thousand rooms.
SUMMER PALACE
Situated 13 Km northwest of central Beijing, the Summer Palace is one of the largest, best preserved,
and most interesting royal gardens in the world.
IMPERIAL PALACES
Imperialpalaceswereoriginallybuilttoservetheextravagantlifestylesoftheemperors,
aswellastoprovideacentralizedlocationfordemonstratingimperialpoliticalcontrol.
Theimperialpalaceswerebuiltonagrandscale,
sparingnoexpensetodisplaythemajestyanddignityoftheimperialpowerofthetime.
OTHER NOTABLE STRUCTURES
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Great Hall of the People
New CCTV Broadcasting Center
Beijing Capital International Airport
National Aquatics Center
Main Stadium for Beijing Olympic Games
National Grand Theater
Shanghai World Finance Center