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Ancient Chinese Architecture
- Updated:
- Sep. 21, 2009;
- by:
- China Highlights;
- Clicks:
- 631;
Ancient Chinese architecture is a miniature of the long-standing history and culture of China. It is obviously characterized by the region, nationality and times. Ancient Chinese architecture, which has distinctive features in single building, building complex and architectural art, is an outstanding example of the ancient oriental architectures.
Ancient Chinese Architecture History
From Primitive Society to the Han Dynasty, the technique on timber structure buildings were gradually improved and perfected. Builders had mastered earth ramming skills. They also knew how to fire tiles and build with stones.
Architecture technology developped significantly during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties.
The output and quality of the bricks and tiles are improved, as well as the techniques on timber structure. Many Buddhist architectures are built then.
During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the application of bricks had become more popular. Advance had been made in baking glazes. The proportion of the building components fell into a fixed pattern.
The Song Dynasty period was an important time for ancient Chinese architecture. Great improvement had been made during that period. The scale of the buildings in the Song Dynasty is generally smaller than that in the Tang Dynasty. However, they were more beautiful, gorgeous and are rich in diversity. There are many kinds of buildings in complicated models, such as palace, pavilion, multistory buildings and terraces.
During the Yuan Dynasty many Tibetan Buddhist temples and Islamic mosques were built. The architectural arts of Tibetan Buddhism and Moslem had influenced all over the nation.
Ancient architecture building reached its zenith during China two last imperial dynasties-Ming and Qing Dynasties. The production of the bricks had greatly increased. The quality and quantity of glaze tiles had exceeded any past dynasties. The official buildings were highly standardized.
Features of Ancient Chinese Architecture
The ancient buildings use wood as chief material. And the components are mainly columns, beams, and purlins, which are connected by tenons and mortises. As a result, the wooden structure is quite flexible. There is also a unique design only found in China named Dougong (a system of brackets inserted between the top of a column and a crossbeam), which is one of the most important character in ancient Chinese architecture.
Wonderful and Elegant Appearance
The ancient Chinese architectures are greatly praised for the elegant profile and varied structure, for example, the overhanging eaves, upward roof corners, and different shapes of roofs. The unique outside has not only fit and satisfid the practical functional need of building, but also exhibited its wonderful appearance. It is a good model of a combination of practicality and beauty.
Regular Layout
In China, buildings such as palaces, temples and folk houses are basically in a combined complex. The building complex can be divided into buildings centered on different courtyards and then into single rooms. Most of the buildings strictly follow the axis-centered principle with symmetrical wings. So the buildings look symmetrical on the left and right sides. Such layout of ancient Chinese architectures has reflected the aesthetic standard of harmony and symmetry in ancient China.
Gorgeous Ornaments
Architects in ancient China pay special attention to the ornaments either from a whole or in a specific part. They use different colors or paintings according to the particular need or local customs. Some buildings use multiple colors to make strong contrast. Others use soften color to make it simple but elegant. Besides the stress on the colors, ancient buildings attach the same weight on decorations, furnishings inside and ornament outside. Carved beams, painted rafters, various patterns, inscribed boards, couplets hung on the pillars, and wall paintings are used to add to the colorful and beautiful style. Stone lions, screen walls, ornamental columns, as well as flowers are used in the outside of a building to make ornaments.
Famous Ancient Chinese Buildings
Imperial Palace
In order to consolidate the emperors' control, highlight the dignity of the imperial power, and satisfy their extravagant material lives, grand palaces were always built in large scale. For thousands of years, successive emperors spare no labor, material or money to build majestic palaces for them. Those solemn and magnificent palaces fully exhibit the wisdom and creative power of the Chinese people.
- Beijing Imperial Palace: The Forbidden City
- Shenyang Imperial Palace: The palace was used by the Qing rulers before they removed their capital to Beijing. The Shenyang Imperial Palace covers an area of more than 60,000 square meters. There are totally more than 20 courtyards and 300 rooms.
Altars and Temples
Altars and temples occupy an important place in ancient Chinese Architecture. They are ceremonial sites between religious and non-religious buildings and are served for offer sacrifices to the heaven, the earth, the sun, the moon, the country, mountains, emperor and scholars of the past, as well as ancestors.
Temple of Heaven: The temple was where the Emperor came every winter solstice to worship heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. Read More
Mausoleums
Mausoleums make a very important part in ancient Chinese architectures. In ancient times, people in China believe that the sprit dose not die with the body. They attached importance to the funeral so much that every class of the society designed the mausoleums elaborately. In the long history, Chinese mausoleum buildings have well developed. The large scales of kings’ and queens' mausoleums are rarely seen in the world. The mausoleums are integrated with various arts, such as painting, calligraphy, carving and so on. Therefore, mausoleum architecture is a synthesis of achievements in many artistic fields. The overall arrangements of Chinese mausoleums always include walls around, doors opened to four directions, as well as turrets on four corners.
Mausoleums are the most majestic and also the biggest building complexes in ancient China. These mausoleums are always built back on the mountains; some of them are also on the plains. There is usually a paved path leading to the tomb with stone persons and stone beast on both sides. Many trees, usually pines and cypresses, are planted around the mausoleums, which add to the atmosphere of solemn, respectful and quiet.
City Walls
Ancient Chinese cities often circled by two huge walls. The inner wall is called " cheng", while the outer wall is called " guo". " Cheng Guo" is used to refer to the ancient city walls.
There are also moats surrounding the walls. In the past times, the moat was called " chi", and the inner city was called " geng". The city wall and the moat are called " cheng chi" as a whole. The ancient cities had an integrated architectural system, for example, there are 2 to 3 gates to the city. (Big cities usually have more gates. The Beijing inner city has 9 gates in the Ming and Qing Dynasties). There is always a tower over the city gate. The number of the tower is always the same as that of the gate. There are also four watchtowers at each corner of the city wall. In order to reinforce the city wall, a section of the city wall, also known as " ma mian" is projected to the outside in every certain distance. In the inner side of the city wall, cavalries with their horses can climb up the wall by the horse path.
Nanjing City Wall was built during the Ming Dynasty. The wall is 14 meters wide at the base and it's 14-21 meters tall. There are 13,616 crenels, 200 sheds, 13 gates on the wall, among which the most spectacular gates are Jubao Gate, Sanshan Gate and Tongji Gate. The solid wall was made of huge stones as the base and huge bricks.
Pagodas
As a kind of unique architecture rooted in India, pagodas in China were constructed since the Buddhism was introduced to China. The pagodas, generally known as the carrier of Buddhism culture, found its integration in the traditional Chinese architecture and the design was greatly changed. The nationalization of Indian pagoda demonstrates the good virtues of the Chinese of both highly intelligent and willing to incorporate things of diverse culture.
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