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| The pointed edges on this roof mean that this pavilion has great importance to the town and its people. | The animals on this roof are to protect the building from evil spirits and evil doings. |
| What do people on the other side of the world use to build their homes? They have different materials to use and different ideas on what is beautiful and creative. They also have different beliefs and perhaps those beliefs have something to do with their architecture. |
| The way Chinese homes are built homes is fascinating. The unique timber framework identifies the supporting structure. The Chinese use bamboo and wood to build walls and reeds and leaves to build thatch roofs. They usually build the walls with mud bricks and stone. The wood frame of the house decides the color. |
| Feudal society color
usage was restricted. Yellow was deemed the noblest and green
the second noblest. Traditional Chinese architecture consisted of curved roofs, bold colors, and intricate outlines. Basic features are rectangular shaped units of space joined together to make a whole. They also combined virus shapes, sizes, and position. Chinese style buildings have created a dynamic and intriguing exterior. Chinese architecture abides the law of symmetry. The main structure is the axis; the secondary structures are positioned as to wings on either side. Residents, offices, temples, and palaces all follow the same simple principle. The distribution of the exterior reflects Chinese social and ethnic values. In traditional homes, for example, family members are assigned living quarters based on family hierarchy. The master occupies the main room. The elders occupy the compound back and younger members live in the left and right wings. Those with sonority on the left and the others to the right. |
| Paifang, also called pailou, is an architectural design
that is uniquely Chinese. The paifang is an archway made of wood
or stone and inlaid with glazed tiles. In feudal times, calligraphers
were requested to write moral inscriptions that were carved in
the middle beam. The paifang stand in downtown areas, entrances
of mausoleums, temples, bridges, and parks. They are also made
in memory of virtuous people making them memorial structures.
They can also be made as a decoration. In feudal times the words reflected life aspirations. Building the paifang is an important folk ritual in feudal society. Erecting the paifang was considered very solemn. Ceremonies expressing praise, honor, prayer, commemorations or blessings were performed. Chastity paifangs (for widows), loyalty paifangs, and filial paifangs were given to honor the deserving. They were built to commemorate historical events and figures. Paifangs are valued for their rich connotations and unique art form. They are also evidence of China's ancient customs, values, and long, long history. |
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| Garden architecture is very important; it combines structure and man-made landscape with natural scenery. Garden art originated in the Shan and Zhou dynasties. Monarchies built parks for their own leisure and pleasure. During the spring and autumn seasons it was a fashion to build gardens. |
This is a perfect example
of garden architecture. It shows the man-made structures with
natural scenery. |
| Imperial gardens - Very spacious, exquisite, grandiose; built for royal families by thousands of people. Most of these gardens are in Beijing. |
| Private gardens- Built in urban areas, neighborhoods. Land is expensive in the city and private gardens are generally small and simple but delicate and look tasteful. They play simple functions. They are commonly located in Suzhou, Jiansu. |
| Monastic gardens- Commonly found in monasteries with beautiful mountains as part of the scenery. They are solemn with a sacred atmosphere and a natural beauty requiring less work to keep up. |
| Garden architecture in scenic resorts- They occupy large public areas since they are based on combinations of natural scenes, man-made landscapes and structures in suburban areas or mountains. |
| Imperial mausoleum architecture accounts for a major part in ancient Chinese architecture. They represent the highest architectural techniques and skills of that time. Emperors forced thousands of the nation's best architects to build these structures. They would withdraw millions, even billions, from the exchequer to fund their tombs. Tombs, magnificently deluxe, are considered the finest of the period. Imperial mausoleums are scattered around places which were once the capitals of different dynasties. They were built against hills or mountains facing the plains. They have broadways called shendao (meaning the sacred way) at their entrances. Both sides have stone sculptures of men and animals guarding them. Imperial structures also were built beside the tombs. Under hills of clay, superior structures were built with drainage systems. The Forbidden City was the largest of these sites. It covers an area of 720,000 square miles and consists of more than 9,900 palaces. |
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| Wood to the Chinese means "life". Animal figures on the roof, ridges of palaces, temples, and other old buildings are an important part of traditional Chinese architecture and culture. |
| Those are all the types of Chinese architecture. They put a lot of time and care into their work. If you look far back in their history you will always find their unique architecture inspiring many people. Their beliefs had the greatest influence on them. |
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