HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 3

AR123-1

RE300
Literature of Chinese Architecture

Isaac Bernard A. Alega

A50
June 14, 2021
Overview

Walled compounds, pavilions, wooden section and framing, yellow-coated rooftop tiles,
landscape gardens, and a conservative approach to urban planning and space utilization are all
distinguishing characteristics of ancient China’s architecture. With a significant number of them
having a significant influence on contemporary design throughout present day across East Asia.
Although architects were influenced by India and the Buddhism that originated there, the
buildings of ancient China remained impressively consistent in their primary aspect across
hundreds of years, inspiring much of the architecture of surrounding East Asian kingdoms,
notably ancient Japan and Korea. Unfortunately, few ancient Chinese buildings survive;
nonetheless, reconstructions may be built using earthed models, depictions in modern
documents, and delineations in craftsmanship. For example, in aesthetic masterpieces and etched
metal objects, Chinese culture has a special place for traditional architecture. The Forbidden City
in Beijing, The Temple of Heaven, and The Mogao Caves are just a few examples of China’s
societal history that have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its authenticity
and unique architecture.

Geographical

The Chinese Empire, which includes China proper Tibet and Mongolia, encompasses an
area larger than the all of Europe. it is typically sloping, but has four great trading canals that
support inner commerce, while low-lying parts have a system of channels for water system and
route and trenches and traversable streams combine to form China’s principal highways. The
Grand Canal, for example stretches 600 kilometers from Tientsin and Hangchow. Brilliant
harbors claimed that contact with India and Assyria influenced the structures for the Chinese
pagoda. These constructions were most likely derived either from an Indian model or form the
pyramidal, multi-storied constructions of lower Chaldea.
Geological

China’s abundance of materials, such as coal, salt, iron, and copper has consistently made
it one of the most extravagant nations; while as with India, wood from ancient backwoods of
bamboo and pine was used for construction. Towns of cavern abodes were unearthed in the
friable loess soil in the north. Block manufacturing was most likely introduced from the west of
Asia on the basis of blocks discovered in Mesopotamian relics, since the soil of Chinese canal
fields provided good evidence for this. Blocks were typically approximately 18 inches long in
city dividers and for constructions, small dark tinted blocks were often used. Huge beds of
porcelain soil have been discovered in Cheh-Kiang and elsewhere and the lovely old blue China
of Nankin was created, which is well-known throughout the globe. For roofs, plain, coated, and
colored tiles were often used with yellow serving as the imperial color. In the south, red
sandstone and limestone were mostly used for expansions, passageways, and open woeks with
marbles balustrading surrounding burial sites and notable monuments.

Climatic

The mountains that run east and west guide the ocean breezes that help maintain a
comfortable temperature. North China has a brief but bitterly cold winter and a warm rainstorms,
exceptionally overpowering downpours occur affecting the construction of such landmarks as the
widely anticipated rooftop with step surfaced for water loss.

Religion

Confucianism (Confucius, 551-475 B.C.) and Buddhism was introduced from India and
have had the greatest theological and moral influence on China. Confucianism was founded on a
moral code of sound teachings and excellent leadership principles, rather than on any
unambiguous rigorous belief. This is primary responsible for the absence of a dominant
brotherhood. Additionally, for the absence of significant strict structures that has perplexed
explorers, given that the Chinese were most likely humanized as early as the Egyptians, who
primarily as a result of their strong strict convictions, raise sanctuaries and burial chambers
unmatched in size. By the fourth century, Buddhism, which first opposed and mostly integrated
the more established Taoism, is claimed to have prospered among the populace. Sanctuaries and
places of worship dedicated to Buddha or Confucius, however numerous, are irrelevant, and thus
ass a level of complexity to Egypt’s grand sanctuaries; whereas, only In the pagoda we see any
hint of strict creative mind and desire that is such a defining feature of Medieval craftsmanship in
Western Europe. however, the impoverished family has its elevated space and family unit
heavenly creatures, while the prosperous family has its tribal lobby of love. Chinese religion in
everlasting life was transferred to the spirits of the left via penance ways and progenitor worship
sparked such respect for graves that the Chinese would furrow around them for eons rather than
be held accountable for the heresy of disturbing them.

Political

Ancient spawned what has become the planet’s most established surviving culture. The
word “China” derives from the Sanskrit Cina (derive from the Chinese Qin Dynasty’s name,
pronounced “Jawline”), which was interpreted as “Cin” by the Persians and seems to have spread
through trade along the Silk Road connecting China to rest of the globe.

The Romans and Greeks referred to the country as “Seres”, which means The Region of
Silk. The term “China” did not appear in literature in the west until 1516 C.E. in Barbosa’s
journals chronicling his travels in the east. Marco Polo, the famous traveler who introduced
China to Europe in the thirteenth century C.E., referred to the country as “Cathay”. The country
is referred in Mandarin Chinese as “Zhongguo”, which translates as focal state or canter domain.

History

Chinese architecture has remained remarkably consistent throughout the country’s

history. For a long period of time, in the yellow earth district, identical materials and structures
were used. Wood was always preferred over stone and coated fired tiles were the preferred
roofing material. The most typical constructions, at any rate for larger constructions intended for
first class or public use, for example, sanctuaries, lobbies, gateway, and towers was built on a
raise stage composed of compacted earth and clad in block or stone.

The earliest examples originate from the Shang tradition (1600-1046 B.C.E) and through
time they became bigger as more levels are constructed to create a grand ventured porch. Earth
enterprises at Erlitou localities range in the size of 300 square meters to 9,600 square meters and
often integrated subterranean earthenware sewage lines.

The primary communities that may be culturally identified as Chinese were established
mostly in Huang He Basin. They gradually moved out, impacting other indigenous civilizations,
until a substantial chunk of China was absorbed by the way of life fashioned in support of
northern Chinese growth by the Han tradition (206 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.). Over this territory, a
characteristic composed language eventually expanded, as did a typical confidence in the power
of paradise and tribe spirits to influence the living, as well as a typical emphasis on the need of
service and penance in achieving congruence between heaven, nature, and humanity. These
beliefs were to influence the way Chinese workmanship and design were to be.

Architectural Character

Feng-shui design principle

Geometry and Feng-Shui. The norms of this kind of thought specify how to locate, place,
and construct dwellings and communities for maximum effect. It is consistent with Taoist
objectives of cooperation. These structural beliefs were believed to benefit the occupants’ well-
being, wealth, pleasure, and developers believed that by adhering to these standards, they might
coordinate the evolution of QI vitality as a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine practices.

Lumber Construction

The thick woodlands were prepared flexibly of timber. The wooden engineering has a
certain characteristics that have remained relatively constant form the Zhou Dynasty through the
early modern era, when China adopted Western design. The main features of traditional timber
engineering wer a stepped earth foundation, load-bearing wooden columns that were not
embedded in the structure, and minimally flexible sections. These design features made the
constructions resistant to seismic tremors and tempests and they also contemplated
reconfiguration, extension, and rebuilding in the event of structural damage.

Roofing

The overpowering beautiful tiled roofing with a broad overhang and somewhat enhanced
corners are distinguishing feature of old timer constructions. Covering wooden buildings with
overhanging roofs was deemed necessary by the markers. This was done t protect the building
from deterioration, since wood decays much more quickly when damp. Additionally, the broad
roof provided concealment during the summer, while the angled sunshine warmed the houses
during the winter.

Single-story construction

One-story constructions are more resistant to earthquakes and tempest twists than
multistory constructions. It is becoming more difficult to construct sturdy multistory
constructions out of wood. Thus, low constructions were preferred for both regular citizen
dwellings and those of wealthy organizations, authorities, and royal families. The exception of
the southeastern part of China, which experiences minimal seismic activity. There, if a family
can afford it, they may construct two-story houses. A few strong towering dividers protected
their constructions from the occasional tropical hurricanes.

Symmetrical layouts

Symmetrical layouts of the complex with the larger major building in the center on all
sides by smaller ones or uniformly spaced doorways aided in buffering the substantial central
structure from all elements or attacks. Thus, the side and southern constructions obstructed the
wind and also shielded the central northern building from arrows or other invader shots.

Walls
 From the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – 220 A.D.), ancient Chinese architecture grew rapidly.
Now, developers had mastered the skill of earth slamming for city dividers and The Great Wall,
as well as the skill of firing tiles and working with cut stones.

Wooded courtyard compounds

In many regions, where grouped families felt secure enough to survive indefinitely and
were not subjected to frequent attacks and where wood was plentiful, the factions created
successfully adaptable wooden yard mixtures for three ages. This is the standard approach for
organizations capable of assembling and maintaining such blends. Due to the fact that factions
could more efficiently adapt their abodes as their demands changed over time, group members
believed it was more advantageous to remain on tribal holdings rather than moving on another
piece of land moving on to another compound. They could redesign and more efficiently repair
the devastation caused by disasters and keep a strategic distance form mobility, which meant that
relatives needed to discover out how to live in contained combinations with little individual
space throughput their lives, even as their occupants changed as they developed.

Famous Chinese Architecture

Great Wall of China

Massive masonry in ancient China was one of the most massive structural development
projects ever undertaken. The Great Wall is really made up of several partitions. Numerous them
corresponding to one another- operated over northern China and southern Mongolia for at least
two centuries. The most extensive and well-preserved version of the divider originates form the
Ming period and extends east to west for about 6,500 miles from Mount Hu near Dandong in
southern Liaoning province to Jiayu pass west of Jiuquan in northwestern Gansu region.

The Palace Museum (Forbidden City)

 Beijing’s central business district is dominated by an imperial palace complex. It was
initially legally implicated by the court in 1420, after being charged in 1406 by the Yongle
sovereign of the Ming tradition. It was so termed because to the fact that the location was off-
limits to the vast majority of the domain’s people. Government officials and even the supreme
family had limited access; only the head had unrestricted access to any region. The 178-acre
compound was designed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987 in recognition of its historical
significance as the focal point of Chinese force for five centuries, as well as its unmatched design
and current function as the Palace Museum of dynastic craftsmanship and history.
Citations

Ching, Francis D. K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture.
Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2017.

Sullivan, M. , Qiyi, . Liu and Silbergeld, . Jerome. "Chinese architecture." Encyclopedia Britannica, April
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Cartwright, Mark. “Ancient Chinese Architecture.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History
Encyclopedia, June 14, 2021. https://www.ancient.eu/Chinese_Architecture/.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Great Wall of China.” Encyclopædia Britannica.

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., March 20, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Wall-of-China.