Ancient Chinese Architecture

Together with European architecture and Arabian architecture, ancient Chinese architecture is an important component of the system of world architecture. During its long development, it gradually formed into a style which featured timberwork combining stone carving, rammed earth construction, bucket arch buildings and many other techniques. Industrious Chinese laboring people created many architectural miracles such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.

Forbidden City, Beijing

Badaling Great Wall, Beijing

Chinese Architecture Features: The most significant characteristic of ancient Chinese architecture is the use of timber framework. Paintings and carvings were added to the architectural work to make it more beautiful and attractive.

Humble Administrator's Garden, Suzhou

Architecture Styles: There were many different styles of ancient Chinese architecture. All of them are unique and equally exquisite.
 Imperial Architecture
 Buddhist Architecture
 Taoist  Architecture
 Garden Architecture
 Chinese Temples Buddhist Temples  
 Confucius Temples Islam Mosques    
 Taoist Temples

Architecture and Culture: Architecture and culture are closely related to each other. Many architectural buildings contain cultural connotations. The cultural facts will help people better understand the structure and the design of architecture.
 Feng Shui
 Memorial Arch (Paifang)

Being an important component of the Chinese gorgeous culture, the imperial architecture  records the great intelligence and creation of the laborious ancient people that had a profound influence on the design of modern architecture at home and abroad. Generally speaking, it features the highest achievement of the Chinese ancient architecture that includes imperial palace, imperial mausoleum and garden architecture.

 Imperial Palace

The long Chinese feudal society saw the construction of numerous palaces, built to satisfy the emperors' extravagant lifestyles and protect the stateliness of their reign. Served as the venue where public affairs were dealt with and where the royal family lived, the construction of imperial palaces emphasized on the splendorous appearance and regular layout. From the E'pang Palace of the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), Weiyang Palace of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220) to the Forbidden City of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the scale of Chinese imperial palaces became larger and larger. Most of them are axial symmetrical, with splendid buildings standing at the middle axis and smaller attached houses located along both sides.

Inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Forbidden City, Beijing

The Forbidden City is a typical example of imperial palace. The general layout often follows two rules: the first being the ancestral temples must be situated at the front left of the main palace as the left is believed to be superior, while the front right was reserved for altars for praying to the gods of earth and grain. It is called 'Zuozu Youshe' in Chinese. The second being emperors handled national affairs at the palace's forecourt while the rear end was meant for living. In Chinese, this structure is called 'Qianchao Houqin'. Many distinctive characters were incorporated to indicate the imperial palace. For example, a pair of stone or copper lion often crouches in front of the main gate to ward off evil influence. Ornamental columns, carved with exquisite floral designs, soured into the sky. In the Forbidden City, auspicious jars filled with water were placed in front of the palace. They were not only decorative but also serve as fire-extinguishers. Because of this important function, they were nicknamed 'Menhai', the sea of the front door.

 Imperial Mausoleum Architecture

Architecture of the imperial mausoleum is another important component of Chinese imperial architecture, revealing the imposing majestic manner of royalty. Chinese emperors hoped to continue their luxurious imperial life after death. Stately mausoleums hence were built to satisfy their greed. Many were built with a sacred pathway before the tomb and at the underground palace. How they were been built were very much dynasty-influenced, especially the economy, social ideology and taste of the period then. For instance, before the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC-771BC), coffins with exterior wooden enclosure were popular. The Qin and Han Dynasty emphasized very much on large scales and hence, many imperial tombs were built into an earth pyramid with a wide base. Emperor Qin's Tomb is a typical representation of this. The mausoleum of Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, Zhao Mausoleum features the characteristics of mausoleum style during the Tang Dynasty, which was to set it against a mountain. The Qing Dynasty is the glorious period in the history of Chinese ancient mausoleum as it added the idea of the harmonious unity of mausoleum construction with nature. The Eastern Qing Tombs, the largest tomb complex in China, is worth visiting if exploring the mausoleum culture of the Qing Dynasty interests you.

Mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Liu Qi, Xian

Sacred Way, Qianling Mausoleum, Xian

 Imperial Garden ArchitectureThe imperial garden architecture mainly has three characteristics: stylish, super splendor scales and harmonious unity of human with nature. Among the countless amazing imperial gardens of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the most significant one is the Huaqing Palace, where the romantic story of Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yangyuhuan took place. A number of fine halls and pavilions were erected, rows upon rows, along Lishan Mountain dotted with beautiful flowers. It is indeed an elegant sight during sunset. More functions were added to the imperial gardens in the Qing Dynasty. Emperors were not satisfied by merely living and playing in gardens. They made gardens venues for theatre-going and praying. Big and small picturesque gardens were just like precious stones dotted about. Summer Palace, one of the four famous gardens in China, symbolizes the highest achievement of the imperial garden during the Qing Dynasty. The present famous imperial garden architecture also include: Beihai Park in Beijing and The Mountain Resort of Chengde.

Mountain Resort of Chengde

Summer Palace, Beijing

Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian

The development of Chinese Buddhist architecture can be traced back to the introduction of Buddhism. The main Buddhist architectural items include temples, pagodas, and grottos. Buddhist architecture is regarded as a great art treasure where calligraphy, sculpture and painting combine. Being the spiritual symbols of Buddhism, they are not only monastic holy places, but also serve as sacred land that can purify souls. Buddhist Temples
The Buddhist temple is the holy place where Buddhist doctrine is maintained. Differing from other religions' temples, Chinese Buddhist temples have many characteristics of their own. For example, similar to Chinese palaces and dwelling houses, they are comprised of a number of small yards. The oldest temple in China - White Horse Temple is a typical example of this.
The architectural styles of Buddhist temples in China were mainly formed in three periods: Han Dynasty (206BC-220), Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589), and Tang Dynasty (618-907). The first period sees the retention of Indian styles. In the second period, wooden framework was added to the original styles. In the third period, the styles of Buddhist temples were totally Sinicized and the pavilion-like pagoda, which is unique to China, became popular.
 Pagoda, symbol of Buddhism, where people climb to have a bird's-eye-view, is often erected in temples. Pagodas can be 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.

White Horse Temple, Luoyang, Henan

Buddha Statues in Maiji Caves, Tianshui

 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: Mogao Caves, Longmen Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Maiji Caves. They are well preserved and attract many visitors from home and abroad.
 Chinese Temples
   Buddhist Temples      Confucius Temples
   Islam Mosques          Taoist Temples
Temples symbolize the long history and rich culture of China, and are regarded as valuable art treasures. There are many different religions in China, such as the Buddhism, Christianity and Islam introduced from other regions, as well as Taoism and Confucianism, the native-born religions. Of course, temples or houses of worship of different religions differ. Buddhist temples include a temple, pagoda and grotto, which are called Si, Ta, and Shiku in Chinese respectively. Taoist architecture is variously called Gong, Guan or An in Chinese. Confucian temples, such as Kong Miao, Yonghe Lamasery (Harmony and Peace Palace Lamasery) and the Temple of Heaven are called Miao, Gong, or Tan in Chinese. An Islamic house of worship is referred to as a Mosque. Christian churches have also added some Chinese flavor to them.

Main Hall, Shaolin Temple, Luoyang

Confucius Temple, Qufu

Chinese temples are well kept cultural artifacts of every dynasty. And temple culture has influenced every aspect of Chinese people's life such as painting, calligraphy, music, sculpture, architecture, temple fairs, folk-customs and many others. The following are typical religious architectural styles in China.The European churches often use complicated spire, arched domed roof and stained glass window to convey religious morals. Every detail of the buildings tries with intentions to express the opposite of the Promised Land in Heaven and miserable world on Earth. However, in a different way, Chinese temples want to express the concept of the integration of heaven and humanity, that is, human beings is a part of nature. Followed by this idea, many Chinese temples actively embrace themselves into nature. The building integrated with nature is exactly the embodiment of the integration of heaven and humanity. This is to explain why many Chinese temples are located in mountains and forests.

Kuqa Mosque, Aksu, Xinjiang

Chunyang Palace, Taiyuan

What's more, like a beautiful picture which makes up of lines of different lengths and thicknesses, Chinese temples uses various pillars, beams and arches interlaced with each other to compose an architecture complex. Each building doesn't stand alone, for example, the hall of Mahavira should stand out against the mountain forests and side halls to highlight its elegance and artistic conception.

In addition, it is learned that the space awareness reflected in Chinese temples is different from that in European churches. In order to make people feel small and helpless compared to the powerful lord, European churches emphasize on huge and enclosed  space. But Chinese temples give people the feeling of harmonious environment and comfortable life when they stroll in the changeable and complicated buildings. The spirit of entering the mortal world is encouraged when practice religious services.

Islam mosque is not only the holy place where Muslims fulfill their divine services, but also the miniature of Islamic architecture. The Islamic idea of beauty is reflected in those majestic domes, lofty towers, and marks of crescent. Generally speaking, the architectural styles of Chinese Islam mosque can be divided into two groups: one reserves the Arabian style and the other reflects Chinese flavor to a large degree.Since Islam is spread to China from Western and Central Asia, a large number of Chinese Islam mosques reserve the strong Arabian style. Their layout is asymmetric. Main hall is located facing the gate. Two round spires stand on each side of the large gatehouse. The top of the spire is shaped into a new moon, the symbol of mosque. The flat-topped Hall of Prayer is supported by a number of wooden props. Vaulted roofs, doors and windows are decorated with colorful flower patterns and delicate paintings, full of distinctive Uygur features. This type of mosques is situated mainly in Xinjiang. Id Kah Mosque is a good example.

Niujie Mosque, Beijing

Chinese traditional mosque is different. It fuses the Chinese and Western Asian architectural styles. The whole layout is composed of a series of courtyards distributed orderly along the central axis. Decorated archways, screen walls or other attached buildings stand in front of the main wooden gate. The Hall of Prayer is wooden-framed with bucket arch. The Minaret, where the calls to prayer resound five times a day, is a multi-storied pavilion. Architectural ornaments emphasize the Islamic content. Chinese sentiment is fully expressed in exquisite carvings, censers, rocks and corridors. Arabian characters and beautiful flower patterns are painted on the wooden pillars and walls. Many of them are considered to be precious works of art. The entire construction reveals a religious solemnity as well as affording a peaceful atmosphere. The representative mosques of this type include Niujie (Ox Street) Mosque.Though these two types of Islam mosques differ in some ways, there is one thing in common, that is, animal images are never used for decoration according to Muslim doctrines, which is one of the most important principals in the mosque construction.
Being a great treasure of Chinese national culture, Islam mosque agglutinates the wisdom of Muslims for generations. It is the outcome of cultural communication between China and Arabia and the witness of their friendliness.
Other famous mosques include Great Mosque in Xian, Dongguan Mosque in Xining and Southern Mosque in Urumqi.

Great Mosque, Xian

Dongguan Mosque, Xining

Early in the Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC) and followed by the Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 221 BC), Chinese kings and nobilities began the practice of developing forests and woods for the specific purpose of hunting. In some instances these areas of forests and woods, called 'You' in Chinese covered dozens of square kilometers or even hundreds of square kilometers. Somewhere between 206 BC and 220 BC, the Han Dynasty advanced the concept of these 'Natural Gardens' by adding living quarters and adding animals that were raised and considered to be the rudiment of Chinese garden architecture. Traditional Chinese Garden architecture in the real sense first appeared in the Tang Dynasty somewhere between 618 AD and 907 AD. During this era, the construction of beautiful architecture evolved into what would include man-made hills, pools and fountains. As time went on, and craftsman became more accomplished, this man-made beauty was able to successfully blend in well with the beauty of the natural environment.

Garden of the Master of Nets, Suzhou

The Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) followed by the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD - 1911 AD) saw the heyday of Chinese garden architecture. Especially in the Qing Dynasty, emperors collected skillful craftsmen from all over the country to create even more elaborate gardens. Gardens in this period were no longer merely places for fun, but also served as areas where more formal ceremonies could take place such as holding court, hosting banquets, pursuing studies, producing theatrical activities, and to provide a setting where people could worship.

 Classification
Depending on their geographical locations, Chinese gardens can vary. Generally speaking, they can be divided into two groups that would include the Imperial Garden Architecture in north China and the Private Garden Architecture in south China. Imperial gardens are noteworthy for their grand dimensions, luxurious buildings, and exquisite decorations.

 Northern Imperial Garden

Summer Palace, Beijing

With material resources and generous financial support combined with supreme power, emperors were able to construct Imperial Gardens with almost unlimited extravagance. Designers placed emphasis on the harmonious unity of architecture with nature which contributed to the decision to construct many gardens in scenic mountain areas. In northern China, Beijing is one of the better known areas for these beautiful gardens. 'Summer Palace' and 'Old Summer Palace' (Ruins of Yuanmingyuan) are typical  examples of this period. Gentle babbling brooks meander through delicate palaces, pavilions, platforms, and bridges. Large lakes shimmering in the early morning or late afternoon sun, where fish swim delightfully in and out of duckweeds add to the incredible beauty of the pleasant surroundings. When one is confronted with all of this fine architecture, it is easy to appreciate the high level craftsmanship that went into the construction of these magnificent gardens.

 Southern Private Garden

Humble Administrator's Garden, Suzhou

Although different from the imperial gardens of Northern China, the gardens in the south are smaller but no less exquisite. The area in South China although rich in water resources is somewhat limited in the land area that could be used for private gardens. As a result of these phenomena, garden owners were put in the position where they skillfully and cleverly constructed their private gardens according to their own personal tastes. Unlike the majestic and splendor of northern gardens, southern gardens are simpler and more elegant, like a shy girl waiting for you to take away her veiling. Designers were also good at selecting colors such as dark grey tiles to cover the house roofs, while walls were painted white. Wooden pillars were colored dark brown or greenish black that blended with the bridges, pavilions and corridors that were made of natural stone. The whole scenery presents a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere. Famous gardens belonging to this type are popular in Jiangsu Province. Some of the more noteworthy would be 'Garden of the Master of Nets', 'Li Garden', 'Canglang Pavilion', 'Lion Grove', 'Garden for Lingering', and 'Humble Administrator's Garden'.

Other kinds of garden architecture contain monastic gardens which are located in temples, symbolizing a sort of spiritual peace and harmony. An example of this would be the 'Mountain Resort of Chengde' (Bishu Shanzhuang) that is built on a large scale and blends in well with the mountain scenery.