Chinese Architecture

Period and Exponents, Materials, Subject Matter

and Application

Lecture‐3

Chair of History and Theory of Architecture

and Urbanism
History of Architecture‐ I ARCH 2272

Prep. By Habtom H.
May, 2023
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Geography
The geological formation of the mountains, which run east and west,
direct the sea winds which moderate the temperature.
North China has a short but frosty winter and warm and rainy summer.
During the monsoons very heavy rains occur, which influenced such
Features as the widely projecting roof with steep surfaces admitting of
the easy discharge of rain‐water.
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Religion
Two main religions
• Buddhism(AD 90 from India)
• Confucianism (Confucius BC 551‐475)
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The Yin and The yang

• China has an ancient legend that
in the beginning the supreme
Lord sent out two opposite
forces, the YIN and the YANG to
share control of the Universe
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• In the beginning there was a shapeless mass that

gradually separated out as the lighter matter rose to
form Heaven, giving rise to the yang force, and the
heavier matter congealed to form Earth, giving rise to the
yin force. The interplay of yin and yang then resulted in
the seasons, the Sun and Moon, fire, water, and the
elements, and finally the other creatures.
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Chinese painting
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Chinese decorative
motifs Dragon and
phoenix, called Long
and Feng in Chinese
respectively, are
totems of Chinese
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Architectural Characters
• The roof was the chief feature (curved upwards) –colored tiles
were used
• Widely projecting roof with steep surfaces to throw off rain
water –heavy rain of the monsoons
• Roofs are turned up at the eaves to admit light while
excluding heat and glare.
• Elaboration was produced by constant repetition of roofs one
above the other.
• Bright coloring forms have an important part, applied
permanently in the shape of glazed tiles or majolica work.
• Architecture of China is pre‐eminently one of wood cedar,
pine, Chesnutt or bamboo which is framed up to receive the
sliding screens which run in grooves
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The forbidden city
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The forbidden city

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The forbidden city

• Meridian Gate
• Watch Tower
• Gate of Supreme Harmony
• Hall of Supreme Harmony
• Hall of Medium Harmony
• Hall of Protective Harmony
• Hall of Heavenly Peace
• Hall of Union and Peace
• Hall of Earthly Peace
• Imperial Gardens
• North Gate
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Meridian Gate
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• The Meridian Gate as viewed from inside the Forbidden City. Built in 1420, it is
37.95 meters high and is the main gate of the Forbidden City. The bells and
drums in the gate tower were sounded to accompany important ceremonies
presided over by the emperor.
• During important ceremonies presided over by the emperor, guards of honor
lined up on the square between the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Supreme
Harmony, the largest square in the palace complex.
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The Watch Tower

• This is one of the
watchtowers on
the four corners of
the wall
surrounding the
Forbidden City.
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Forbidden city court

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Emperor’s seat, forbidden city
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The Pagodas
•Most important structures in temples
enclosures
•3-13 stories high –9 is the usual
•Usually polygonal in plan
•The roof angles are elaborately ornamented
•Has religious significance –sighted to block
the entry of evil spirits into the town from NE,
but those erected latterly are secular in
character, sometimes being monuments of
victory.
•They are constructed in various materials,
from wood to cast iron, are solid or hollow, the
latter having staircases leading to each floor
level.
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Timber Pagoda
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Longhua Pagoda, Shanghai city

Standing opposite the Longhua

temple, the pagoda, was built as
early as the 3rd century. The
present pagoda, which is
octagonal and seven‐storied with
40.64 meters in height. Built of
wood and bricks, this pagoda,
with upturned eaves and hanging
bells in the corners of the eaves, is
the only pagoda in.
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Tiger Hill Pagoda,

functions as a
Buddhist temple or
memorial. It usually
displays upward-
curving roofs between
its stories. The Tiger
Hill Pagoda in Suzhou,
China, pictured here,
dates from the 10th
century and stands
47.5 m (155.8 ft) high.
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The Pagoda Nankin (AD
1412)
• Temple of gratitude
• 12m in diameter and 60 m high,
9 storeys
• Octagonal
• Its brick walls and projecting roof
eaves were closed with the
beauty of colored tiles
• The roof eaves curved upwards
and carried 150 tinkling bells
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Domestic architecture

• The houses was built under guidance of Fengshui, which follow

the main principles to select locations based on their
environment around. Fengshui contends the trinity of the
Heaven, the Earth and human and seeks harmony between
selected site, orienting, natural doctrine and human fate.
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Ancient residence
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Lattice windows
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The interior
design is quite
complicated
compared with
the exterior.
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Chinese Garden
• an important part of ancient Chinese architecture it is a
combination of structures and man‐made landscape with
natural scenery
• full harmony between landscape architecture, environment
and man
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Chinese Garden
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Chinese Garden
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The Great Wall of China

• The longest fortified line
ever built–(2425 km)
• 6‐9m high
• 4.5 m wide at the top and
7.5m wide at the base
• Follows the contour lines of
the country –like a huge
snake wrought in stone
• Sides are made of earth,
brick and stone
• The top is paved with brick
set in line forming a road for
horse men
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The Great Wall of China
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Contents
A. Context
B. Historical period
C. Examples
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A. Context

1. General characteristics
„ A string of rocky volcanic
islands lying out in the
pacific
„ Well situated for commerce
„ Warmed by ocean currents
(sea breezes) producing
equitable temperature
„ Forests with diversity of
trees/90% of ancient
Japan, now 60% (known
for their gardens)
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„ Timber is Chief building
material due to the
prevalence of earth quake
„ Refinement of details,
minuteness in carving and
decoration
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2. Religion

„ Shinto
„ Indigenous religion
„ No definite moral code
„ Ancestor and nature
worship
„ Less desire for graven
images or elaborate
temples
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„ Matsuri Parade, Japan

„ A matsuri is a traditional
festival of the native Shinto
faith of Japan, frequently
involving the parading of a
portable shrine, or mikoshi,
round the local parish.
„ Shinto rites are traditionally
tied to the seasons of the
agricultural year, for Shinto
has retained close ties to
the land.
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3. Traditional System
of Proportion

„ Ken

a unit of measure
The 'ken' is a linear unit of
measure used in traditional
Japanese construction. The
unit is based upon the length
of a tatami mat which is
approximately (0.9m x
1.8m).
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„ The tatami mat consists of a thin layer
of tightly woven rushes on top of a
coarser mat of straw tightly bound with
cords. The mats are ideal flooring in that
they are not too soft to walk on nor too
hard to lie down on.
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„ Since the mats are used for sitting or resting,

tatami PROPORTIONS are based on the size of
a person. When the designers of a traditional
Japanese house first begins drawing up plans
for the building, they first determines how many
tatami mats will be needed to cover the floor.
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„ By designing different layouts, the final

configuration of the mats will determine
the shape and size of the house. In this
way the architecture employs a unit of
measurement that is standardized and
originates from the proportion of a
person.
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B. Historical periods
1. (4500BC – 250)
„ Jomon Period – Neolitic
period
2. Yayoi period (200BC –
250 AD)
3. Kofun period (250AD-
552 AD)
„ ……..
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B. Historical periods (Details)
A.Early Settlement
„ 1.The Jomon Period (c. 10,000 bc-c. 300 bc)
„ 2.The Yayoi Period (c. 300 bc-c. ad 300)
B.The Kofun Period (c. 300-710)
C.The Nara Period (710-794)
D.The Heian Period (794-1185)
E.The Kamakura Period (1185-1333)
F.Muromachi Period (1333-1568)
G.The Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1568-1600)
H.The Edo Period (1600-1868)
I.The Meiji Era (1868-1912)
J.The Taisho Era (1912-1926)
K.The Early Showa Era (1926-1945)
L.The Later Showa Era (1945-1989)
M.The Heisei Era (1989- )
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C. Examples
1. Tea Houses
„ Built for tea drinking
ceremony, which is a
cult in itself and closely
associated with
Japanese love and
peace
„ Originally associated
with Zen Buddhist
monks who drink tea to
keep themselves awake
during contemplation
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2. Gardens
„ They represent the
world in miniature
„ You don’t walk in a
Japanese garden ,
but view it from the
gallery or verandah
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2. Gardens
„ Japanese garden design
comes in many varieties.
Regardless of the size or
purpose, most Japanese
gardens use stones, bushes,
trees, and water to suggest
or replicate natural settings.
Typical plants in Japanese
gardens include azaleas, cut-
leaf maples, and pines.
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3. Japanese Merchant's
House
„ This traditional merchant’s
house in Japan shows some
characteristic features of
Japanese architecture. The
bamboo screen gives some
privacy while still allowing
easy access for customers, in
a building that would have
been both private house and
business premises.
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„ The overhang of the

tiled roof gave some
protection from the rain
to those standing
outside, while the shoji
(waxed-paper screens)
allowed light into the
interior while
maintaining privacy, in
a country where glass
was uncommon.
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4. Byodoin Temple
„ Buddhist temple located
in Uji near Kyoto,
Japan, was completed
in 1053. The Hall (right)
was originally an
aristocrat’s country
retreat but was
converted to a
monastery in 1053
when the rest of the
temple was constructed.
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5. Horyu-ji (Temple)
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5. Horyu-ji
„ Ji means temple
„ Late 7th century
„ The tall pagoda was
balanced by the width of
the golden hall
„ Created the situation of
dynamic balance
between the verticality of
the structures and
general horizontality of
the forms
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5. Horyu-ji
„ Sloping and

ornamented projecting
curved roofs are also
striking features
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5. Horyu-ji
 If you have
questions,
comments and
suggestions you
are welcome,
thank you.

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