HISTORY OF CHINESE

ARCHITECTURE
HISTORY

•Prehistoric developments
occurred along the Yellow
River (Hwang-ho) valley and
Yangtse River basin around 21st
century BCE

•The Grand Canal, 1794 km

long, started in 5th century BC
and completed in the 7th
century AD. Connected five
major water systems, including
the Yangtze and the Hwang-ho.
Economic development mostly
along the Grand Canal
The Grand Canal
 HISTORY
• Xia period (2100-1600 BCE) earliest civilization but no written records
• Recent study estimated the Great Flood on Hwang Ho around 1920
BCE so Xia probably started after then.
• Shang dynasty (1600 – 1028 BCE) written records, science and
astrology developed, invention of lunar calendar, money introduced
• Zhou Dynasty (1050-249 BCE)
• Qin / Chin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) – Great wall was built
• Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 AD) – Buddhism introduced in China.
Country most powerful, envoys sent to other countries. Trade
through the Silk Road.
• Jin Dynasty (265-419 AD)
• Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) – Most prosperous period. Sent envoy to
Nepal during the reign of Narendradeva
• Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) invention of the compass, gunpowder
and the printing press which were subsequently introduced to
Europe. Increased overland and maritime trade
 History
• Yuan Dynasty (1280-1367 AD) – Founded by Kublai Khan, grand
son of Mongolian Genghis Khan; introduced Islam religion and
culture in China; mention of Nepalese architect “Anige” (Arniko)
• Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) – Great wall completed in
present final form; progress in architecture; Nanjing and Beijing
still retain urban fabric of this period. End of feudal system and
beginning of capitalism
• Qing / Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 AD)
• By 1840 AD, European powers had reduced China to a semi-
colonial state
• In 1912, Republic of China was founded by Dr. Sun Yat – Shen,
ending imperial rule
• In 1949 the People’s Republic of China was declared after the
Chang kai-shek troops were defeated by the Communist Party
of China which still rules the country
 Chinese Architecture
• Difficult to know about early Chinese and Japanese
architecture because of perishable nature of wood which
was the principle building material
• Clay models of early houses show wooden origin
• Did not seek monumentality or permanence in their
structures
• Knew about brick and stone construction since 2-3 century AD
but preference for wood
EARLY ARCHITECTURE
• China isolated from other
civilizations for a long period,
developed independently
• Before the Xia period (2100-
1600 BCE) small villages of pit
houses, built of wattle and
daub.
• The village of Banpocun (Pan-
p’o-ts’un) c.4000 BCE oval • Four interior posts supported a sloping
shaped with a population of 2 wattle and daub roof which reached
– 3 hundred almost to the ground. Thin closely spaced
• The village surrounded by a posts supported the roof at the edge
ditch 6m wide and 6m deep • The hearth was in the center of the hut.
• The houses 5m in diameter, • A large rectangular hut in the middle of
circular in shape and sunk the village, probably a meeting house or
60cm into the ground the headman’s house.
Tombs • The Hsi-pei-kang tomb of the
Shang period was a shaft grave
14m x 19m built of jointed timber
placed 14m below ground
• Long sloping ramps led to the
tomb which was covered by a
wooden canopy.
• Simple tombs consisted of a shaft
without ramps which was filled
with earth after burial.
 Characteristics of Chinese Architecture
• Distinct architectural character during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 AD).
Introduction of Buddhism brought new styles
• Maturity in building methods reached during the Tang and Song dynasties
(AD 618-1279)
• Even higher levels of skill achieved during the Ming (1368-1644 AD) and
Qing dynasties (1644-1911 AD)……..(Forbidden City)

• Due to large size, differing climates in different regions led to difference in

local architectural character.

• Tropical climate in South with hot summers and heavy rainfall; buildings
with sloping roofs and wide shades designed to promote maximum air
movements through the building. The colder north has south facing
buildings which are closed to the cold north winds.
 Chinese Architecture
• Classic Chinese structure, wooden frame on platform, developed in the
middle Yellow River valley in 9th century BCE
• In frequent earthquakes, solid walls tended to crumble and crack, while
wooden frames rode out the tremors much better. If destroyed, could be
rebuilt or disposed of faster
• Three basic elements of Chinese and Japanese architecture:
Raised platform – solid, of pounded earth, brick, stone etc.
Wooden frame raised on the platform – posts set on stone or
bronze base to protect from damp. Light walls filled in later
Roof with wide overhang supported by pillars. Distinctive curves in
eaves and ridge from Han period. Various color roof tiles,
YELLOW being imperial color
• For protection against weather and termites, wooden elements painted
with lacquer or oil and hemp mixed with brick dust. Thus began the practice
from 3rd century BC of painting all structural elements in bright RED.
Chinese Architecture Characteristics

1. Balance & Symmetrical Layout

2. Bilateral Symmetry
3. Horizontal Emphasis
4. Heavy Overhang Roofs- wooden buildings are roofed with heavy ceramic tile
with wide eves with up turned corners
5. Enclosure
6. South Facing
7. Feng-shui
8. Wooden Building with Wooden frame work (No Nail And Glue used..Instead
used Dougong system)
9. Colourful Decoration & Ornamentation
10. Low Rise
11. Heirarchy
Dougong System of Brackets
Enclosure:
Buildings or Building Complex surrounds the Open Space (Maintains
Temperature and ventilation)
1.Courtyard
2.Sky Well (are relatively small open to sky and also used to collect rain water)
Northern courtyards are open and face south to allow the max. exposure of the
building window and wall to the sun direction while keeping cold north wind
Hierarchy: There is strict placement of building according to sun orientation.
South facing building are kept in rear end and private areas with higher sun exposure
to sun light …reserved for the elderly people.
East and West direction space used for Juniors where as spaces in the builg or
buildings near the front used for the servants and hired helpers

Horizontal Emphasis:
Classical Chinese buildings, especially those of the wealthy, are built with an
emphasis on Widhth/ Length and less on height, featuring an enclosed heavy platform
and a large roof that floats over this base, with the vertical walls This preference
contrasts with Western architecture, which tends to emphasize height and depth. The
halls and palaces in the Forbidden city have rather low ceilings when compared to
equivalent stately buildings in the West.
 Characteristics of Chinese Architecture
Five major characteristics of Chinese architecture
1.Unity of structure with architectural art i.e. no additional
ornaments added, only the structural components beautified
2.Good anti-seismic properties obtained by jointing wooden
members in a way to allow flexibility during earthquakes
3.High level of standardization
4.Bright colors for decoration as well as protection against
weathering and insects
5.Systematic grouping of buildings along an axis or a series of
courtyards
 BUILDING MATERIALS
• Large forest areas since ancient times so timber main building
material
• Tiles first produced in 8th century BCE and bricks and hollow
clay blocks since 5th century BCE for underground tombs.
• Bricks used only after 13th century AD for structures above
ground. Mass production of bricks only after 17th century AD
• Glazed tiles highly prized and first used in palaces during the
4th century AD
• Tiles used in pagodas during the Song dynasty. More intricate
colored patterns followed during Ming period
• Stones used for foundations and a few structures such as
bridges, tombs and pagodas.
Typical Chinese House

• House consists of one or more

courtyards with rooms built
around the courtyards
• Entry is offset from the centre so
no view of the inside is obtained
• The family rooms are arranged
around the inner court with the
patriarch’s room at the centre
• The rooms are interconnected
through a covered verandah
• The servants’ rooms and the
kitchen are arranged next to the
entry
The Forbidden City, Beijing

• Many earlier palaces of China destroyed after fall of

the rulers. Only Forbidden City dating from Ming
(1368-1644 AD) and Qing (1644-1911 AD)
• dynasties preserved
• Construction started in 1406 AD.
• The Forbidden City surrounded by moat and
Imperial City whose main entry is through
Tiananmen gate
• The Forbidden City locked up each night for the
protection of emperor
• 24 emperors lived and ruled China from Forbidden
City beginning from the Ming dynasty for over 500
years
General Location of the Forbidden City

Imperial city- section of a

city during Ming and Qing
dynasties. It comprises of
gardens, shrine and other
service areas. It was
surrounded by wall with 7
gates.
Imperial garden

Gate of Purity

Hall of Preserving Harmony

Hall of Middle Harmony

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Gate of Supreme Harmony

Meridian Gate
 Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City Beijing

•Hall of Supreme Harmony biggest

hall in palace complex.
• Raised on three tiers of terraces
8m high
• Marble balustrades on each
terrace
• Size 27m x 64m
•Double roofs, Building profusely
decorated with dragons and painted
in bright colors.
Area= 961mx 753 m (720,000sq m)
Contains 987 buildings and 1078 Rooms

Boundary wall ht- 7.9 m

Moat – 6 m deep and 52 m wide
Axial Planning
After Meridan gate
Outer Court comprises of
1.Hall of Supreme Harmony (Ceromonial ground/ 30 m
higher than Ground level)
2. Hall of middle/ Central Harmony
3. Hall of Preserving Harmony
Inner court comprises of
1.Palace of Hevenly purity
2.Hall of Union
3.Palace of Earthly Tranqulity

Woodern Structure with 90% of roof with yellow glazed

tile except black tile in the roof ofPavillion of Literary
profoundly
Layout of the Forbidden City
The Forbidden
City, Beijing
• Fortified walls 960m N-S and
760m E-W
•Palace divided into inner and
outer courts. Buildings arranged
symmetrically along N-S axis
•The Hall of Supreme Harmony,
Hall of Central Harmony, Hall of
Preserved Harmony, Hall of
Literary Glory ( crown prince’s
study) and the Hall of Martial
Valor (emperor’s meeting hall
with ministers) arranged in outer
court.
•The first 3 halls used for
reception, administration and
celebration of major festivals.
 • The inner court consists of the king’s palace, the queen’s palace
• Six Eastern Courtyards and the Six Western Courtyards housed the
concubines and the maids

• Forbidden City is surrounded by a 7.9 m (26 ft) high city wall and 6 m
(20 ft) deep by 52 m (171 ft) wide Moat
• walls are 8.62 m (28.3 ft) wide at the base, tapering to 6.66 m (21.9 ft) at
the top.
• These walls served as both defensive wall and retaining walls for the
palace.
• They were constructed with a rammed earth core, and surfaced with
three layers of specially baked bricks on both sides, with the interstices
filled with mortar.
The Forbidden City

Bird’s Eye View of Palace

The Meridian Gate, entrance to the

Forbidden City
 Buddhist Temples
• Two types of Buddhist temples evolved:
a) Tall pagoda or stupa. Pagodas often placed to the north of
the city to ward off evil spirits
b) Group of buildings including stupa and temple hall
arranged around courtyard
• Stupas were said to contain Buddha’s remains and was placed
in the center of a group of temple buildings
• From the 4th to the 6th century, temple halls were combined
with pagodas. This design was transmitted to Japan via Korea
Pagodas
Pagoda derived from Sanskrit
word for stupa, DAGOBA
1) Pagodas with closely layered
eaves in either octagonal or
square plans eg. Lesser Wild
Goose Pagoda at Xian in Shanxi
Province (Tang dynasty),
Songyue Temple, Henan
Province (AD 520). Parabolic
shape of roof inspired by Indian
shikhara temples. Hollow
centre, no way to go up.

2) The storeyed pagoda, eg.

Temple of Kaiyuan in
Guangzhou (AD 1241-1252)
Pagodas
3) Vase shaped pagoda or stupa eg.
White Pagoda in Beijing built by
Arniko from Nepal in 1271 AD
incorporating Indian and Chinese
styles
4) Group of pagodas honoring
Buddha’s warrior attendants eg. Zin
Gang Bao Zuo Pagoda, Beijing
5) Single storey pagodas built as
tombs for monks and nuns. Could be
square, octagonal or hexagonal in plan
6) Wooden tower pagodas eg. Shijia
pagoda, Shanxi province, the only
surviving wooden pagoda built in AD
1056
The Great Wall
of China
•The Great Wall of China more
than 6000km long. Started in the
7th century BCE to stop the
nomadic herds from north.
•The wall continuously
strengthened and expanded up to
the Ming dynasty
•The wall is 7 to 8m high but rises
to 14m at strategic points
•The stone wall is 6-7m thick at
the base and 5m at the top
•Guard houses and armories are
built at regular distances along
the wall.