DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-Dasmarinas

College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology

Architecture Department

T-ARCH225
History of Architecture 3

The Architecture of China

The Architecture of China
 Geography
• With a landmass of
9,600,000 sq km, China is the
third largest country in the
world.
• China is the second largest
country in Asia, so large that
fourteen other nations share
its border. (Mongolia, N. Korea,
Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal,
Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia )
• It is bounded on the east by
Yellow Sea and China Sea
which are part of the Pacific
China is also the most populated country in the world
Ocean
with nearly 1.5 billion inhabitants at present
• China has some of the highest
mountain ranges in the world.
• The Himalayas, are one of the mountain
ranges in China.
• These rugged mountains are home to
the ten highest mountain peaks in the
world.
• Mount Everest is the highest mountain
in the world.
• It is in Tibet, not in China, and is located
close to the border between those two
countries.
• Ancient China was bordered by two of the
world’s largest deserts: the Gobi Desert to the
north and northwest and the Takla Makan
Desert to the west. These two deserts helped
to protect China from outside invaders, but
they also limited Chinese expansion.
• The Takla Makan Desert, the second largest in
the world, is also called the Sea of Death,
Taklamakan Desert
because it offers the Takla Makan traveler
poisonous snakes, frequent sandstorms, boiling
days, freezing nights, and intense water
shortages.
• The Gobi Desert, in China’s north, is one of the
driest deserts in the world.
• It is a large, cold desert and grassland region in
northern China and southern Mongolia and is
the sixth largest desert in the world.

Gobi Desert
• Like Mesopotamia, China developed because two
great rivers brought water to the early settlers and
silt to the land, making farming possible, and
eventually cities developed along their banks.
• The Huang He (Yellow River) is around 3000 miles
long. The river ends at the Yellow Sea. Because the
soil along the banks of the Huang He is fertile,
civilization in ancient China began along this river .
• The Yangtze (Long River) is the third longest river in
the world. It’s nearly 4000 miles long. It also ends at
the Yellow Sea. At its lowest, the Yangtze is about
25 feet deep. When the snow melts, however, the
Yangtze can grow to be 160 feet deep. The river
flows through some of China’s best farmland.
Because of annual flooding, people have always
tried to build their homes and towns high above
the river.
Geology
• There were large forest areas since ancient times so timber became
the main building material
• Tiles were first produced in 8th century BCE and bricks and hollow
clay blocks since 5th century BCE for underground tombs.
• Bricks were used only after 13th century AD for structures above
ground, Mass production of bricks only after 17th century AD
• Glazed tiles were highly prized and were first used in palaces during
the 4th century AD
• Tiles were used in pagodas during the Song dynasty. More intricate
colored patterns followed during Ming period
• Stones were used for foundations and a few structures such as
bridges, tombs and pagodas.
Geology

• Wood was always preferred rather than

stone, and the roof material of choice
was glazed ceramic tiles. The most
typical building, at least for larger
structures for the elite or public use
such as temples, halls, and gate towers,
was built on a raised platform made of
compacted earth and faced with brick
or stone.
• The small private homes of the ancient
Chinese were usually built from dried
mud, rough stones, and wood.
 Climate
• roofs in northern China tended
to be steeper because of
snowfall
• Over time, they constructed
quadrangular brick courtyards
and used special techniques in
order to combat the cold
climate: their usual method of
construction was to build south
facing low-rise houses, with
spacious courtyards to obtain
sufficient solar access
throughout the structure; and
the houses were commonly
insulated by using 500 mm thick
mud walls and two layer of
windows
Religion
• Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism were the three main
philosophies and religions of ancient China, which have
individually and collectively influenced ancient and modern
Chinese society.
 CONFUCIANISM
• Scholarly tradition and way of
life propagated by Confucius in
the 6th–5th century BC and
followed by the Chinese for
more than two millennia.
• The core idea is ren
(“humaneness,”
“benevolence”), signifying
excellent character in accord
with li (ritual norms), zhong
(loyalty to one’s true nature),
shu (reciprocity), and xiao (filial
piety).
TAOISM
• (also spelled Daoism) is a religion and a
philosophy from ancient China that has
influenced folk and national belief.
• Taoism has been connected to the philosopher
Lao Tzu, who around 500 B.C.E. wrote the main
book of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching.
• Taoism holds that humans and animals should
live in balance with the Tao, or the universe.
Taoists believe in spiritual immortality, where the
spirit of the body joins the universe after death.
• Taoism is strongly associated
with the yin-yang sign, which
symbolizes the Taoist belief in
matched opposites: light and
dark, hot and cold, wet and dry,
masculine and feminine.
BUDDHISM
• Buddhism was
introduced to China
from India around the 4th
Century AD.
• It was widely spread and
gradually became the
most influential religion
in China.
Historical and Political
Meaning of B.C. and A.D.
Historical and Political
 Eras Of History of China
China is one of the world's four ancient civilizations, and the written history of
China dates back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), over 3,000 years ago.
Before the emergence of the dynasties, China was a primitive society.
Some of the earliest human remains were found in China: Yuanmou Man, found in
Yunnan, Lantian Man in Shaanxi Province, and Peking Man.
Peking Man could use fire and made stone implements. They lived in groups as
hunter-gatherers. This was the first stage of primitive society.

17,000 years ago, evidence suggests Upper Cave Man formed a relatively fixed
group of blood relations. Such clans also appeared in Banpo Village in Xi'an and
other archeological sites along the Yangtze River. Then people farmed and raised
animals. This is the second stage of primitive.

From the clans, dynasties emerged.

 XIA DYNASTY (2070–1600 BC)

• The Xia Dynasty was considered as the first

dynasty of ancient China and was generally
believed to be consisted of several clans living
alongside the Yellow River in Erlitou in the province
of Henan
• The Xia Dynasty is traditionally considered to be
the beginning of China's hereditary dynasty.
• The Xia dynasty is said to be the first to irrigate,
produce cast bronze, and build a strong army.
• With few clear records matching the Shang oracle
bones or the Zhou bronze vessel writings, the Xia
era remains poorly understood and little is known
about the architecture of Xia Dynasty
SHANG DYNASTY
(1600–1046 BC)

• was the first dynasty with historical

records remaining.
• They occupied the An-yang in the
Province of Henan
• The earliest form of Chinese writing
— oracle bones — were found to
tally with later accounts of the
Shang Dynasty.
• The people lived in rectangular
houses laid out in rows, built of
wood and rammed earth.

• In the center of the city, there

was a big palace or temple on a
high earth platform
ZHOU DYNASTY (1045-
221 BC)
• Longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese History.
• There had been a lot of big palaces and shrines
built mainly of big wooden beams
• The palace could be built in multiple layers with a
large scale. The roof is covered with tiles for
greater durability.
QIN DYNASTY (221–
206 BC)
• The Qin Dynasty was the first to unite China as a
country under an emperor instead of a ruling clan,
which meant the beginning of China's feudal era.
• The Qin Dynasty was the shortest dynasty in China,
lasting only 15 years.
• Great building projects, such as the Great Wall to
protect the land from northern, nomadic invaders,
and the Terracotta Army were built in this era.
Terra-Cotta Army
• The First Emperor — Qin Shi
Huang was first to use the title
of emperor in China.
• To achieve immortality, he built
himself a tomb—a vast
underground city guarded by a
life-size terracotta army
including warriors,
infantrymen, horses, chariots
and all their attendant armor
and weaponry.
 HAN DYNASTY (206 BC
– 220 AD)
• The Han Dynasty was one of the most powerful, prosperous, and
important dynasties in China's history and it existed at the same
time as the Roman empire.
• The Han Dynasty was known for starting Silk Road trade and
connecting China with Central Asia and Europe.
• Confucianism was officially the accepted philosophy and
was to shape the subsequent Chinese civilization.
• Buddhism, originating in ancient India was introduced to China,
and Taoism, China's local religion, arose.
• Archaeologists have restored the appearance of the Imperial
Palace of the Han Dynasty based on its architectural sites and
historical records.
 WEI, JIN and the SOUTHERN and NORTHERN
DYNASTIES (220–581)
• This period saw the most frequent regime
changes in Chinese history.
• When the Han Dynasty fell into decline, it
fractured into the Three Kingdoms Period (220–
265).
• The Jin Dynasty came after the Three Kingdoms
Period with partial unification. However, China
again fractured, this time into the Southern and
Northern Dynasties (420–589).
• During this messy time, Buddhism was
popular and was supported by governors. The
rulers used Buddhist ideas to encourage the
people to willing endure suffering and put their
hope in the afterlife, so as to give up the
resistance to the ruling class.
 SUI DYNASTY
(581–618)
• The Sui Dynasty was a short, intense dynasty,
with great conquests and achievements, such
as the Grand Canal and the rebuilding of the
Great Wall.
• The Grand Canal is a man-made waterway that
runs north and south in eastern China. It is the
longest man-made waterway in the world.
• The canal was built in order to easily ship grain
from the rich farmland in southern China to the
capital city in Beijing. This also helped the
emperors to feed the soldiers guarding the
northern borders.
TANG DYNASTY (618-
907)
• The Tang Dynasty ruled one of the most
powerful countries in the world. Its capital
Chang'an (now Xi'an) was then the largest city
in the world.
• At this time, the buildings became taller, with
huge roofs, huge building platforms and the
grounds and roads are all paved with stones.
SONG DYNASTY (907 – 1279)
• The architectural technology of
the Song Dynasty has made
great progress.
• The roof structure of the house
is optimized, and more
mechanical properties and
simpler structures are used.
The top of the house becomes
smaller, and the usable space
is larger.
• The Song period also saw the
construction of some of
China’s most iconic
structures, including lofty
pagodas, impressive
temples, large bridges, and
ornate tombs.
 YUAN DYNASTY (1271-1368)
• The Yuan Dynasty was China's first
foreign-led dynasty ruled by Mongol
tribes.
• Kublai Khan, a Mongolian ruler, Marco Polo Bridge
completed the conquest of China begun
by Genghis Khan and became the first
Yuan ruler of all of China.
• The Yuan attempted to conquer Japan,
Vietnam, and Burma, but failed, and the
Mongol Empire's eastern and southern
edge was Yuan-Dynasty China. Kublai Khan Palace

• Marco Polo from Venice traveled

extensively in China, and later described
China's culture and marvels in his book
The Travels of Marco Polo.
MING DYNASTY (1368 – 1644)
• The founder, Zhu Yuanzhang, ousted the waning Mongol Empire in China and began the
Ming Dynasty.
• The Forbidden City was built and became the residence of emperor for the remainder
of the imperial era.
• The northern border was constantly disturbed, leading to the re-construction of the
Great Wall. Most of the Great Wall today was built or repaired during the Ming Dynasty.
QING DYNASTY (1644-
1912)
• The last imperial dynasty in China's
history and ruled by the Manchu
people of the northeast.
• The finest architectural
achievement of the period,
occurred in private rather than
institutional architecture such as
in the scholars’ gardens of
southeastern China, in such towns
as Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Wuxi.
• It also involved renovations carried
out on Yuan and Ming dynasty
foundations.
• Modern China's territory was
established during this era.
 The REPUBLIC OF CHINA ERA (1912–1949)
• China did manage to
create its own
architecture when it was
governed by the Republic
of China (1911–1949) (now
Taiwan) as the first
generation of western-
trained Chinese architects
return from the states with
ambition to create new
architecture (their works
called “Chinese
Renaissance
architecture”).
Modern China (1949–now)
• In 1949 the Chinese communist
party rose to power and initiated
the Cultural Revolution soon
after, destroying history,
architecture, relics and killed an
estimate of 20 million people
(Pye, 1986), with strict rules on
knowledge imposed until its
economic reforms in 1978 to
open the country up, followed
only by small scale architectural
experiments that fuse Chinese
and western architecture, such
as the Fragrant Hill hotel (1982)
Fragrant Hill Hotel
 TYPES OF ANCIENT
CHINESE ARCHITECTURE
Chinese Pavilions
• Covered structures without
surrounding walls
• Used for military and government
purposes; as a place for rest and
as a roof to a stone tablet
• Provided a place to sit and enjoy
the scenery and they also
became part of the scenery itself
• They can be round, square or
triangular
 Terraces

• As an ancient architectural
structure of the China, the tai
was a very much elevated
terrace with a flat top,
generally built of earth and
stone and surfaced with
bricks.
 Storeyed Pavilions
• They were like simple pavilions
stacked on top of each other
• They were used in ancient times for
the storage of important documents, a
place for educated men to gather to
write articles and hold banquets and
used for enjoying sights.
Imperial Palaces
• Where emperors lived and
administered their court during
their reign.
• Usually built on a grand scale,
the Imperial Palaces are closely
related to imperial sovereignty
and were also constructed for the
entertainment of the rulers.
• They are the most revered,
luxurious and grandiose
architectural types from ancient
China.
• The ancient palace was
strictly laid out on central
axis.
• Yellow roof tiles were
used
• The wooden columns of
the buildings as well as
the surface of the walls
tend to be red in color
Traditional
Chinese Gardens
Altars and
Temples
 Religious Structures • Buddhist Temple Constructions
• Taoist Temple – holy hall where include the Buddhist Temples,
Taoists perform their religious Monasteries, pagodas, and grottoes
ceremonies.
Tombs and
Mausoleums
Architectural
Features
 Dougong – Bracket Sets
• a system of wooden brackets that can support the overhanging roofs commonly found in
Chinese architecture. The underlying physics are simple: The interlocking brackets transfer
weight to vertical columns, lessening the strain on the horizontal beams
• By using a large number of pieces in the design, the weight is shared, and so individual
elements are not prone to splitting or cracking.
 Muguija –
Timber-Frame

Standing as distinctive
symbols of Chinese
architectural culture,
timber frames is a
network of interlocking
wooden supports
forming the skeleton of
the building.
Taizi - Podium
 Sihe Yuan - Courtyard
• The combination of four
courts namely, main center,
entry, utility, main door.
• A basic Sihe Yuan house is
considered a module
capable to be duplicated and
expanded when desired.
• According to Feng Shiu, a
courtyard is ideal for a family
to live in because it protects
the family from exterior
intrusion
Wu Ding - Roof
• Curved roof with raised
eves
• Decorations convey
symbolism and certain
analogy and cultural
connotations
- Dragons – represent the
emperor and divinity
- Phoenix – affluence
- Tiger – divine power and
strength
• Use of zoomorphic
ornaments on roofs
Types of roofs
Types of Roofs
Types of Roofs
Types of
Roofs
Types of
Roofs
Chinese
Architecture Marvel
Projects
The Great Wall of
China
• Built in 220-206 BC
• one of the largest building-
construction projects ever
undertaken.
• The Great Wall actually
consists of numerous walls—
many of them parallel to each
other—built over some two
millennia across northern
China and southern Mongolia.
• Built for protection and border
control purposes.
• Approx length is 21,196km
 Simatai Great Wall

Balading Great Wall Mutianyu Great Wall Hushan Great Wall

 Forbidden City
• Located at the heart of Beijing
(Peking), China, with an area of 178-
acre (72 hectares)
• Built from 1406-1420 during the Ming
dynasty
• It was so named because access to
the area was barred to most of the
subjects of the realm. Government
functionaries and even the imperial
family were permitted only limited
access; the emperor alone could
enter any section at will.
• Largest ancient palatial architecture
in the world built to showcase the
extravagant lifestyles of the emperors.
 Temple of Heaven

• The Temple of Heaven in Beijing’s

Tiantan Park, China, was originally
built by Ming Dynasty Emperor Yongle
in the 15th century as a place of
worship for Chinese emperors.
• Characterized by square buildings
with round roofs, the square aspects
representing the earth and the
circular ones representing heaven.
• The oldest holy temple in Beijing and
the only surviving Ming Tang building,
as well as being a truly authentic
Ming and Qing architectural structure
Temple of Heaven
References
• Jiang F. History of China: Timeline Summary, Dynasties fo China,
Maps. Accessed at
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/culture/china-
history.htm
• Cartwright M. Ancient Chinese Architecture. Accessed at
https://www.worldhistory.org/Chinese_Architecture/
• Chinese Architecture: Britannica Encyclopedia. Accessed at
https://www.britannica.com/art/Chinese-architecture