Characteristics of Chinese traditional architecture

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Characteristics of Chinese traditional architecture

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Characteristics of Chinese traditional architecture

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Chinese traditional architectural art is a part of Chinese traditional culture. In the long-term historical development process, especially under the influence of Confucianism, Chinese ancient architecture has gradually formed its own system and characteristics. As one of the three major architectural systems in the world, it is juxtaposed with western architectural art and Islamic architectural art, and based on the forest of world architectural culture.

 

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From quadrangles in the north to bamboo sheds in the south, from palaces with exquisite roofs to elegant gardens, ancient Chinese architecture has its own style and unique characteristics. Here are the seven characteristics of ancient Chinese architecture.

 

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1. Wood structure. Restricted by the development of technology and economy, wood is the main material used to construct most of the traditional Chinese building structures. Most of the surviving ancient buildings cannot be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) because of their wood structure. Yingxian wooden pagoda is the oldest all wood pagoda in China - it was built in 1056.

 

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2. lower level. In ancient China, there were few multistory residential buildings. From ordinary houses to palace buildings, only one special case is the earth buildings in Fujian. These small castles were built to resist the invasion and harassment of pirates. In addition, the only multi-storey buildings in ancient China were usually temples, pagodas or military fortresses, such as walls.


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3. Auspicious color. The Yellow roof tiles of the Forbidden City in China are reserved for the royal family, and the yellow is the color of the emperor. The red curved tiles and red woodwork on the roof show the luckiest colors in China. Green is also a popular color for roof tiles, representing wealth, growth and harmony.


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4. Symmetrical layout. There are different architectural styles in ancient China, such as Imperial Palace, temple and residential buildings. However, most layouts follow the symmetry rule: the main building is located on the north-south axis, and then the secondary building is usually located on both sides of the East-West pair. Chinese gardens give up symmetry and emphasize harmony with nature. They combine natural scenery with man-made architecture. Read more about Chinese gardens.

 

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5. Geographical variation. Ancient Chinese architecture changes with regional geography. In Beijing, the protected courtyard is the best climate architecture style. The outer wall adopts a closed layout to prevent the frequent occurrence of dust storms in winter and spring in North China. In Shaanxi, people dig caves on the soft cliffs of the Loess Plateau. These caves provide quite moderate temperature in winter and cool in summer. They face south for the best lighting. In southern China, houses on bamboo provide cool, dry accommodation due to its humid and hot climate, including the ancient Longji terraces.

 

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6. Facing south. Because China is located in the northern hemisphere, most of the ancient Chinese architectural structures look south for warmth and light. In the past, when Chinese believed in Fengshui, houses were built according to the Fengshui guidelines, which may be the basis of architectural experience. They offer many practical benefits. The landscape of the south is often complemented by natural shelters, defensive and pleasant landscapes.

 

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7. Good consistency. Chinese architecture has developed for a long time, but due to the continuity of culture and the persistence of craftsmen to the traditional style, it has great consistency. Due to the continuity of design, it is not easy to tell the date of most ancient Chinese architectural structures.


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