Chinese Architecture......

Cin

First recorded use of the word “Chine” dated 1555

Cina

term for porcelain or ceramic ware originally made in China

Qin

from the dynasty that unified China: “yellow colored” barbarian

Qin

from the dynasty that unified China

"yellow-colored"

barbarian tribe from the north (identified with Qin (778 B.C.-207B.C.), the westernmost of the Chinese kingdoms, or may refer to an unknown group then inhabiting Tibet).

Zhonggou

central country; from the Zhou Dynasty, as they believed that they were the “Center of Civilization."

Cathay or Cathai

a historical / poetic name for China that was used in Europe; May have evolved from “Khitans” (nomadic people from Northeast Asia)

YELLOW RIVER (HUANG HE)

2,109 mi

(5,464 km) long; Also called "The Great

Sorrow” because each spring the rivers would

overflow their banks.

YANGTZE RIVER (CHANG JIANG)

the

third-longest river in the world at 2,432 mi

PEARL RIVER (Zhu Jiang)

848 mi (2,197

km) long.

North China

Dominated by the alluvial plains along the

Yellow River. Mostly flat and the soil is well-suited to

agriculture. Gobi Desert lies to the north The winds are capable of generating huge

yellow clouds of suspended dust which based

on the direction of the prevailing wind can be

sent out to sea.

South China

Region drained by the Yangtze (Yangzi) River

- Hillier than North China

- Climate: Warm and humid

Southwest China

- Occupies about % of the land area of the

PRC.

- Mountains and massive highlands, averaging

between 4,000 and 5,000 meters above the

sea level.

- Tibet was annexed in 1950.

- People on the Tibetan Plateau live mostly in

the river valleys

- Mount Everest (Mount Zhumulangma in

Chinese)

- Highest point along the Tibetan Plateau

OUTER CHINA

Huge area to the north and west of China

Proper.

- Ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 meters above

sea level.

- Zone includes part of Northeast China (also

known as Manchuria), Xinjiang, Inner

Mongolia, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, part

of the Loess Plateau, and a stretch of

mountains.

- North of China Proper, the Inner Mongolian

Plateau is a combination of prairie, mountain,

and desert, much of it suitable for raising

sheep and yaks.

Wood-frame construction

most distinctive

architectural feature

Timber

principal material

Persea nanmu

tallest and straightest of all

trees in China

Bricks

roofs were covered with clay tiles,

colored and glazed with symbolic colors

(black, red, azure, white and yellow)

SILK ROAD

trade route

CONFUCIANISM

was a new code of social

conduct and philosophy of life (Middle Vay).

TAOISM

founded by Lao Tzii which offered

a doctrine of universal love as solution to

SOCIAL DISORDER. Produced concepts of

the universe and beliefs about future closely

allied with superstition, astrology and

necromancy — controlled the planning of

societies, cities and design of the building.

FENG SHUI

based on the belief that forces

exist in every locality and this affects the

energy flow within space, buildings, towns and

cities

TAI CHI

a practice that advocates balance

and completeness through movement.

Dynamic equilibrium

Opposing qualities

bound together as parts of a mutual whole

(outer circle)

Black and white

interaction of two energies,

which causes everything to happen.

4

categorized as unlucky even though it is

an even number, because its pronunciation

rhymes with the Chinese word “3G” (si or shi in

Chinese) meaning “death”.

Lo Shu Magic Swuare

The numbers in every direction in every row

add up to 15

15

number of days it takes for the new

moon to become a full moon (number of days

in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese solar

year)

bagua chart

Lo Shu magic square is called

DYNASTIES

rule the country under one

family

EMPERORS

(Chinese rulers) based their

government on the Confucian model; Son of

GOD

Zhoukoudian cave

1st evidence of

human habitation

Homo erectus

commonly known as

the Peking Man estimated to have

lived approximately 300,000 to

550,000 years ago.

Zhou Dynasty

- From 2000 - 256 BC

- Emerged in the Huang He valley,

overrunning the Shang

“MANDATE OF HEAVEN" (tianming),

the notion that the ruler “the son of

heaven” or governed by divine.

Qin Dynasty

- 221-206 B.C.

- First Chinese empire

- United China in a legalist government

seated in Xiangyang, however it only

lasted for 12 year.

- Standardized the language and

writing; and its currency as a circular

copper coin with a square hole in the

middle.

- Public works projects were also

undertaken.

- Great Wall was built in the north, to

protect against invasions, later

developed by the Ming Dynasty.

Han Dynasty

- 207-220B.C.

- Commoner Gaozu (Liu Bang),

overthrew the (Qin) emperor and

assumed power

- Golden Age of China: Period of

prosperity, with the country embracing

Confucianism.

- Empire's territory expanded to to

southern Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia

and Central Asia.

- Buddhism first came to China

Tang Dynasty

618-907 A.D.; started under Emperor

Taizong

2nd largest and longest-enduring

empire after the Han Empire

Buddhism became the dominant

religions but at the end of the dynasty,

the rulers made CONFUCIANISM the

national religion and banned all other

religions.

Distinction of having had the only

female empress. A concubine of the

T’ai-tsung and Kao-tsung, named WU

CHAO reigned as emperor. Return to prosperity, called the Golden

Age of Ancient China.

Five Dynasties

Attacked time and again by the

Khitans and the Turks.

Important development was in the field

of printing

The practice of binding women's feet

also began during this time.

Northern and Southern Song Dynasty

960 — 1279 A.D

Great advances were made in the

areas of technological invention,

material production, political

philosophy, government, and elite

culture.

Use of gunpowder as a weapon

Foreign trade expanded greatly, and

the Chinese had the best ships in the

world.

Education, and the examination

system became central to the upper

class.

Neo-Confucianism was developed

during this time, especially during the

Southern Song dynasty.

Yuan Dynasty (1206 — 1368 A.D.)

Established by KUBLAI KHAN, he had

his grandfather GENGHIS KHAN

placed on the official record as the

founder of the dynasty.

MONGOLS

First of only two times

that the entire area of China was ruled

by foreigners

Ming Dynasty

One of the greatest eras of orderly

government and social stability in

human history, was the last dynasty in

China ruled by ethnic Hans

Revival and expansion of the Chinese

culture

Restoration of the Grand Canal

Repair and completion of the GREAT

WALL OF CHINA.

Establishment of the FORBIDDEN

CITY in Beijing during the first quarter

of the 15th c.

Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911)

2nd time when the whole of China was

ruled by foreigners, the Manchu

Instituted changes in the dress of the

Chinese: ordered all Chinese men to

have their pigtail hairstyle with the

front of their heads shaved.

Last imperial dynasty of China.

Experience of western imperialism.

Internal and external unrest

Taiping Rebellion

Bilateral symmetry

balance

Applied in both palace complexes and

farmhouses.

Secondary elements are positioned

either side of main structures to

maintain bilateral symmetry.

Buildings have:

even

number of columns

odd

number of bays

central bay

Main door located at the

Enclosure

Often, building complexes take up the

entire lot but enclose open spaces

within themselves.

Enclosed spaces come in two forms:

- Courtyard (Gt) Siheyuan

(si-haw-yan) an empty space

Sky well

- Essentially a relatively

enclosed courtyard

formed from the

intersections of closely

spaced buildings

- Offer small opening to

the sky through the

roof space from the

floor up

Temperature regulation

To allow the maximum

exposure of the building

windows and walls to the sun

(while keeping the cold

northern winds out)

Hierarchy

importance + placement

of buildings within a site

front

Buildings with doors facing___of

the property are considered more

important than those facing the sides.

Imperial Palaces

The structure is symmetrical

front part

for the emperor to handle official

businesses

rear part

residence for emperors and

concubines

east

shrine for the ancestors

west

shrine for agricultural deities

Residences of Royal Relatives

Less solemn and much smaller in size and

scale

Less side steps in front of gates

Ridges were decorated with engraved beasts

number of beasts could not exceed nine

because the number "nine" carried a special

significance in old China and symbolized the

emperor's supreme sovereignty

Mandarin (Bureaucrat) residence

Also restricted by a set of rules, as all

buildings were legally regulated

Wealthy businessmen

they might were.

Doors of these buildings were totally different

in style from that of officials’ residence

No ornaments around the door symbolic of

official position in ancient Chinese hierarchical

society

Horizontal Emphasis

- Classical Chinese buildings are built

with an emphasis on breadth more

than height

- Enclosed heavy platform + large roof

that seemingly floats

- Vertical walls not well emphasized.

- Forbidden City: (interior) halls and

palaces low ceilings; (exterior)

all-embracing nature of imperial China

- Note: Does not apply to pagodas,

which are limited to religious building

complexes.

Cosmology

- Use of Feng shui (geomancy) and

Taoism to organize construction and

layout

- Example: Screen walls to face the

main entrance of the house (to

counter evil things that travel in

straight lines)

- Talismans and imagery of good

fortune:

- Door gods on doorways to encourage

the flow of good fortune

- Three anthropomorphic figures

representing Fu Lu Shou stars

The Axial City and Site Plan

Confucianism = influenced the design of the

classical Chinese City

Strict doctrines = societal order + rules + filial

piety

Axial symmetrical city layout = rigid

hierarchical social system in ancient China

compositional elements in an axial layout plan

are interrelated

all elements should reference the axis

(north-south axis or the east-west axis)

The classical Chinese city axial plan =

orthogonal system (grid) common

characteristic features:

Palace

most important building in

the axial center = symbolizing the

centralized power of Chinese emperor.

Square plan

the streets were laid out

running north-south and east-west

along the plan axis to forma

checkerboard grid

1-2

doors leading to the street

Ting (Hall)

the largest and

the most formal room used to

treat important guests

Tang (Living room)

the place

to hold family meeting

Lou (Apartment)

the place

for family member live and for

taking advantages of scenery

Ting (Pavilion)

the place for

relaxation

Axis

not only controls the layout but acts as a path

ALTERNATING INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SPACES

Building to a courtyard

Courtyard to another built space

Spatial sequence of solids and voids

The interior and exterior spaces in the Chinese

courtyard house are complementary to one another,

rather than being independent

Jian

rectangular standard structural unit; can be

joined together to create a hall, then a building.

- Several buildings around a courtyard to forma

traditional Chinese courtyard house

The exposed structure

Classical Chinese architecture = aesthetic of

wood

Texture and color of the wood was exposed (stained

with wocd oil to preserve it)

Most evident in Southern China - the weather is hot

and humid, so the walls are thinner and not only the

interior wood structure but also all the columns and

beams were exposed or half embedded in the outside

walls of the building.

Wood frame skeleton supported the weight of the

huge roof + upper stories.

ANCIENT CHINESE ARCHITECTURE

- Mainly timberwork = buildings are quite

flexible

LAYOU

University of Santo Tomas | College of Architecture | AY 2023-24

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 3 | LECTURE NOTES

Wooden posts, beams, lintels and joists make

up the framework of a house

Walls serve as the separation of rooms

without bearing the weight of the whole house,

which is unique to China

symmetrical

The whole layout

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE

(NEOLITHIC PERIOD) Lived in settled

communities

Cave dwellings

Cliff dwellings

Pit dwellings (sunken courtyards)

Diet included millet or rice, they domesticated

pigs and dogs

Cultures in central China along the Yellow

River were known for their painted pottery.

SLOPING ROOF

with standing

pillars formed a relatively fixed

structure, while the walls only form the

role of fencing

HOUSE BODY

rovides the living

space

TERRACE

solid or hollow formed by

timber frame

pillars-and-beams

tailiang

pillars-and-transverse-tie-beams

chuandou

HUTONG

A type of narrow street or alley commonly

associated with northern Chinese cities

In Beijing, hutongs are alleys formed by lines

of siheyuan, traditional courtyard residences.

Neighbourhoods were formed by joining one

siheyuan to another to forma hutong, and

then joining one hutong to another.

SIHEYUAN

Quadrangles / Courtyard Houses

The young generation occupied the side halls

facing east and west.

Halls for the elders and for important

ceremonies - arranged along the main axis,

which usually was the north- south axis, to

have the best ventilation and sunshine.

A large, enclosed and fortified earth building

Rectangular or circular in configuration

3-5 storeys high

With very thick load-bearing rammed earth

walls

can house up to 800 people (Hakka people)

Fujian Tulou

6 earthen buildings

Set amongst rice, tea and tobacco fields

Built along an inward-looking, circular or

square floor plan as housing for up to 800

people each.

For defence purposes, structured around a

central open courtyard with only one entrance

and windows to the outside only above the

first floor.

Known as “a little kingdom for the family” or

“bustling small city.

Decorative Roofs

Elaborate cupolas were reserved for the

ceilings of the most important structures such

as tombs and altars

Traditional Chinese architecture roofs and

ceiling were constructed without nails

Zaojing

(coffer or caisson ceiling) Elaborate

wooden coffers bordered by a round, square,

or polygon frame with its brackets projecting

inward and upward from its base

Roof covering

roof surface; the part between

the top and the eaves

Edging Finishing

roof near the eaves often

had a different color from the upper part

Full-face Ridge

idge at the highest point of

the building roof formed by the intersection of

the front and back slopes; viewed as a

horizontal line from the front

Full-face Ridge Decoration

various

decorations are often set on the roof ridge;

common roof crown (in the middle of the

full-face ridge); different decoration carvings in

the shape of flowers, grass, or dragons are

also found on the front and back elevations of

the full-face ridge.

Vertical Ridge

for Hip Roofs, Hanging Hill

Roofs, and Hard Hill Roofs, any ridge other

than the positive ridge is called a "vertical

ridge.

Diagonal Ridge

in Resting Hill Roofs, the

ridge starting from the Eaves gable board

below the vertical ridge and ending in the

entangled animal heads

Eaves

the part of the roof that protrudes

beyond the truss

Ridge Beast

a protruding beast head is fixed

on the lower corner end of the eaves to

protect the beam head from rain

BAODING

roof crown

SHANHUA

the triangular wall formed on

both sides of the Resting Hill Roof

dougong

structural element of interlocking

wooden brackets

GROTTOES

- Small cave in square shape, gate in

front within the cave are niches

arranged in parallel on three sides,

which are for the monk to sit in and

meditate.

- Bigger with pagoda built in the center

of the rear part, the place in front of

the pagoda is for the disciples to get

together to pay respects to the

Buddha.

YUNGANG GROTTOES

Datong of Shanxi

Province - 50,000 statues from the 52 caves

survive.

LONGMEN GROTTO

Also called Dragon’s

Gate Grottos; Location: Northern Wei capital

of Luoyang; cave-chapels