Untitled Notes

Categories of Building Complexes:
- Individual Building: Standalone structures.
- Building Clusters: Groups of buildings formed around one or more courtyards, referred to as compounds; termed precincts if enclosed by walls.
- Architectural Ensembles: Larger complexes consisting of multiple clusters or courtyard compounds.
Concept of Modularity: Fu Xinian asserts that the architecture's modular basis expresses a shared understanding of spatial planning across Chinese history, emphasizing that these modular principles extend beyond individual buildings.
Use of the term "Typical": Emphasizes typical designs over centuries rather than strictly within the Ming dynasty.

Changes in Ritual Spaces in the Ming and Qing Periods: Final section of Fu's essay examines alterations in key imperial spaces in Beijing.
Names of Important Buildings: Present both in English along with the Chinese equivalent in initial references, such as:
- Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)
- Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian)
- Hall of Preservation of Harmony (Baohedian)
- Hall of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong)
- Hall of Earthly Repose (Kunninggong)

Courtyard Arrangement: Central to traditional Chinese architecture; allows spatial growth on a horizontal plane with occasional vertical projection, rare except for Buddhist pagodas.
Hierarchy in Buildings and Spaces: Distinction of space remains clear, even in highly complex building layouts.
Planning and Organization: Suggests that major projects were planned from inception to accommodate inherent spatial principles.

Key Manuals Surviving:
- Yingzao fashi: Building standards.
- Lu Banjing: Classic of Lu Ban.
- Gongcheng zuofa: Engineering methods.
Lack of Records for Urban Planning: No specific premodern documents addressing general layout or urban planning of vast architectural complexes exist.

Transition from Yuan to Ming:
- Notable structures remain from the Ming and Qing epochs, including palaces, temples, altars.
- Forbidden City, Ancestral Temple, Altar of Heaven retain layouts largely unchanged.

Construction Timeline: Begun in 1417 and completed in 1420 during the Yongle reign (1402–1424).
Main Architectural Group: Three Front Halls, consisting of:
- Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)
- Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian)
- Hall of Preservation of Harmony (Baohedian)
Three Back Halls: Include Hall of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong) and Hall of Earthly Repose (Kunninggong);
- Configuration reflects imperial requirements despite modifications.
Six Eastern and Western Palaces: Each side of the Back Halls are aligned north-south, maintaining a modular design.

Historical Context: In 1368, General Xu Da's victory led to a renaming of administrative districts; measures taken to enhance city defense resulted in structural changes to the city wall.
Architectural Ratios: The Forbidden City’s walls measure:
- Outer wall: 753 m (east-west) and 961 m (north-south).
- Proportional relationships illustrated through measurements.
- City layout involves ratios conducive to geomancy and imperial Feng Shui principles.

Imperial Architecture: The modular design approach of the Forbidden City highlights consistency in architectural planning:
- Back Halls’ dimensions often used as a base for further structures, emphasizing symmetry.
- Example comparisons: Three Front Halls’ proportions relate to corresponding structures in Beijing.

Gridding System: Dictates spatial relationships in both minor and major constructions:
- Primary Grid Distribution: 10-zhang grid applied to the Three Front Halls; smaller 5-zhang grid for the Back Halls.
- Notable ratios include: 234 m (Three Front Halls) and 130 m (related components), consistently aligning numerically to traditional proportions (9:5, etc).

Construction and Layout: Began in 1420 and shows alignment with Feng Shui principles; its layout retains historical significance into the modern era.
Design Features and Dimensions:
- Surrounded by double walls, entries signify ceremonial pathways, crucial for imperial rituals involving ancestral worship.

Construction History and Modifications: Initially connected with Heaven worship through circular designs, influenced by earlier structures like the Great Sacrifice Hall in Nanjing.
Design Characteristics:
- Circular Mound structured with geometric precision, reflecting the axial symmetry foundational to many sacrificial structures.
- In subsequent modifications, significant structural adjustments in dimensions and design methods were made to reinforce imperial authority.

Architectural Proportions: Central role in underscoring the emperor's power through numeric symbolism (9 and 5 reflect social hierarchies).
Utilization of Spaces: Accurate representation of imperial sacrificial systems details continuity in planning philosophies across generations.
Final Considerations on Modular Architecture: Examining the entire layout of Beijing’s imperial architecture reveals a meticulous approach where function, symbolism, and aesthetics intertwine in harmony.