Study Notes on Chinese Architecture and Urban Design

Arrival and Visibility of Chinese Civilization

  • China became visible in Europe and more prominent during the 19th century.
  • Distinction from other civilizations that evolved mainly through conflicts and cultural exchanges.

Architectural Principles in Chinese Civilization

  • Yangtzeofasi Building Manual:
    • Codified construction standards refined over centuries.
    • Established modular systems applicable to a range of structures from simple houses to palaces.
    • Architecture focused on internal types rather than permanent monuments due to materials like wood and mud brick requiring renewal.

Wang Cheng and Urban Planning

  • The Sao dynasty established Wang Cheng, the ideal capital model for urban planning.
  • Characterized by:
    • Square layout oriented to cardinal directions.
    • Three gates on each side of the layout.
    • Central palace as the focal point reflecting hierarchical organization in relation to the palace.
  • Symbolism:
    • Reflects cosmic order per Chinese cosmology.
    • Projects the emperor's role as the sun of the heavens onto urban space, intertwining divine authority with social reality.

Architectural Techniques and Innovations

  • Chinese architecture developed sophisticated timber construction systems employing:
    • Post and Beam Techniques: Enhanced by Lugong which provided multi-level brackets distributing roof loads and created distinctive upturned eaves.
    • Modular systems defined by social rank indicated through variations in the number of bays in buildings based on occupants' social status.
  • Two influential philosophical systems shaped urbanism and architecture:
    • Confucianism: Organized societal structures and respect for authority.
    • Feng Shui Practices: Aligned constructions with natural rhythms and cosmic forces, fostering spiritual contemplation.

Confucian Influence on Architectural Composition

  • Orderly axial architectural compositions demonstrate relationships among:
    • Rulers and subjects.
    • Elders and youth.
    • Males and females.
  • Chinese Garden Design: Embodies Tao principles via picturesque yet controlled arrangements to facilitate contemplation.
    • Continuity between hidden (yin) and manifest (yang) elements encourages both meditation and intellectual exploration.

Design and Functionality in Gardens

  • The design of gardens, regardless of size, aimed to replicate scenic natural values.
  • Careful placement creates controlled experiences with sequences of spaces.
  • Utilized paving textures and strategic viewpoints to choreograph movement across landscapes.
  • Gardens served as a counterpoint to the hierarchical formality of architecture.

Timber Construction and Modular Principles

  • Dugong Bracket System: Pinnacle of wooden joinery producing:
    • Efficiently distributed roof loads and supported distinctive roof profiles.
    • Complex architectural solutions while adhering to modular construction principles.
  • Oldest Surviving Wooden Building: Features embedded columns, complex bracket systems, and tower roofs showcasing early architectural sophistication.
    • The East Main Hall of Nanchan Monastery (built in 782 CE) is often cited as the oldest fully preserved timber structure. It exemplifies early Tang Dynasty architecture with a large, hipped roof and intricate Dougong brackets supporting wide eaves. Its simple yet robust design showcases the early mastery of timber joinery and structural integrity without substantial steel or concrete.

Domestic Architecture and Courtyard Organization

  • Typical Chinese houses organized around courtyards enclosed by walls with freestanding pavilions, showcasing:
    • Social status and family relationships.
    • Separation of functions across distinct structures linked by corridors.
    • The use of front gates marked public-private boundaries reflecting feng shui principles.
  • Unlike Roman houses, Chinese houses added units around courtyards catering to family dynamics.

General Arrangement and Levels of Architecture

  • Axial arrangements facilitated varying levels of ornamentation, conveying social distinctions.
  • Building types structured around the Jian modular units enabled systematic architectural planning, with slight variations indicating social status.
    • The Jian is a fundamental architectural unit, defined by the space between two adjacent columns, typically forming a rectangular bay. It serves as the basic module for planning both individual rooms and entire buildings. The number of Jian in a building's width (e.g., three-Jian hall, five-Jian hall) traditionally correlated with the importance and social status of the occupant, reflecting a direct link between architectural scale and social hierarchy.
  • Movement through houses created graduated privacy shielded from street exposure, facilitating communal and private family interactions.

Regional Variations in Architecture

  • Different regional adaptations, such as Tulu Houses in Fujian Province:
    • Circular designs accommodating communal living.
    • Examples of defensive architecture with thick walls.
    • The largest Tulu house reaching a diameter of 60 meters, housing multiple families, reflecting flexible adaptation to local needs and defense.

The Great Wall of China

  • Began construction in the 3rd century BC, unifying defensive walls totaling at least 3,500 kilometers long.
  • Demonstrated significant organizational capabilities with 400,000 workers over ten years using rammed earth construction.

Urban Governance and Social Design

  • Emphasis on social control rather than civic engagement, employing walls in residential areas to reinforce social conditions.
  • Main avenues in Chinese cities directed toward the emperor as opposed to public spaces, embodying Confucian ideals in urban planning.
  • Codified principles established patterns for capital cities structured around squares and cardinal direction orientations.

Forbidden City and Symbolic Space

  • Nested hierarchy of restricted zones in the Forbidden City reflected imperial authority.
  • Major palaces arranged symmetrically along a central axis, with minor buildings around the perimeter.
  • Visitors approached the Forbidden City through the Tiananmen Gate, tracing a ceremonial journey enhancing imperial dignity and authority.

Architectural Synthesis and Religious Influence

  • Introduction of Buddhism led to architectural adaptation with pagodas:
    • Featuring multistory designs influenced by both Indian and local traditions.
    • Representations of religious architecture within the landscape marking prominent landmarks like the Great Wild Goose Pagoda.
    • The Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple (built in 1056 CE) in Shanxi Province stands as the oldest and tallest wooden pagoda in China, reaching a height of 67.31 meters. It's an imposing octagonal structure featuring an innovative system of timber bracketing and internal supports, demonstrating remarkable engineering skill that allowed it to withstand earthquakes for centuries.

Wealth and Influence of Monasteries

  • By the 8th century, increased wealth led to significant political power of monasteries, rivaling imperial authority.
  • Traditional religious architecture reflected cosmic order rather than congregational worship, promoting harmony with the natural world.

Material Innovations in Imperial Architecture

  • Hall of Supreme Harmony: Largest wooden structure reflecting architectural achievements through organized spatial sequences, contributing to imperial grandeur.
  • Spatial organization harnessed design principles to create anticipative processes, demonstrating authority.

Social Structure in the Forbidden City

  • The diverse population included officials, scholars, and guards emphasizing a vibrant communal life.
  • Color schemes visually differentiated imperial structures from those of common buildings, with 9,000 structures making it a vast historic assemblage of architectural expression.

Continuity of Architectural Traditions

  • Four millennia of continuity maintained through codified building standards and adherence to a centralized framework.
  • The preference for wooden construction established a consistent identity reflected in broader East Asian architectural traditions.

Building and Rebuilding: Tradition and Continuity

  • Chinese builders prioritized cyclical building practices, endorsing generational cycles in architecture as metaphors for life.
  • Cultural focus on refining established types over the continuous development of innovative forms.
  • Architectural organization reinforced political and social systems across various building types.

Conclusion - Systematic Architectural Legacy

  • Liang Sou Fashi established foundational principles for Chinese architecture, emphasizing consistency and comprehensiveness in spanning both time frames and geographical territories, yielding one of the world's most enduring architectural traditions.