The Long - Standing History and Structural Features of Ancient Chinese Architecture
Ancient Chinese architecture has a long history which can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty. Industrious Chinese laboring people created many architectural miracles such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Mogao Caves.
Ancient Chinese architecture is mainly timberwork. 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. As a famous saying goes, “Chinese houses will still stand when their walls collapse. ” The specialty of wood requires antisepsis methods to be adopted, thus develops into Chinese own architectural painting decoration. Colored glaze roofs, windows with exquisite applique design and beautiful flower patterns on wooden pillars reflect the high-level of the craftsmen’s handicraft and their rich imagination.
The Unique Layout and Styles of Ancient Chinese Architecture
The layout of a courtyard complex is also unique to China. The main structure is located on the central axis of a court while less-important structures are located to the left and right. The whole layout is symmetrical. Compared with European architectural style which is open and shut, a Chinese courtyard is like a hand scroll of painting which should be unfolded little by little. The scenery is different in each courtyard. Even in moving several steps within the court yard, you will be surprised at the changing of prospects. Likewise from the interior of the buildings the view from no two windows is the same. Ancient Chinese people designed houses to fit human dimensions so that they would feel intimate and safe, and this idea reflects the practical thinking in Chinese culture.
Styles of Chinese ancient architecture are rich and varied, such as memorial arches, temples, imperial palaces, altars, pavilions, official residencies and folk houses, which greatly reflect Chinese ancient thought—the harmonious unity of human beings with nature.
Chinese people practice moderation in all things and they don’t lay em- phasis on strong self-expression but seek modesty and gentleness. The influence of this spirit on architecture is characterized by pursuing sense and connotation. Usually, the front of Chinese architecture is simply plain walls that cannot catch your eyes, but when you patiently walk inside, you will find the best feature is waiting in the farthest inside like a shy girl slowly uncovering her veil.
Chinese ancient architecture represents a profound influence of Fengshui based on the Book of Changes which emphasizes the harmonious unity of human beings with nature.
The Origin and Design Concept of Classical Gardens
The classical gardens of China embody the harmonious principles of Chinese garden construction, dictating that gardens should attempt to create a microcosm of the universe in a confined space.
The art of China’s classical landscape gardening drew nutrients extensively from various sources like philosophy, literature, painting, calligraphy, sculpture, architecture horticulture and gardening, and has developed into a compound art that contains rich Chinese traditional culture and possesses enormous artistic, aesthetic, historical, cultural and touristic values.
Classical gardens originated from the desire to retire from the strife of officialdom and to shun from worldly affairs. They were experienced as cultural rather the scenic. Classical gardens were spiritual shelter for men of letters—a place closer to nature, closer to one’s own heart, closer to the ancient, while far-away from their real social lives, as they were often frustrated and disappointed at the long-lasting monarchic feudal social system in China. The design concept of Chinese private gardens was to provide a “spiritual utopia” for people to come back to Great Nature. The design was regarded as “Three-Dimensional Landscape Painting and Solid Landscape Poetry”.
The Cultural and Artistic Elements in Classical Gardens
Taoist philosophy and the refinement of culture underlie the theme of the garden. Hills and waters, flowers and trees, pavilion, terraces, towers and halls constitute the basic garden elements, while the promi- nent tone is expressed in the dark color of roof tiles, the grey of bricks, and chestnut brown of wooden pillars.
What’s more, the story of the gardens leads to an understanding of the former Confucian way of life of the scholars, artists, merchants and officials who established them, whilst their intrinsic design qualities convey the meditative influence of Buddhism and Zen. Set amidst plaques of traditional poetry, the naming of the pavilions, rock formations and viewing points, speak directly to the intuition and aesthetic insight of the viewer.
Poetry is an essential part of a Chinese Garden. All through the garden poems, sayings and literary allusions are inscribed on rocks, plaques and gates. This tradition traces back to early Suzhou gardens, which were typically attached to the homes of retired civil servants who pursued scholarly and philosophical interests. Builders of the Gardens were often among the best-educated in China.
Rock inscriptions are always short and appear horizontally or vertically, depending on the shape of the rock. Couplets appear vertically on the sides of entryways. Lintel inscriptions appear above doors and windows.
The combination of gardens and temples is yet another salient fea- ture of Chinese art of garden construction. The popular worship of Bud- dhism resulted in the presence of numerous Buddhist buildings in the garden, adding a touch of otherworldliness to the entire scene.
Gardens were often constructed by members of the scholar class with the intention that they would provide a hospitable location for gatherings devoted to cultivated pursuits like painting, calligraphy, and playing the zither, as well as for discussing important topics of the day. The scholar seeks harmony through the philosophy of yin and yang and the peace and tranquility created by water softly flowing over weathered rocks or breeze playing through the leaves of trees is easily felt.
