Chinese architecture has evolved over centuries, with distinctive styles emerging in different dynasties. Notable features include tile roofs that curved up gracefully originating from the Tang Dynasty. Pit-style homes with rammed earth walls were common in southern China. Stone lions were traditionally placed in front of buildings as a symbol. The Forbidden City had grand halls arranged around a central axis according to Feng Shui principles. Pagodas and temples were often made of wood until later dynasties when stone was also used. The Great Wall stretched across mountains and hills and included watchtowers. Dragons symbolized imperial power and were featured throughout palaces and temples.

1. 20 th Century Chinese Architecture Harold J. Taylor Jr. Per: 7 th Date: 2/5/10

2. Tile Roofs The most outstanding architecture was a large roof with extended edges that curved up gracefully. The tile roofs were dated from the Tang dynasty. Later, wooden columns were connected to ceiling beams by wooden brackets to help support the roofs.

3. Pit-Style Houses Pit-style houses were square or circular in shape. The inside bank of the pit were used as the walls. Earth was rammed around the pillars on the pit-style houses to prevent fires. These platform-style houses existed by the Yangtze River Basin in Southern China.

4. Stone Lions Lions are very special to China. A male lion can be seen in front of traditional buildings. They are made of stone. Mostly the male lions have their paw resting on a ball and a females’ paw is fonding a cub.

5. Forbidden City The Forbidden City conforms to the rules of Feng Shui. The Great Halls of the Forbidden City are arranged in two rows on either side of a grand axis. The Chinese didn’t lack any stone or any other building materials. They desired to use timber, and they chopped down trees to build houses.

6. Chinese Pagodas Chinese pagodas were among the first buildings. The roofs on these were low and sloping extending beyond the walls. Chinese architecture reached a peak in development during the Ming dynasty. Chinese architects were the first to design building that fit the natural settings.

7. Wooden Temples The Chinese built wooden temples and palaces during the Chou dynasty. From 1000’s B.C. to the 200’s B.C. wood was a favorite building material in Chinese history. Almost all the temples, monasteries and palaces followed similar plans.

8. Great Wall The Great Wall stretches across mountains on the county-side. The Wall was also used as a watchtower during the war. The Great Wall is north of Beijing.

9. Chinese Dragons Dragon emblems are found throughout temples and palaces, dragons are a symbol of imperial China.

10. Summers Palace Another piece of ancient Chinese architecture is the Forbidden City which is north of the Tiananmen Square. Summers Palace was destroyed by the British and French during the Second Opium War. The Navy renamed Summers Palace before it was later ransacked in 1900.

11. Taimiao Temple Red Guards have inflicted a lot of damage during the Cultural Revolution. The Taimiao Temple is the imperial ancestral temple of the Ming and Qing dynasties. This Temple contains three main halls, two gates and two subsidiary shrines.

12. Drum Tower The Drum Tower in Xi’an, China is the counterpart of the Bell Tower in the Muslim quarter of Xi’an. Inside the Drum Tower there is a enormous drum for timekeeping and a alarm for danger.

13. Temple Of Heaven The Temple of Heaven is round like the sky and the foundations and axes are rectilinear like the Earth. The latter has a round roof with three layers of eaves. Inside the temple the ceiling is symbolically decorated.