Chinese architecture has a long history dating back thousands of years. Some key developments include ancient wooden structures influenced by Buddhism in the Han dynasty, the earliest stone pagoda built in 523 AD, and the Great Wall constructed starting in the 3rd century BCE. Architectural styles are typically classified based on their structure as pavilions, terraces, or multi-story buildings. Traditional residential architecture includes courtyard homes, while imperial structures feature elements like yellow roof tiles. Urban planning principles also incorporated feng shui beliefs. Modern Chinese architecture since the 1800s has blended traditional and Western influences, with Communist styles emphasizing simplicity and recent decades seeing innovative new designs.

1. Chinese Architecture

2. Agenda
 History and features of Chinese architecture
 Classification by structure
 Types of architecture
 Urban planning & feng shi…
 Ancient vs. modern architecture

3. History of Chinese architecture (1/4)
 Countries like Korea ,Vietnam and Japan has been
influenced by Chinese architecture since Tang dynasty
 In historical China, architectural emphasis was laid
upon the horizontal axis, in particular the construction
of a heavy platform and a large roof that floats over this
base which began as a native tradition and was
eventually influenced by the Buddhist building for
housing religious sutras which came from India.

4. History of Chinese architecture (2/4)
 Ancient Chinese tomb model representations of
multiple story residential towers and watchtowers date
to the Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD).

5. History of Chinese architecture (3/4)
 Chinese pagoda is the earliest ,it is a 40m tall circular
based brick tower built in Henan province in the year
523 AD.
 We also have the Zhaozhou Bridge built from 592 to
605 AD is Chinese oldest extant stone bridge.

6. History of Chinese architecture (4/4)
 Great Wall of China which commenced in the 3rd
century BCE, during Qin dynasty and the earliest walls
were made mostly by stamping earth and gravel
together. Then Ming dynasty rebuilt it with new walls
constructed using bricks and stones.

7. Classification by structure: Pavilions
 Chinese pavilions : covered structures without
surrounding walls
 Types: round, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal
Functions:
o Used for military and governmental purposes
o Place to rest and enjoy the scenery

8. Classification by structure: Terraces (Tai)
▪ Tai – elevated terrace with flat top, build of earth &
stones, surfaced with bricks
▪ Function: observatory, as beacon towers along the great
wall and in honor of friendship.

9. Classification by structure: Multi-story buildings
▪ LOU – 2 or more storeys with horizontal main ridge.
▪ Function: bell & drum towers , military, private homes,
belvederes

10. Classification by structure: Storeyed pavilions
▪ Strorage of important articles and documents
▪ Place for educated people to write and create

11. Type of architecture: Residental houses
▪ Country yard house (Siheyuan) – Han people
▪ Cave Dwelling (Yaodong)
▪ Earthen Building
▪ Stilt House/Pile Dwelling
▪ Yurt
▪ Flat roof House

12. Type of architecture: Commoners
 Mainly houses of merchants/farmers
 Pattern: Centre of building would be a shrine for deities
and ancestors and also used for festivities
 On it’s two sides there were bedrooms for elders, 2
wings of the building called ‘guardian dragons’ were for
younger family members
 Extended families had to build extra pairs of wings
resulting into U-shaped building
 Tulou: Those living in areas of crime build protection
fortresses for protection called Tulou

13. Type of architecture: Imperial
 Special Features were used for buildings for emperor of
China e.g. use of yellow roof tiles within Forbidden City.
 Temple of Heaven has blue roof tiles to symbolize the
sky, roof is supported by brackets (Dougong)
 Chinese 5 clawed dragon (adopted by Ming Emperor) was
used as a decoration on pillars and doors
 Red was the color favored and buildings faced south
because the north had cold winds (Great red gate at
Ming tombs)
 Numerology influenced imperial architecture - use of the
number Nine. The reason why forbidden city in Beijing has
9,999.9 rooms
 Han Dynasty Tombs and Mausoleums also part of
imperial tradition

14. Type of architecture: Religious (1/2)
 Overall, Buddhist Architecture follows imperial style.
Buddhist temples have front halls housing statue of
Bodhisattva followed by great hall housing statue of
Buddhas. Room for Monks and Nuns are located on the
two sides of building (e.g. Zongcheng Temple see
picture)
 Daoist architecture – follows commoner’s style.
However entrances are at the side of temples due to
superstition about demons trying to enter the premises.
Unlike Buddhist temples Daoist Temples main deity is
located in main halls at the front.

15. Type of architecture: Religious (2/2)
Fogong Temple Pagoda
in Ying Country, Shinxi
Province built in 1056
during Liao Dynasty
Niujie Mosque in Beijing Liuhe Pagoda of
Hangzhou China
built in 1165AD
during Song Dynasty
Famen Buddhist Temple

16. Urban Planning
 Technical and political process
concerned with use of land,
protection and use of
environment, public welfare
and the design of the urban
environment.

17. Chinese Urban Planning
Traditional
City
Socialist
City
1950–
1980
Hybrid
City
1860–
Present
Global
City
1990-
present

18. Chinese Urban Planning
Forbidden City - Beijing Harbin City

19. Chinese Urban Planning
Tianjin City Shanghai City

20. Feng Shui in Asian Urbanism
▪ Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art that intends to channel the energy of the
earth and the environment for the benefit of humans;
Directions & Elements
Balance

21. Organizing the Territory to the Feng Shui

22. Feng Shui in Xi’an
 The shape of the city is a rectangle where the city exactly aligned to the cardinal
points;
 The rigid geometric order was a symbol of the concentration of power and
hierarchy of the mystical figure of the emperor;
 The scheme was generally symmetrical with the palace located north looking
south, followed by an administrative area;

23. Ancient Chinese Architecture
▪ Ancient Chinese buildings have a long history
which can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty
(16th century BC – 771 BC)
▪ Gradually formed into a style which featured
timberwork combining stone carving, rammed
earth construction, bucket arch buildings and
many other techniques.
▪ Industrious Chinese laboring people created
many architectural miracles as the Great Wall,
Forbidden City and summer palace.
[ the Great Wall ]
[ the Forbidden City]

24. Modern Chinese Architecture – since middle of the 1800s
Blended Architectural
Styles
The Birth of Communist
Architecture
Opening Up and
Architectural Exploration
 After the Opium wars in the 1840s, began to blend traditional Chinese style and western
architectural characteristics.
 Most important buildings still featured sweeping roofs, open courtyards, screens and wooden
columns. However, some building, including restaurants, hotels and stores began to incorporate
western elements.
 圆明园
in Beijing
 外滩
in Shanghai

25. Modern Chinese Architecture – since middle of the 1800s
Blended Architectural Styles
The Birth of Communist
Architecture
Opening Up and
Architectural Exploration
 When the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, architectural styles were pared
down.
 Solid grey blocks and simple designs characterized many structures of this period, while large
government projects developed a series of styles all their own.
 The returning to the Ancients’ Period involved buildings with large roofs.
 十大建筑
The Ten Great
Buildings

26. Modern Chinese Architecture – since middle of the 1800s
Blended Architectural Styles
The Birth of Communist
Architecture
Opening Up and
Architectural Exploration
 As China opened up to the world in the 1980s, new architectural styles began to develop that
combined elements of all of the older styles while also inventing new elements.
 The construction of these modern and creative structures accelerated during the 2008 Olympics
in Beijing and the 2010 Expo in Shanghai.
 奥运会公园
in Beijing
 世博会公园
in Shanghai

27. Thank you …