Chinese Architecture

By Palmer

Source:Typical Chinese Architecture in the Yuyuan Garden

www.travelchinaguide.com/images/photogallery.com

Elements of the Architecture

• Mud Brick- A brick crafted from baked mud.

• Pagodas- A religious building used as a memorial or a shrine.

• Taoism- A philosophical system designed for simplicity and naturalness to maintain a happy existence.

• Spires-A tall tower, that towards the top narrows to a point.

• Lattices- An open framework made in a crisscross pattern, it consists of strips of metal or wood.

• Dynasty- A sequence of rulers coming from the same family.

Wealthy and Poor Houses

• Most of the people who lived in China could not afford a nice house. So they lived in small houses made out of mud brick. The house consisted of a dirt floor and only one bedroom. The doors generally faced south because it kept the northern winds from coming into homes.

• The wealthier Chinese had fancy houses, however they all followed the guidelines of Taoism.

The general rules for Taoism are: -symmetry- both sides of the building had to have symmetry

- the roof had to be held up by columns and not walls

Ancient Chinese Architecture- History for Kids

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/architecture/index.htm

Important Buildings

• The curved roofs on nice Chinese houses that you see today came from the Shang Dynasty.• During the Han Dynasty Buddhism came to China. In order to keep sacred things in, they

built Pagodas - Pagodas started out being wooden buildings that got smaller as they got bigger.

• During the Tang Dynasty architects built fancier and nicer Buddhists Pagodas, these new designs had eight sides.

• During the Sung Dynasty the Chinese people wanted tall, thin buildings. So architects built buildings with High Spires, they were built out of stone, and to be fancier they built wooden lattices around them.

• During the Ming Dynasty the forbidden Palace was built. This took place in the 1400’s and housed the emperors of China.

• Ancient Chinese Architecture- History for Kids• http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/architecture/index.htm

THE END

Source:

• Typical Chinese Architecture in the Yuyuan Garden• www.travelchinaguide.com/images/photogallery.com