Architectural Characteristics

1. Courtyard and Sky wells

a. Open courtyard
- A large empty space surrounded by buildings connected with one another either directly or
through verandas
- More common in northern Chinese architecture
b. "Sky well"
- A relatively small enclosed courtyard which offer small opening to the sky through the roof
space from the floor up
- More common in southern China
2. Hierarchical - importance and uses of buildings are based on the strict placement of buildings in a
property/complex
a. Orientation of Doors
- Facing the front (important)
- Facing the sides (less important)
- Facing the rear (least important)
b. Location of Buildings
- At the back of properties are more important :
a. Elder members of the family
b. Celebratory rites
c. Ancestral plaques
- In front of the property: typically for servants and kitchen
c. Courtyard Location - central courtyard are more important than peripheral ones
3. Horizontal Emphasis
- Emphasis on the breadth and less on height with close heavy platform and a large roof that floats
over this base with vertical walls not well emphasized
- Stresses the visual impact of the width of the buildings to denote the all -embracing nature of imperial
China
4. Mythical Concepts - Feng shui and mythic elements in the construction and layout of Chinese architecture.
This includes the use of:
a. Screen walls to face the main entrance of the house, which stems from the belief that evil things
travel on straight lines
b. Talismans and fortuitous imagery:
1) Door gods on doorways to ward evil and encourage the flow of good fortune
2) Fu Lu Shou - Taoist concept which denotes the attributes of the good life: good fortune,
prosperity and longevity

Craft: Techniques & Materials

1. Jian
- "Bay"
- The interval/ space between four columns and is the basic
module of a Chinese dwelling
- This space is both a two-dimensional floor space and is also a
volumetric measure of the void defined by the floor, the
columns, and the beams set across the columns
- More than a structural unit, this type of measurement is used
by carpenters as a design module to be duplicated in series to
form the overall layout at ground level and on the floor above
- This ultimately regulates the overall size of common dwellings
and fashions their visual proportions
- The use of this structural unit enforces a discipline, an order,
on the building, standardizing the timber construction
members and facilitating their assembly

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2. Foundations
- Following building traditions, reaching back at least as far as the Shang dynasty, a tamped earth
foundation or podium at ground level or slightly elevated is considered the necessary base
- A dry tamped foundation can be achieved using troughs and sometimes underground conduits to drain
water
- Stone foundation or wall footings are commonly laid along tamped perimeter of Chinese
dwelling/structures in an effort to reduce the absorption of soil moisture by the walls
3. Chinese Building Fundamentals
- Chinese builders span and enclose space using a variety of building solutions to collect the forces of
gravity and transmit them to the ground
a. Load-bearing walls
Directly carries the weight of the roof and/or upper stories
b. Wooden structural frameworks
Sustain the load of upper storeys and the roof independently of the walls
Utilize freestanding lightweight interior walls separate from the load-bearing columns
4. Walls
- Can be either:
a. Load-bearing
Walls which directly support the roof structure, often thick with few breaks for windows or
doors
b. Non load-bearing
Walls that encircle the wooden structural framework or placed between pillars
- Common materials used:
Tamped earth or a composite material
"hangtu" - method of constructing solid walls involving piling freshly dug earth
into a slightly battered caisson or box frame
Adobe
Permits greater variations in construction form
Widely used by poorer peasants
Kiln-dried brick
Walls made up of this material usually have larger and more numerous
openings for windows and doors
Vegetable origin
Use of bamboo, kaoliang or cornstalks to form a curtain wall that bears no load
from above
Wood, Grasses
Stone
Wooden structural framework
Bamboo matting
Wattle
Daub
used to form the curtained enclosure
5. Wooden Structural Frameworks
- Framing systems:
a. Pillars and Beams (tailang or liangzhu)
Also known as post and lintel
Simplest
A pair of pillars supporting a horizontal beam upon which are set short vertical posts or
struts to lift another beam, upon which is fitted another strut, and on these are fitted five
purlins which define the slope of the roof and across which the roof rafters are laid
b. Pillars and Transverse tie beams (chuandou)
Differs from other framing system in three important manner:
i) The roof purlins which support the rafters and roof itself rest directly on notched
pillars rather than on beams or struts
ii) The number of pillars is greater
iii) Horizontal tie beam members are mortised directly into or tenoned through the
multiple pillars to form an interlocked matrix that inhibits skewing of the frame

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Construction System
1. Dougong Brackets
- Structural system of brackets found between the
top of a column and a cross beam
- Each is formed of a double bow-shaped arm (gong)
which supports a block of wood (dou) on each side
- Fixed layer upon layer, the arrangements bear the
load of the roof
- Highly resistant to earthquakes

Roof
Craft: Techniques and Materials
1. Firm mountain (Yingshan ding)
Most common roof profile
2. Overhanging gable (Xuanshan ding)
Combined with the use of overhanging eaves on the facade to offer a degree of protection from
both rain and sun
3. Horse's head walls (matou qiang)
Orignated as fire walls to retard the spread of sweeping roof fires in adjacent dwellings,
temples, clan halls and other buildings in towns and nucleated villages
Construction System
Three main types:
1. Straight inclined
Roofs with a single incline
Prevalent in commoner architectures
2. Multi-inclined
Roofs with two or more sections of incline
Used in higher class constructions, from the dwellings of wealthy commoner to palaces
3. Sweeping
Roofs with a sweeping curvature that rises at the corners of the roof
Reserved for temples and palaces although it may also be found in the homes of the wealthy

Building Types
Commoners
1. Tulou
"earth dwelling"
"round stronghouse"
A large, enclosed and fortified earth building
with very thick load-bearing rammed earth walls
Smaller interior buildings contain halls,
storehouses, wells and living areas
Well-ventilated, windproof and earthquakeproof
Has only one main gate, guarded by 4-5 inch
thick wooden doors reinforced with an outer
shell of iron plate
Top level of these earth buildings has gun holes
for defensive purposes

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2. Siheyuan

1 Main entrance
2 Rooms facing the rear

3 First courtyard for cooking

Second courtyard was a living space
4 Rooms for the sons and daughters
5 Inner Hall for greeting guests and
family ceremonies
6 Main building
Living space for parents
7 Small side rooms
Used for children and extended
family members

Parts of a Chinese Dwelling

Wuji

Ridge roof

Chuanzi

Rafter

Jilin

Ridge pole

Lin

Purlins

Liang

Main beam

Shan qiang

Gable wall

Zhuzi

Pillar/ post

Chuanggezi

Lattice window

Chuang-hu

Solid window

Chuang tai

Window sill

Qiang

Wall

Taijie

Steps

Menken

Threshold

Menkuang

Door frame

Men

Door

Menmei

Lintel

Yan

Eaves

Symbol and Tradition

Jia
- Chinese word for both home the dwelling,
and family related members of the
household who occupies it
- Shelters the household, providing it with a
haven from the changing forces of nature
- A dwelling is symbolic of family unity and
sanctuary
- A public statement of status as well as a
tangible expression of the family's aspiration
- Is it a dynamic entity that expresses in
varying degrees the changing relationships
within the family
- Symbolizing and accommodating evolving
hierarchical patterns
- In the organization of the layout of a Chinese
dwelling and/or structure, the individual is
essentially disregarded with space defined
more broadly in terms of family rather than
personal needs and use

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Imperial - Palaces
Architectural features that were reserved solely for buildings built for the Emperor of China
1. Color coding
- Yello w roof tiles
- Red wooden columns and wall surfaces
- Black often used in pagodas . They believe the gods are inspired by the black color to
descend on to the earth
2. Dougong brackets
- A feature shared only with the largest of religious buildings
3. Five-clawed dragon
- Adopted by the first Ming emperor for his personal use
- Used as decoration on the beams, pillars and on the doors
4. Nine jian
- Jian: Space between two columns
5. Five arches
- Only the gates used by the Emperor could have five arches
- Center arch reserved for the Emperor himself
6. Orientation
- Buildings faced the south because the north had a cold wind
- Important of the east (direction of the rising sun) in orienting and siting Imperial
buildings is a form of solar worship
7. Numerology
- Heavily influenced Imperial architecture
- Hence the use of nine in much of construction, as nine being the greatest single digit
number

The Forbidden City

- Built in 1406 to 1420
- Consists of 980 surviving buildings
- 8, 707 bays of rooms
- 720 000 square meters
- Declared a world heritage site in 1987
- Largest collection of preserved ancient
wooden structures in the world
Tiananmen Square
- Extensive open area in central Beijing,
China
- World's largest public square
- Adjacent to Forbidden City
- Site of festivals, rallies and
demonstrations
- In 1989, Chinese troops fired on an
estimated 2 000+ student demonstrators:(

Gate of Heavenly Peace

- Famous monument in Beijing
- Widely used as a national symbol

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Religious
1. Temples
1) Confucian Temple
a) Lingxing Gate
First grand gates in Confucius Temples
Were the deities are welcome d and sent off in a memorial ceremony for
Confucus
2) Taoist Temple
A complex of Taoist buildings used for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven
for good harvest
3) Pagodas
Original purpose was to house relics and sacred writings
Earliest base structure type: square base and circular base
By the 10th century, octagonal base pagoda towers emerged

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Definition
- Chinese philosophy of geomancy or the understanding of the forces of the earth
- Complement of astrology which seeks to understand the forces of the heavens
- Its application in architecture promotes the creation of designed environment in harmony with the cosmic
forces of nature
- Literally means "wind" and "water"
Relates to its concept of qi or ch'i which means the flow of natural energy that circulates the earth
and moves in specific patterns on a site
In western science this may be related to the earth's natural electromagnetic currents
Sha qi: qi that is too forceful; may have negative effect on people
Two Main Theories
1. Form Theory
- Based on influences of the landscape
- Particularly mountains and water courses
- Older and more subjective
2. Compass Theory
- Places emphasis on mathematical calculations, formulas and diagrams
- Based on compass points using an instrument called a lo p'an
Yin and Yang
- Harmonious balance of opposites: good and bad, light and dark, positive and negative
- Relates to the necessary balance of the positive and negative forces of the qui
The Five Elements
- They stimulate and shape all natural and human activity
- In site design the elements represent particular features of the landscape
Element
Wood Life
Femininity
Creativity
Organic material

Site Design Representation

Color

Direction

Tall, cylindrical features

(tree trunks)

Blue
Green

East
Southeast

Sharp peaks
(flames)

Red
Pink

South

Earth Stability
Endurance
The earth itself

Flat terrain

Yellow
Brown

Southwest
Northeast

Metal Competitiveness
Business acumen
Masculinity
The metal itself

Rounded hills
(coins)

White
Silver

West
Northwest

Water All that flows

Wavy, undulating ground

Black
Blue

North

Fire Energy
Intelligence

Productive Interaction:
Burning WOOD
Produces FIRE

Which leaves behind EARTH

Which is the source of METAL

Which can be liquefied into flowing substances like WATER

Destructive Interaction:

WOOD

Sucks up nourishment from EARTH

Which muddles WATER

Which quenches FIRE

Which melts METAL

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The Eight Trigrams

- System of location of spaces in design based on the l Ching symbols and their particular qualities
and directions
- Should be combined with the system of five elements

K'an

Wheels
Danger

North

Ken

Obstacles

North-East

Chen

Speed
Roads

East

Sun

Trade
Growth

South-East

Li

Fire
Heat

South

K'un

Nourishment

South-West

Tui

Joy
Serenity

West

Ch'ien

Kingship

North-West

Nine Basic Cures

Reflective objects Mirrors
Multi-faceted crystals that reflect light and qi
Sound Music
Wind chimes
Bells
Color Used to bring balance and vitality to spaces
Living objects Flowers
Plants
Aquariums
Electrically-powered items Computers
TV
Etc.
Bamboo items As plants
Curtains
Flutes
Moving items Water fountains
Mobiles
Heavy objects Furniture
Statues
Stones
Others Meaningful items
(favorite possessions, memorabilia, etc.)

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Some Basic Rules

1. Main doors should face south or east.
2. Doors should not face each other especially if they lead outside.
3. Main door should not ace any neighbor's gate, electric post or dead trees.
4. Stairways must not face a door, especially the main door.
5. The number of steps in a run of stairs must not be divisible by four.
6. The kitchen stove must not face a door, must not be opposite the sink or aligned with the sink.
7. Faucets and shower heads should face the interior of the structure.
8. There should not be a window on the wall above the headboard of a bed.
9. The bed should not face a door.
10. The bed should not rest on a wall that has a water closet on the other side.
11. There should be no exposed beams or pointed objects above the bed.
12. The water closet should not face the door.
13. Eating areas should not be located below toilets.
14. A round dining table is better than a rectangular one.
15. An altar must never be placed under a stairway.
16. Exposed columns should be round.
17. Columns should not be placed directly opposite doors or windows.
18. The number of columns should be even but must not be divisible by four.
19. Eight silver coins wrapped in red cloth must be placed at the foundation of each column.

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The Chinese Classical Garden

- Also called Chinese Scholar's Garden
- A place for solitary or social contemplation of nature
- A combination of landscape and paintings together with poems
- So called "poetic garden"
History
- Built by and for scholar class (civil servants)
- First appeared during the Eastern Han Dynasty with the rise of Confucian ideology
- Ended a strict class division by ending advancement in the civil service
- Scholar class thus retreated into a more contemplative life in their gardens
Yuanye and Chinese Garden Design
- Yuanye was written by a Ming Dynasty garden designer: Ji Cheng
- Design of Chinese gardens was to provide a spiritual utopia for one to connect with nature, to
come back to one's inner heart, to come back to ancient idealism
- A spiritual shelter for people
- A place they could be far away from their real social lives
- Close to the ancient way of life, their true selves and nature
- Served multiple functions
semi-public extension of the house and a place
Retreat
Festivity
Study of poetry
Romance
Symbols
Bamboo

Represents a strong but resilient character

Pine

Is used to represent longevity, persistence, tenacity and dignity

Lotus

Is used to symbolize purity

Flowering Plum

It represents renewal and strength of will

Flowering Peaches Are grown for spring color

and Sweet Olive
Chrysanthemum

Is used to symbolize splendor, luster and "the courage to make sacrifices for a
natural life"

Peonies

Symbolize wealth

Banana Trees

Are used simply for the sound they make in the breeze

Seventeen Essential Elements

1. Proximity to home
2. Small
3. Walled
4. Small individual sections
5. Asymmetrical
6. Various types of spatial connections
7. Architecture
8. Rocks (axis mundi)

9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Water
Trees
Plants
Sculpture
Jie jing (borrowed scenery)
Chimes
Incense burners
Inscriptions
Use of feng shui for choosing site

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