Chinese Architecture

Architecture, by definition, is the art or science of planning and building structures. Those are the words used to describe architecture in a dictionary but architecture is so much more than a study of how a building is built. Architecture is a product of human activities, and it is also a mirror of human life. Buildings reflect many things life environment, both political and cultural, as well as habitual and geographical environments. This paper is about Chinese architecture; its history, the basic structural elements that make up a Chinese building and the spiritual side of all the grand Chinese buildings.

Firstly, if one is to understand Chinese architecture then one must know something of China’s history because the creation and development of a national architecture has its roots in the cultural background of the nation. The nation of China has been around for around 5000 years, which perhaps the longest history that any nation or culture can lay claim to. China’s architecture was influenced by religion and myth, philosophy and politics, science and superstition, humanity and ritual. All of these elements were constantly confronting and

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But some things in both cultures survive like for the Chinese, the custom of placing all major buildings on a platform in order to keep the buildings from getting damp and for the Europeans; the use of thatch for roofs has survived for thousands of years.

Built environment was the land on which a building was to be constructed. This technique dates back to the Shang period and was used for preserving and decorating the wood. The other half of this philosophy was Yin, or the negative energies. While many buildings were constructed during that era, probably the most famous of all those complexes is the Forbidden City in Bejing.

Feng Shui

Every aspect, every detail of Chinese architecture was spiritually meaningful. Yang was the positive elements of every room. The window of a traditional building were not just used to exclude the weather but were also decorative elements. The patterns of the latticework ranged from blossom to geometric patterns. The right side of the building was yin or earth’s energy. These materials have changed little throughout Chinese history mainly because the Chinese people greatly value history and tradition. The buildings either rotted away or they were destroyed in fires. This was used for the pleasure gardens of the aristocracy and other high ranking Chinese officials. Each different design had a different meaning and could ward off different sorts of evil of which the Chinese were very afraid of.

Approximate Word count = 2353
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)

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