Chinese Architecture

Chinese architecture has developed in East Asia over the course of many centuries. The main aspects of Chinese architecture have, essentially, stayed the same over the years. Ornamental features are the only major changes Chinese architecture has undergone throughout the years. Chinese architecture has had a very large influence on Korea, Vietnam, and Japan ever since the Tang Dynasty (618-907). 

A Chinese structure is highly focused on balance and symmetry. In China, the main structure of a building is the core. This rule is followed in residences, temples, palaces, and buildings. The secondary structures of a building are on either side (like wings) to shape the main room and yard. The interior space of a building typically refers to Chinese social and ethnical values.

The History of Chinese Architecture

Wooden structures were very common in China’s history. Old, wooden structures typically did not last because it was easier for them to be destroyed in weathering, fires and rotting. The Songyue Pagoda (built in 523) is currently the oldest pagoda in China. A large number of wooden residential towers, watchtowers, and pagodas existed before the Songyue Pagoda but were destroyed because of their material. There were no completely wooden Tang Dynasty buildings that still remained in the early 20^th century. The 1931 find of Guanyin Pavilion at Dule Monastery, dated 984 during the Song was the oldest one found.

The Emergence of Brick

Ever since the Tang Dynasty, both brick and stone architecture slowly emerged. After this, it became much more popular in replacing wooden edifices. The first signs of this change happened in construction projects like the Zhaozhou Bridge (finished in 605) and the Xumi Pagoda (built in 636). In spite of this, stone and brick architecture was used in cavernous tomb architecture of previous dynasties.

Rammed earth construction was used to make the first walls and platforms in China. Rammed earth is a method used to build walls using raw materials of earth, chalk, lime and gravel. After a while, brick and stone became more frequently used for walls and platforms. Examples of this are in very old parts of the Great Wall of China. Today, the brick and stone in the Great Wall demonstrate a restoration during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

Architectural Symmetry

A key part of Chinese architecture is its focus on bilateral symmetry. Bilateral symmetry and the articulation of buildings can be seen in a very large number of Chinese structures from palaces to farmhouses. Plans for reconstruction or an addition of a house usually try to incorporate this symmetry. Different Chinese buildings, Chinese gardens are a significant exception, which tend to be asymmetrical.

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