3. Early China Xiua Period 2100 to 1600 BC
Villages arranged around long houses
Pit houses typical similar to other neolithic settlements
Cities appear in China with Shang Dynasty 1850 to 1000 BC
Walled enclosure around aristocratic centers
Villages and industry outside the walls
Appearance of post and Beam houses
Symmetrical Palaces
Zhou Period 1000 – 250 BC
Growth of walled cities. Existing cities grow larger with suburbs
Walled off ceremonial buildings at center – like Forbidden City in Beijing
Appearance of Dougong brackets
Qin Period 250 – 200 BC
Beginning of Great Wall
Qin cities had rectangular grid layout based on cardinal points

4. Forbidden City in Beijing
Closed to the public as center
of Government
Royal Palace
Government Building
North South Axis
Tiennamen Square is at the front gate

5. Dougong – system of brackets at top of column
and crossbeam
Dou means – block of wood
The bow shaped arm is called a gong
Beam and Tiers and column and tie beam
structural styles develop 25 to 220 during Han
Dynasty
Distinct Chinese style develops 220 – 590 AD
Spread of Buddhism brings influences
from India, Persia and Greece

6. dougong
jian

7. Five Main Characteristics of Chinese Architecture
1. Unity of Structure with Architectural Art
Beautify the structural components
2. Good anti seismic function
Mortise and tenon joints
Shallow foundations

8. 3. High Degree of standardization
jian – bay between 2 frames
there were 2 styles of frames
Dimensions of structural components based on
Standard modules – a “cai”
cai had 8 permissible sizes
In Qing dynasty it was doukou

9. 4. Bright Colors – painting started 700 BC to ward off insect infestation
Colors used in specific manners – walls and pillars red, roofs might be
yellow eaves green or blue

10. 5 Systematic grouping of buildings
Planned buildings around courtyards and then
Added more buildings and more courtyards.
North - south axis in planning many cities
note Summer Palace Plan below

11. Main Building Types
Palaces
Temples
Shrines
Mausoleums
Halls, Pavilions,
Monasteries
Grottoes
Bridges
Courtyard Houses

12. Palaces
Forbidden City is main existing
Example
North south axis

14. Shrines
Used for offerings to ancestors,
Famous Historical personages

16. Temples
2 types –
ones with stupas - these developed
into the pogoda style
and those
arranged around courtyards –
usually a palace donated by
an emporor

18. Mausoleum
Elaborate Mausolea
For Emperors

19. Halls, Pavilions, Monasteries

22. Grottoes

23. Bridges Gardens and Walls

24. Courtyard Houses