What are the characteristics of ancient Chinese architecture

Architecture is a symbol of the times and a cultural accumulation, and human beings have created a brilliant ancient architectural civilization with their blood, sweat and wisdom. Ancient Chinese architecture is the world's oldest and most complete architectural system, is an important part of China's cultural heritage, and its from the monolithic building to the garden layout are in the leading position in the ancient architectural civilization.

Most of the ancient Chinese architecture pursues the aesthetics of neutrality, simplicity, subtlety and depth, which mainly includes the following characteristics.

Timber-based

In the development of ancient Chinese architecture, timber has always been the most important building materials, as the skeleton of the wooden structure, not only to achieve the actual functional requirements, but also to create a beautiful architectural form and the corresponding architectural style. Wooden structure can be divided into lifting beam type, through the bucket type and well dry type, of which the most commonly used lifting beam type.

Principles of framing system

Ancient Chinese buildings used columns and vertical and horizontal beams and squares combined into a beam frame, so that the upper load of the building by the beam frame, columns to the foundation, and in the process of building the beam frame, the components are mainly through the mortise and tenon structure connected to each other, do not use nails and other auxiliary appliances. Among them, the walls only play the role of enclosure, separation, and does not bear the load, that is, "the wall does not collapse".

Monolithic buildings

Ancient Chinese buildings are usually configured as a combination of a number of monolithic buildings, regardless of the size of the building, which can be roughly divided into the base of the steps, the body of the house, the roof of the three parts. Step base is located in the building below, by the masonry, supporting the entire house; in the step base above the body of the house, by the wooden columns for the skeleton, the middle of the installation of windows and doors partition; and the building above the roof is constructed by the wooden structure of the roof frame, the roof around the extension to the body of the house outside, and made into a soft and elegant curves, and are covered with gray tiles or glazed tiles.

Group layout

Ancient Chinese architecture generally follow the principle of inwardly subtle, multi-level, and strive for balance and symmetry, the main use of the central axis of symmetry, square and neat group combination and layout. Among them, each building group has a courtyard, more than a few or dozens of courtyards, rich and diverse levels, to make up for the lack of stereotyping of single buildings. In addition, the layout is generally based on the development of the central axis, taking the left and right symmetry, with the center as the courtyard, houses in the form of the surrounding.

Colorful

Timber of ancient Chinese architecture on the renovation, decoration is particularly elaborate, all building parts or components should be beautified, often using green, green, Zhu and other mineral pigments painted into colorful patterns to increase the beauty of the building, and because of the nature of the selected parts and components of the different decorative colors make a difference. Among them, the pedestal and steps are mostly decorated with carvings and balustrades, making the building look particularly solemn and majestic.

From a typological point of view, ancient Chinese architecture can be roughly divided into four categories: palaces, mausoleums, temples and dwellings.

(1) palace buildings are ancient emperors in order to consolidate their rule, highlighting the majesty of imperial power, to meet the enjoyment of spiritual and material life and the construction of a huge, majestic buildings, characterized by high, large, deep, strict, mainly divided into two parts of the "former dynasty after the bedchamber", "the former dynasty", "the", "the", "the" and "the". "Before the dynasty" is the emperor on the government, the place where the ceremony, "after the bedchamber" is the emperor and the consorts live in the place.

(2) mausoleum building based on the natural terrain of the mountain and built, the layout is mostly around the wall, four sides of the door, the four corners of the construction of the corner of the building, and the mausoleum built in front of the tunnel, the tunnel on both sides of the door Que stone people, stone beasts, mausoleums, cypress and cypresses in the verdant, in the display of the majesty of the deceased emperor at the same time to add a more solemn atmosphere.

(3) temple architecture due to its specific religious background, generally showing harmony, silence, mystery, as "four hundred and eighty temples in the South, how many buildings in the smoke and rain," said the temple was built in the city or the mountains, is to create a wonderful natural and humanistic environment, so that people can be close to Buddhism in a harmonious atmosphere. Buddhism.

(4) The architecture of residential buildings is a reflection of the family harmony, kinship, home culture, usually looks simple and cozy.