What kind of characteristics of ancient Chinese architecture and what are the implications?

Chinese architectural system in terms of characteristics, can be basically summarized as follows:

I. Monolithic Architecture

Chinese architectural system to timber structure as its main structural method, the Chinese monolithic ancient architecture of the material is basically wood. That is, the body part of the house is made of timber for columns and beams, which becomes the beam structure. This kind of structure, which is also the predecessor model of frame-type structure in contemporary architecture, has laid a good foundation for modern architectural endeavors. In addition to these, buildings in the ancient Chinese architectural system are also characterized by its finer details and other aspects of treatment.

The treatment of the roof

This is a characteristic feature of this architectural system, which has always occupied an extremely important place in Chinese architecture. The tiles are curved, and when the roof is pitched on all sides, the corners of the roof are also the corners of the roof that are cocked. In particular, the magnificent decorative nature of the roof was also found to be utilized at an early stage. Relatively speaking, in other architectural systems, the roof is always unappreciated, except sometimes the dome of the roof is dealt with, the general slope of the roof are hastily dealt with the matter of the raw and uninteresting. In China, however, architects have long since discovered the great decorative value of the roof. In ancient books there are records and verses glorifying the roof and the eave. It is an important feature of the ancient Chinese architectural system.

Bold use of color in buildings

In the ancient architectural system, vermilion was boldly used as the main color of the roofs of large buildings, used in columns, doors, windows, and other parts of the building, and colorful paintings and patterns were used to decorate the upper structure of the wooden frame, such as columns, beams and square beams, both outside and inside. In the combined use of color, China's ancient architecture is the most daring, which is also a characteristic of ancient monolithic buildings. A large number of colored glazed tiles were used, giving full play to the potential of the use of various colors of paint. Carvings on wood, relief carvings on stone, and carvings on brick - these are all features of the ancient Chinese architectural system.

Detailed Treatment of Wooden Structures

Ancient Chinese architecture, in general, would leave the intersecting parts of the components bare, and then slightly processed in their external shape, making it part of the decoration of the whole building itself. For example: in the whole group of beams and columns carved patterns, door rings, corner leaves, etc., in addition, the roof, ridge, ridge kiss, tile and so on and so on belong to this category of detailing.

Relative to the West, Chinese architecture may not have an advantage in terms of monolithic size, but the delicate construction, flawless detailing, and the use of traditional Chinese techniques give Chinese architecture its own character.

Second, the building group

Ancient Chinese architectural system, its building group is absolutely unique, with its advantages. In China's Western Zhou period has been the idea of planning, in the building of houses, in the site selection, defense, planning, greening, flood control, drainage and so on have very rich experience.

Planning ideas in Hebei Zhengding Longxing Temple has been well reflected.

Of course, the most grandiose scale in existence belongs to the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is one of the representative buildings at the end of China's feudal society. In have to use the complex to emphasize the emperor's lofty and sacred, has reached the peak of excellence. It is the main technique is in the 1.6 kilometers of the axis, with continuous, symmetrical closed space, open into a gradually unfolding architectural sequence to set off the solemnity of the three major palaces, sublime, magnificent.

The Forbidden City in Beijing from the Daqing Gate after six closed courtyards and then reached the main hall. The repetition of the construction, so that the image of Tiananmen Square has been strengthened, so that the momentum of imperial power has been deepened. In the treatment of the building, the main body is emphasized by the application of small against large and low against high techniques. The roof also uses different techniques to set off the hierarchical order. All of these are to set off a kind of imperial power of the sacrosanct and inviolable, reached a very high level. This is also a classic of China's ancient architectural system.

Three, "the unity of man and nature" garden

Western gardens, emphasizing the "characteristics" of the two words. Relative to the West, Chinese gardens emphasize the idea of "unity of man and nature".

The layout of ancient Chinese gardens is characterized by a variety of themes. Often using the desire to raise the first suppression, twists and turns back and forth, not yet finished, far borrowed near borrowed, and other techniques to achieve a man-made gardens and the environment of the amazing match, to achieve the "although made by man, just like from heaven" effect. In the water surface treatment, often using the water surface of the "empty" and "virtual", and the surrounding landscape to form a contrast, to achieve a very good effect. On the water surface there are pavilions, pavilions, bridges, corridors, islands ...... so that the water surface and space are both separated and connected, intermingled with each other, rich in levels of penetration. In the garden, often used in the mountains, rocks and other techniques, so as to shape can see, can watch, can live, can swim suitable for people's physical and mental relaxation of the open space. Whether it is the northern garden of grandeur, generous, or the south of the garden of lively, exquisite, penetrating, elegant, are very much emphasize the idea of integration of the garden and the natural environment. These are also the embodiment of China's ancient strong Confucian culture. China's four great gardens, both royal gardens and private gardens, are very good examples.

In fact, all of these features, there are certain styles and techniques, for the master craftsmen to comply with, recognized by the people, according to Liang Sicheng's words, we should say it is called Chinese architecture "grammar". It may be the same as words, a people create their favorite for generations, and has been used by the practice, into the French style. In the West, the Greek and Roman systems created their systems, which became their French style. China also created its own French style, generation after generation of use, innovation, and then use, innovation, although there are changes, but always so a theme, a French.

Architecture has something similar, such as a sculpture by the side of the road, or a few buildings in the center of the street. They are Chinese buildings because they have the characteristics and features of the Chinese tradition, they all follow the Chinese French style, they have the Chinese "vocabulary", they are built according to the Chinese grammar.

If we want to use our own architectural traditions to build buildings suitable for today's new China, we must first familiarize ourselves with our own architectural "grammar" and "vocabulary", otherwise we cannot create buildings of our own characteristics. Otherwise, we will not be able to create our own characteristic architecture, just like writing an article, we must have our own characteristics, suitable for ourselves, in order to get out of our own way. China's ancient architecture is very distinctive, although the modern we can not copy, we must follow our architectural "grammar" and "vocabulary", out of a modernized modernized architectural body.