How to realize the unity of decoration and utility?

Most of the traditional Chinese architectural decorations have practical value and are closely integrated with the structure, or are themselves the artistic processing of the structural components, not dispensable additions. Although they also have decorative beauty, but more importantly reflects the nature of the material and mechanical logic of the structural beauty.

Take the form of beams in the traditional wooden frame system as an example. Some beams are curved (the center of the upward arch), known as the moon beam, not only to avoid the natural tendency to sag after the load, but also to make the shape full of vivid. In many houses, decorative grooves are carved at the ends of the beams; others are carved along the curve in the shape of cranes with pointed beaks, fish gills or dragon heads, combining curvilinear changes with auspicious animals. Even the heads of the beams and squares passing through the columns are processed into the forms of end heads such as hemp leaf head, overlord's fist and chrysanthemum head.

Most of the wooden columns are round columns, made slightly thin at the top and bottom ends and thick in the middle, shaped like a shuttle pike. And the body of the column is not absolutely perpendicular to the horizontal plane, but the upper part is slightly tilted inward, both in line with the requirements of mechanics, but also to correct the visual error, so that the building looks more stable. This is reflected in both Eastern and Western classical architecture, the Parthenon on the Acropolis in ancient Greece is a good example. The column base in order to prevent corrosion and moisture with stone carving, often made into a drum-shaped, round basket-shaped, vase-shaped, etc., the top of the carving to different content, from simple lines to the foot of the flowers, plants, animals, literati, and the list goes on and on.

The arch is a unique structural component of the ancient Chinese wooden architecture, which consists of a square bucket, rising, and rectangular arch, slanting ang composition. The arch evolved from the column head, in order to support the far-reaching eaves and transfer the load under the columns, it developed from single layer to multi-layer, one-way to multi-direction, with layers coming out of each other, becoming a very complex and ingenious construction, somewhat similar to the modern space grid structure, which produces a very high decorative value in the appearance, and becomes the key point of people's visual focus.

Before there was no glass, the windows of ancient buildings were made of papier-maché or installed with polished fish scales, shell pieces and other translucent substances to protect them from the wind and rain, so the denser panes could meet the needs. On the basis of this kind of latticework, various kinds of latticework window panes were produced, including vertical and horizontal latticework, Fangsheng pattern, ice crack pattern, and step-by-step brocade, as well as creations based on characters, animal and plant patterns, and artifact patterns, etc. as materials.

In ancient China, important buildings were placed on high pedestals to add to their grandeur, such as the Three Great Halls of the Forbidden City, which are perched on three tiers of Sumeru. Around the base of the railing on the balustrade and lookout (also known as the "Huabiao", mostly used as a palace or mausoleum in front of the decoration, to set off the momentum of the palace or mausoleum) are added to the relief decorations, lookout column columns carved into a variety of animals and plants, the drain is also carved in the form of chi dragons, so that the base of the platform appears rich and vivid.

Chinese architecture in general has a valuable natural beauty, the craftsmen are only subordinate to the structure and function of the inevitable requirements of the outside of a slight knife and axe, in highlighting the architectural skills at the same time to play a decorative role in the details.