What are the characteristics in the ancient Chinese architecture

This question can be said from a number of perspectives.

One, from the layout of the architectural form and other aesthetic point of view:

1, courtyard group layout

From the ancient documents, paintings in the image of ancient architecture, has been to the existing ancient architecture, ancient Chinese architecture in the layout of the plane is composed of a number of single buildings and some of the corridors, walls and so on surrounded by a courtyard and the composition of the courtyard. Generally speaking, most of the courtyards are connected before and after, through the front yard to the back yard, which is a product of the traditional Chinese culture of "the order of the young and the old, inside and outside the different" ideology. Song Dynasty Ouyang Xiu "Butterfly Lovers Flower" in the words of the "courtyard deep deep", the ancients used to "Houmen deep like the sea" to describe the residence of the big bureaucrats, on the image of Chinese architecture in the layout of the important features.

2, the spatial art of the axis

The courtyard-style group and layout, generally using a balanced and symmetrical way, along the vertical axis and horizontal axis design. This is mainly reflected in China's "Zhou ritual" thought influenced by the building system. Ancient capital city planning, the main palace is located in the central axis, with the palace as the main body, the secondary buildings are located on both sides, left and right symmetrical layout, "front and back of the city", "left ancestor, right community", such as the Tang Dynasty and the Ming and Qing Dynasty Beijing City planning layout. Again, such as the ancient Chinese temple, strong this tone axis space layout example is also a lot. Generally will be the main hall Maharishi treasure hall on the axis of the important position, with the hall in the front and back of the right and left. "left pavilion right Tibetan", "left bell right drum" and so on. This layout is closely related to the traditional patriarchal and religious system. The most convenient to show the feudal patriarchal and hierarchical concepts.

3, "heaven and mankind" of the built environment

Specializing in nature, emphasizing the "heaven and earth, geographical location, people and" harmonization, in Confucianism, Taoism are reflected in the thinking, all people and all things in heaven and earth are closely linked, as an inseparable **** the same. They regard man and all things in heaven and earth as inseparable **** the same body. Under the influence of this aesthetic trend, people deal with the relationship between architecture and the natural environment is not to use the building to control the natural environment, but to hold the attitude of affinity, so that the building is harmonized in nature. Emphasis on site selection, the purpose is not only to meet the needs of their respective functions, but also in how to play the flexibility of the horizontal spread of the architectural group and the mountain on the situation, perfect in the local landscape, harmonize with the overall natural environment. Literature and a variety of existing forest garden architecture can be proved.

Second, on the architectural concept and building materials

1, the good use of brick and wood structure, less use of large stone, so the Chinese building as a representative of the Oriental architecture is mostly wood or brick and wood structure, rarely seen in the West that kind of large stone building architecture from Ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman culture.

2, by the influence of the material architecture, so that most of the ancient Chinese architecture is the specification of the stereotypes of the monolithic shape through the corridor and other combinations of connection, rarely appear big dome overhead structure.

3, regardless of the hall, pavilion, corridor, are composed of the foundation, roof and roof 3 parts, each part has a certain proportion between. And through these proportions to reflect the humanistic aspirations, such as the harmony between heaven and earth, nature and human beings, the hierarchy of imperial and divine powers.

4, also because of the special nature of the building materials, so that the Chinese buildings pay more attention to the changes in the internal pattern and decorative arts, Chinese architecture with bold, strong color, brilliant colors and colorful paintings, different content, are representative of the different hierarchical needs and the special purpose of the building. Another is the roof surface, walls and so on the art form is very complex, both aesthetic and hierarchical concept of the need.