CHINESE CIVILIZATION

Prehistoric developments occured along the Yellow River

(Hwang-Ho) valley and Yangtse River basin around 21century
BCE
• The Grand Canal,1794 km long, started in 5th century Bcand
completed in the 7th century AD. Connected five major
water systems, including the Yangtze and the Hwang-Ho.
Economic development mostly along the Grand Canal.
HISTORY

• Xia period (2100-1600 BCE) earliest civilization but no written records.

• Shang dynasty (1600 – 1028 BCE) written records, science and astrology
developed, invention of lunar calendar, money introduced.
• Zhou Dynasty (1050-249 BCE)
• Qin/Chin Dynasty (221-206 BCE)-Great wall was built
• Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 AD)-Buddhism introduced in China. Country most
powerful, envoys sent to other countries. Trade through the Silk Road.
• Jin Dynasty (265-419 AD)
• Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)-Most prosperous period. Sent envoy to Nepal during
the reign of Narendradeva
• Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) invention of the compass, gunpowder and the
printing press which were subsequently introduced to Europe. Increased
overland and maritime trade
 Chinese Architecture

• Styles of Chinese ancient architecture are rich and varied, such as temples, imperial
palaces, altars, Pavilions, official residencies and folk houses, which greatly reflect
Chinese ancient thought the harmonious unity of human beings with nature.
• Since ancient times, Chinese culture has been heavily influenced by conservative
philosophies like Confucianism, Taoism etc. Over the centuries, the structural principles
of Chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being on
the decorative details.
• Traditional Chinese buildings are always found in pairs or groups, whether they are
residences, temples or palaces.
• Traditional Chinese architecture, unlike that of other cultures, uses wood-frame
construction as one of the most distinctive features.
The Modular System

One of the basic principles of classical Chinese buildings is

the USE OF A MODULE, much like the modular concept of
prefabrication in contemporary architecture.
Traditional Chinese carpenters used “MAN-a structured bay
as a standard unit to construct all buildings. “Jan” was a
rectangular space marked by adjacent structural frames
“Jian”, as the basic interior unit, can be expanded or
repeated along the architectural plan axis to join together to
create a hall, then a building.
• Odd numbers of Jian are allowed. Even numbers are
considered unlucky.
Architectural Features

DOUGONG MUGUIJA
• Bracket sets • Timber frames
Architectural Features

Taizi
• Podium Courtyard
 Pagoda

Pagoda, symbol of Buddhism is often erected in temples.

Pagodas were made of stone, wood, colored glaze or metal
Pagodas have an odd number of layers.
Seven-layer and Nine-layer pagodas are
Commonly built The shape of cross-section is rectangular, eight-sided or even
circular.
Initially, the pagoda served as the central axis alongside which rows of halls
and monks’ rooms spread out.Later, pagodas were built near the main palace
hall.
• Chinese pagodas, in short, are a significant part of the country’s cultural
heritage with their beautiful shapes, bas-relief carvings, dougong brackets
and upturned caves.
Temple

Buddhist temples tend to be decorated in red or

black, and there is a main hall for a statue of a
Bodhisattva, followed by a smaller hall with
statues of other Buddha’s and deities.
• Buddhist Temples are called Miao
Confucian Ideology

Confucian ideology was the core of feudal

China’s hierarchical social system.
• Traditional courtyard residences drew
strict distinctions between interior and
exterior, superior and inferior, and
male and female,internal affairs and
extemal affairs, the honorable (master)
and humble (maid) ranking
• The compounds were enclosed and
isolated from the outside world, and
serving as material expressions of
Confucian ideology
• The chinese quadrangle buildings
(known as “Si He Yuan”) was highly
influenced by Confocanisen’s rite.
Great Wall of China

• The Great Wall of China is a series of

stone and earthen fortifications built
by a number of emperors to protect
the northern borders against
nomadic tribes.
• The average height of the present
Wall is 10 meters (30 ft.). Thickness
varies from place to place ranging
from about 4.5 meters to 9 meters
(15-30 feet). The total length is
about 6,700 km. (4163 miles). Every
100 yards, square watch towers two
stories high were built.
Chinese Pavilions

• The Chinese pavilion (ting, which

means also a kiosk) is built normally
either of wood or stone or bamboo
and may be in any of several plan
figures – square, triangle, hexagon,
octagon, a five-petal flower, a fan
etc.
• They have columns to support the
roof, but no walls.
Songyue Temple

• The pagoda is surrounded by hills and is the

oldest brick pagoda with dense eaves.
• It is 40 meters tall and the plane is in dodecagon
with a circumference of 33 meters.
• The outer is divided into 15 layers with dense
eaves and the inner 10 layers.
• The foundation is 0.85 meters in height and its
structure is very simple and crude.
• On the four walls of the pagoda, there are doors
whose openings are wide and tall.
• The top of the door is in pointed arch, decorated
with lotus flower patterns in the shape of E.
• Besides the four walls with doors, there is a
shrine on each of the eight walls.
• The shrine is a square tower with a single layer,
protruding out of the wall.