Chinese architecture
Eastern building traditions
Chinese architecture encompasses the building traditions of China developed over thousands of years, characterized by timber frame construction, curved rooflines with upturned eaves, and elaborate bracket systems called dougong that distribute weight from roof to columns.
Buildings typically sit on raised platforms and are organized around courtyards, with strict hierarchies governing size, color, and ornamentation based on the occupant's social status.
Iconic examples include pagodas, temples, and the Forbidden City's palace complexes.
Ming dynasty royal complex
- palaceMonarch's official residence
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
- emperorMale ruler of empire
- throne roomSovereign's formal audience hall
audience chamber · empress · mandarin · eunuch · concubine · moat · watchtower · grand staircase
Tiered Asian temple tower
- stupaBuddhist relic monument
- BuddhistFollower of Gautama's teachings
- TaoistFollower of Chinese philosophy
- altarSacred ritual table
incense burner · prayer hall · shrine · monastery · meditation hall · bell tower · drum tower · glazed tiles
Four-sided figure or courtyard
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
- central axisMain line of symmetry
- moon gateCircular passage in wall
- covered walkwayRoofed path for pedestrians
veranda · pavilion · patio · privacy · domestic · communal living · ancestral hall · wooden pillars
Movement of life energy
- yin-yangChinese duality symbol
- geomancyDivination from ground markings
- five elementsFive basic natural principles
- energy balanceIntake versus expenditure ratio
site selection · harmony · cosmic order · propitious · natural landscape · cardinal directions
Landscaped stone arrangement
- koi pondDecorative basin for carp
- moon bridgeArched garden footbridge
- bamboo groveCluster of woody grasses
- lattice windowPane with intersecting bars
lotus pond · weeping willow · natural harmony · asymmetry · contemplation · water feature · ornamental plant
Structural timber assembly
- load-bearingSustaining structural mass
- corbelWall-mounted structural support
- post-and-lintelHorizontal beam on verticals
- bracketingTaking varied exposure shots
roof truss · raised platform · stone foundation · modular · carpentry · joinery · pillar · crossbeam
Forbidden City
Ming dynasty royal complex
throne room · audience chamber · empress · mandarin · eunuch · concubine · moat · watchtower · grand staircase · phoenix
pagoda
Tiered Asian temple tower
- stupaBuddhist relic monument
- BuddhistFollower of Gautama's teachings
- TaoistFollower of Chinese philosophy
altar · incense burner · prayer hall · shrine · monastery · meditation hall · bell tower · drum tower · glazed tiles · bodhisattva
glazed tiles
Coated fired-clay squares
- overhangingExtending outward above
quadrangle
Four-sided figure or courtyard
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
- central axisMain line of symmetry
- moon gateCircular passage in wall
covered walkway · veranda · pavilion · patio · privacy · domestic · communal living · ancestral hall · wooden pillars · inner sanctum
qi flow
Movement of life energy
- yin-yangChinese duality symbol
- geomancyDivination from ground markings
- five elementsFive basic natural principles
energy balance · site selection · harmony · cosmic order · propitious · natural landscape · cardinal directions
rockery
Landscaped stone arrangement
- koi pondDecorative basin for carp
- moon bridgeArched garden footbridge
- bamboo groveCluster of woody grasses
lattice window · lotus pond · weeping willow · natural harmony · asymmetry · contemplation · water feature · ornamental plant
wooden frame
Structural timber assembly
- load-bearingSustaining structural mass
- corbelWall-mounted structural support
- post-and-lintelHorizontal beam on verticals
bracketing · roof truss · raised platform · stone foundation · modular · carpentry · joinery · pillar · crossbeam · rafter
- National architectures
- SinologyConfucianism, Daoism, Han dynasty, Qing dynasty, Four Books
- overseas ChineseChinatown, Chinatowns, benevolent society, benevolent societies, tong
Chinese architectureEuropean architecture
Construction styles from the continent
Greek architecture · American architecture · Roman architecture · Gothic architecture · Japanese architecture
Chinese architecturemodern architecture
Recent building styles
contemporary architecture · International Style · Brutalism · minimalist architecture · deconstructivism
Chinese, China, architecture, architect, architects, architectural, architecturally, architectonic