The appearance of buildings can be very different, however, the architecture of Ancient China is united by common aesthetic aspirations and building ideas that are unique to this nation. The most typical construction of the house is a frame-pillar, wood was used to create it. Pillars made of wood were installed on an adobe platform, then transverse beams were attached to them. A tiled roof covered the house above. The strength of the buildings was ensured thanks to the pillars, so many buildings withstood numerous earthquakes. For example, in the Shanxi province, a wooden Buddhist temple is still preserved , the height of which exceeds 60 meters. This pagoda was built almost 900 years ago, but has survived to this day.
The architecture of ancient China is characterized by a holistic composition
buildings that are combined into a single complex consisting of many
facilities. Detached buildings in this country are still very rare:
palaces and private houses are always surrounded by auxiliary buildings. Moreover
courtyard buildings are absolutely symmetrical and evenly removed from the main
building.
Many examples of ancient architecture are listed in the World Cultural Heritage Fund. These include the ancient city of Lijiang, which is located in Yunnat province, Beijing Yiheyuan Park, Temple of Heaven and Gugong Palace. The architecture of ancient China has characteristic features inherent only in this country. For example, the roofs of buildings have always been concave. Drawings of plants and animals were usually carved on cornices and beams. Similar patterns and ornaments also adorned wooden poles, doors and windows.
The architecture of the Ancient World makes extensive use of various natural dyes to decorate homes, and China is no exception. The roofs of the palaces, as a rule, were covered with golden glazed tiles, the eaves were painted with blue-green paint, the walls and pillars with a reddish tint. The floors in the ancient palaces were covered with white and dark marble, which gave them grandeur and monumentality.
The architecture of Ancient China reached its peak during the reign of the Sunn and Tang dynasties (VII-XIII centuries). Cities were built in those days according to a clear plan with a clear geometry. The settlements were surrounded by deep moats and high walls and were well-fortified fortresses.
Many pagodas of those times have survived that resemble Indian temples in their round shapes. In ancient Buddhist monasteries, pagodas were repositories of canonical books, statues and relics. The sculpture of Ancient China has much in common with the Indian. The height of some statues is up to 10 meters. In proportionate forms and mathematical precision of the sculptures, the aspirations of Chinese masters for harmony embodied.
The first cultural monuments of ancient China were discovered in the 20s of the last century. These were artifacts from the time of the Yangshao Dynasty (mid III millennium BC). They are characterized by a special artistic style, unlike all the others. The unusually decorative and at the same time very solemn artistic style reflects the philosophical spirit that is inherent in all the Chinese people.
The architects of China were both builders, thinkers and poets with a keen and elevated sense of nature and all life. All palaces and residential complexes were built as if they were a continuation of the landscape. The natural relationship between architecture and landscape was even described in numerous treatises that were characteristic of that time. The ancient monuments of Chinese architecture capture the whole history of this amazing country. Unique masterpieces of architecture, created many centuries ago, amaze with their perfection and harmony.