Chinese Architecture Styles

Forbidden City, Imperial Architecture

This part will provide you with detailed information about different kinds of Chinese  architecture, including the related culture and background knowledge. Chinese ancient architecture has its own unique style in the world architecture. It uses different structural materials which include civil construction, brick work, timber construction and bamboo construction. There are various architecture styles such as palace, tower, temple, garden and mausoleum which can be generally grouped into imperial architecture, religious architecture, garden architecture and general architecture.

 Imperial Architecture:
Here you will get to know Chinese imperial architecture, including imperial palaces, gardens and mausoleums. In order to incarnate the supremacy of imperial power, imperial architecture often adopt the layout of an axial symmetry, with the buildings on the central axis tall and splendid while the rest rather small and simple.

 Traditional Chinese Residences

Lingering Garden, Suzhou

In this part, you will get to know the general information of the architecture that common people live in. The 56 ethnic groups have weaved a colorful civilian residence picture. Beijing locals has their own distictive houses in traditional Courtyards (Siheyuan).  In northern part of Shaanxi Province, people prefer to live in Farmers' Caves (Yaodong). In Yunnan Province, local people build Seal-like Compound (Yikeyin) to dwell in, and in the west of Fujian Province, Hakkas create the Earthen Buildings (Tulou)which is considered to be built with a wondrous architectural style.

 Garden Architecture
Chinese gardens are famous for their variety and delicate craftwork. This part will not only present you different kinds of beautiful gardens, but you will also be impressed at the unique constructional idea and methods of Chinese laboring people.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Buddhist Architecture

 Religious Architecture
Religious architecture in China has an added Chinese flavor to it. Different religions have their unique architectural styles.
 Buddhist Architecture
 Taoist  Architecture
 Chinese Temples
 Buddhist Temples       
 Taoist Temples
 Islamic Mosques
 Confucius Temples