Watch any blockbuster Hollywood movie featuring classical China, and you might be forgiven for thinking that ancient Chinese architecture is basically just flying eaves, golden roofs, grand courtyards and maybe a pagoda or two – basically a carbon copy of Beijing’s Forbidden City.
But you do know China is big, right? REAL big?
Encompassing dozens of minority groups, climates, geography and colourful histories, each region of China boasts their own unique local twists on the various buildings they live in and rely on.
So, to broaden your horizons a little and maybe even inspire some new ideas for your next China trip, here are the seven major ancient architectural styles found in China:
Beijing-style
Befitting the old imperial capital, the northern Beijing-style is all about courtyards, courtyards and courtyards!
Best seen in traditional hutong neighbourhoods, the style is frequently seen in the shiheyuan or “four courtyard” layout consisting of four buildings centred around a large courtyard.
Fengshui elements feature heavily in this style, such as symmetrically placed buildings on the four cardinal directions. Other fengshui considerations include ponds, greenery, fish and birds in the courtyard.
Famous Examples
Forbidden Palace: A grand collection of palaces, gardens and halls placed inside a gigantic rectangular courtyard layout.
Dongcheng and Fengsheng Districts: Hutong districts north and west of the Forbidden Palace with various residential and hotel courtyards.
Lingnan-style
Also known as Cantonese style, the Lingnan style is endemic to the far southern Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, where a subtropical climate prevails.
With a need to beat the heat, various unique innovations such as large pools, cooler and water-absorbent clay “green bricks” and narrow, draft-promoting “cold alleys” are commonly used here. Distinctive ear-shaped protrusions called wok yi uk also help cool houses by minimizing the surface exposed to the sun.
Another signature Lingnan feature are the highly detailed ornamentation in the form of carvings, reliefs on roofs, pillars and walls – all inspired by Chinese legends and myths.
Famous Examples
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall: This Guangzhou complex is full of colourful carvings and ornamentation.
Hui-style
An Anhui Province specialty, the Hui-style of architecture is all about the roofs, whether they be ornamental roofs over gates, fireproofing roofs or roofs that drain into patios.
To slow the spread of fire through roofs, the Hui people used aesthetically pleasing “horse-head walls” that wall off each individual property’s roofs.
And as the Hui traditionally believe that water holds prosperity, they designed roofs to drain into small patios that collect and retain prosperity!
On top of that, Hui-style buildings sport a sharp and sleek combination of white walls and black tiles.
Famous Examples
Hongcun and Yixian Villages: Placid, lakeside villages that show the Hui love of elegant roofs and water.
Su-style
Commonly found in the water towns of the Jiangnan region, the Su-style is obsessed with naturalistic gardens filled with artfully placed shrubs and flowers that transport you into classical Chinese scenes of rocky mountains and winding rivers.
Su-style towns also feature winding canals navigated by rafts and barges along with arched bridges that form into coins when reflected upon the water.
Famous Examples
Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou: A UNESCO-recognized garden that’s famed for its creator and its prominent lakeside pavilion.
Fujian-style
This balmier southeastern province boasts two distinct styles from the region’s Hokkien and Hakha-speaking populations.
The Hokkien population of Fujian are big fans of swallowtail roofs, roofs with curved ends that reach upwards towards the air. Sometimes accompanying these flashy roofs are even flashier porcelain carvings of dragons, phoenixes and deities. Some of the best examples of Hokkien-style architecture can be found in the worldwide Chinese diaspora.
Meanwhile, the province’s Hakha peoples are famed for their tulou, multi-storied circular buildings that house entire families and villages. Built from earth, these circular structures provide a safe and sturdy sanctuary with a centre that is usually reserved for communal activities and storage.
Famous Examples
Yunshuiyao Ancient Town: A classic village with tulous from the Ming – Qing eras
Nanshan Temple, Zhangzhou: Buddhist temple with distinctive swallowtail roofs decorated by dragons.
Jin-style
Jin style architecture is native to the heritage-rich Shanxi Province and falls broadly into two categories: yaodong cave dwellings in the mountains and large merchant compounds in the plains.
Rather than simple caves, yaodong are skilfully built into the mountainside or by carving out square courtyards and branching out from them into individual caves. Sometimes towering over multiple levels, these diverse range of earthen dwellings use the soil’s natural properties to keep temperatures comfy during summer and winter.
Down in the plains, massive walls guarding sprawling merchant compounds are the architecture of choice. Built with the wealth of Shanxi merchants, these impressive estates boast exquisite arches and cornices.
Famous Examples
Pingyao: A bite-sized ancient city full of ancient banks and labyrinthian compounds, all guarded by majestic towers and gates.
Sichuan-style
Sichuan-style hails from the subtropical province in the south, home of multiple ethnic groups.
Its main calling card is the use of buildings supported by bamboo stilts to keep snakes and insects away from the dwelling, with some examples near canals and rivers being particularly pretty.
Large, multi-tiered roofs are also another unique quirk, used to shelter bridges called “wind-rain bridges” from the wetter weather. Ancient warning towers and ceremonial spots called drum towers also feature heavily in many ethnic minority areas, particularly in the Miao regions around Guizhou.
Famous Examples
Fenghuang: A Miao town filled with roofed bridges and stilted buildings overlooking rivers.
As you can see, China’s vast and diverse land has led to a rich variety of architectural styles, traditions and quirks. After serving the unique needs and circumstances of their inhabitants for centuries, they are now a fascinating part of anyone’s visit to China today.
Want to look at more fancy roofs? Then how about a cruise down the canal towns of Jiangnan, or a crash course on Chengdu’s cool roofed bridges, or maybe even or far-flung adventure down to Guizhou’s underrated Miao towns?
Links
6 Main Architectural Styles in China(Part 1)
https://www.videavision.hk/post/6-main-architectural-styles-in-china-1
6 Main Architectural Styles in China(Part 2)
https://www.videavision.hk/post/6-main-architectural-styles-in-china-part-2
Chinese Architecture
https://www.next.cc/journey/language/chinese-architecture
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