Architecture in China

style of architecture

Chinese rural dwellings and a world heritage site

thumb|275px|A hutong in Beijing thumb|275px|right|Entrance to a residence in a hutong

thumb|260px|right|Yunnan, [[Kunming]] A siheyuan (; [sɹ̩̂.xɤ̌.ɥɛ̂n];Sìhéyuàn) is a traditional Chinese architectural style characterized by a courtyard enclosed by buildings on all four sides. This design was prevalent throughout northern China, notably in Beijing and rural Shanxi. Historically, siheyuan served as the foundational layout for various structures, including residences, palaces, temples, monasteries, family businesses, and government offices.

thumb|Dougong inside the East Hall timber hall of Foguang Temple, built in 857 during the [[Tang dynasty]] thumb|Dougong brackets on an Eastern Han dynasty|Eastern Han (25–220 CE) era architectural model of a watchtower thumb|A stone-carved relief above a cave entrance of the Yungang Grottoes ([[Shanxi province) showing an imitation of dougong brackets, Northern Wei dynasty (386–535 CE)]] thumb|Stone pillars made in imitation of wooden dougong and "人-shaped gong" (Chinese: 人字栱) at cave entrance of Tianlongshan Grottoes, Northern Qi. Dougong (Chinese: 斗拱; pinyin: dǒugǒng; lit. 'cap [and] block'

thumb|A decorated paifang in Shanghai A paifang, also known as a pailou, is a traditional style of Chinese architecture, often used in arch or gateway structures.

Diaolou () are fortified multi-storey watchtowers in rural villages, generally made of reinforced concrete. These towers are located mainly in Kaiping, Guangdong province, China. In 2007, UNESCO designated the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages () a World Heritage Site, which covers four separate Kaiping village areas: Sanmenli (), Zilicun (), Jinjiangli (), and Majianglong village cluster (). These areas demonstrate a unique fusion of 19th- and 20th-century Chinese and Western architectural styles.

Traditional long platform

highly-rounded arched pedestrian bridge associated with gardens in China and Japan

A yaodong (窰 in native Jin Chinese, or 窰洞 yáodòng in Beijing Mandarin) is a particular form of earth shelter dwelling common in the Loess Plateau in China's north. They are generally carved out of a hillside or excavated horizontally from a central "sunken courtyard".

thumb|A preserved longdang at the site of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, showing the "stone gates" (at left) whence the name shikumen arose. thumb|Renovated shikumen lanes in Xintiandi. thumb|Shikumen buildings in the process of demolition in 2007 – a fate that has befallen many buildings of this type.

aspect of Chinese history

Buddhist temple in Shanghai, China

Architecture book by Jie Li

a circular opening in a garden wall and a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens

thumb|right|A huabiao in front of the Tiananmen in [[Beijing.]] thumb|right|The mythical creature atop a huabiao. thumb|right|A modern huabiao at Chinese Culture University in [[Taipei.]] thumb|A singular huabiao in Xinghai Square in [[Dalian.]]

Asian style of tower, traditionally for drum signalling

thumb|The Ten-faced Samantabhadra (Bodhisattva)|Puxian stupa

spider web ceiling

thumb|A Mount Tai shigandang () in [[Beijing, China.]] thumb|Shigandang erected at the entrance of a lane, etc., to drive away misfortune or evil spirits. thumb|An ishigantō in Okinawa (city)|Okinawa, Japan Shigandang (; ) is an ornamental stone tablet with writing, which is used to exorcise evil spirits in East Asia. Shigandang are often associated with Mount Tai and are often placed on street intersections or three-way junctions, especially in the crossing, which is often considered a spiritually dangerous place ().

building element in traditional Chinese architecture

type of roofing tile used in China

urban planning initiative in Shanghai

settlement style historically popular among Hakka Chinese

style of Chinese architecture

architectural style of the Hoklo people

museum in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong

Caihua (), or "colour painting", is the traditional Chinese decorative painting or polychrome used for architecture and one of the most notable and important features of historical Chinese architecture. It held a significant artistic and practical role within the development of East-Asian architecture, as Caihua served not only decoration but also protection of the predominantly wooden architecture from various seasonal elements and hid the imperfections of the wood itself. The use of different colours or paintings would be according to the particular building functions and local regional cust

type of East Asian tenement