Architectural Art Teaching and Appreciation

Author: Zhao Chunli Compiler / Country:
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-05-01
Features: The continuous discovery and innovation of building materials have led to constant changes in architectural forms and structures. Early building materials were primarily sourced locally, with different materials determining the structure and design of the buildings. Brick and wood materials gave rise to the dovetail joints and double-slope roofs characteristic of Chinese architecture. The dovetail joints of pillars, beams, tie beams, and purlins allowed for the construction of "walls that could fall without collapsing the roof." The use of brackets helped distribute the weight of large roofs and transmit it directly to the ground through pillars, enabling the roof of Chinese buildings to become larger and more ornate while also making the concept of a prominent roof a reality. The design of roofs in Chinese architecture is far more magnificent than its walls. At the same time, the foundation bases and column bases were developed to prevent corrosion and rot, adapting to the characteristics of the wooden frame structure and achieving a harmonious aesthetic balance. In southern China, bamboo houses, wooden houses, and suspended houses were shaped by the comprehensive use of bamboo, thatch, and large leaves, each with its own unique design and structural features. However, these relatively lightweight and simple buildings did not form the mainstream of China's national architecture. In contrast, hip-and-gable roofs with upturned eaves, constrained by the limitations of wood, created symmetrical, stable, and ornate designs with carved beams, painted rafters, and colorful tiles and red walls, embodying the unique grandeur and solemnity of Eastern architecture. Brackets not only possess the characteristics of material mechanics and structural mechanics but also exhibit the aesthetic features of Chinese architecture, such as a balanced density, a combination of tension and relaxation, and a tight inner structure with a loose outer appearance. Just as the wooden structure determined the design features of Chinese architecture, the stone structure determined the special beauty and design of Western architecture. Chinese palace architecture is the most nationally representative in Chinese architectural history, embodying the brilliance and essence of national style. Western palace architecture may be very grand and even luxurious in decoration, but it lacks distinct characteristics because Western society is religiously centered, with the Pope's actual status far above that of the monarch. It perpetuates the belief in the rule of the gods, with the Pope, as the representative of the divine, holding greater influence in the religiously fervent West than kings and rulers. Churches are the holiest temples of God, while palaces can only come in second. Taking the well-preserved and widely recognized Palace of Versailles in Paris as an example: it lacks a group layout, merely consisting of a U-shaped building and a garden over 600 meters long, combining fountains, sculptures, pools, and lawns. Each floor of the building is connected by a continuous corridor and a series of rooms of varying sizes on the other side. The right side of the U-shaped building is divided into the emperor's living and office area and the queen's activity area. Among them, the Hall of Mirrors, composed of 483 mirror pieces, is the most magnificent. The entire building is exquisitely decorated and lavishly furnished, reflecting the extravagance and grandeur of the royal palace, but as a work of architectural art, it cannot be compared to the magnificence of Chinese palace architecture. In wooden towers, the best, largest, and earliest existing in China is the Famen Temple Pagoda in Ying County, Shanxi Province. With a history of nearly a thousand years, the pagoda stands 67.31 meters tall with a base diameter of 30.27 meters. The foundation is a two-tiered platform combined of brick and stone. The entire pagoda is an octagonal five-story six-eaved pavilion. The fifth floor has a double-eaved design, while the floors below have hidden stories, making the actual number of stories nine. The top of the pagoda is an octagonal pyramidal roof with an 8.4-meter iron finial, making the pagoda appear even taller, more majestic, and more upright. All six eaves are supported by brackets, using all 53 traditional types of brackets in China. The pagoda's body is entirely made of dovetail-joined wood, with two layers of vertical and inward-leaning columns. These two layers of columns are locked by beams and frames, and the hidden stories are reinforced with diagonal supports, forming multiple triangular combinations to create an extremely robust structure. This pagoda has withstood three earthquakes and two bombardments and remains majestic to this day, making it a classic in the history of Chinese architecture. The Twin Stone Pagodas of Lingyin Temple belong to the dense-eaved type, with stone construction, octagonal, nine stories high, and dense eaves on each level. The top is an inverted lotus-shaped roof with a base. Standing at about 10 meters tall, they are one of the Song Dynasty stone pagodas on either side of the main hall of the Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou. The Yuquan Temple Iron Pagoda in Dangyang County, Hubei Province, is a wooden-structured, multi-eaved, dense-eaved tower modeled after the pagoda. It stands about 18 meters tall, with a specially designed brick base of 4 meters, totaling 22 meters. The pagoda is an octagonal thirteen-story structure, with four doors and four large Buddha statues alternating on each level. The doors and Buddha statues are arranged alternately on each level, with numerous small Buddha statues on every level, hence the name "Thousand Buddha Pagoda." The base is cast with eight strong and mighty supporting figures, whose images are extremely vivid. In China, there are still many other copper and iron pagodas of various types.