Ancient City Notes - Discovering Chinese Architecture: Discovering Chinese Architecture

Author: Ruan Yishan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Numerous ancient towns in China boast a long history, rich culture, picturesque landscapes, and unique heritage. This book includes writings by renowned scholar Professor Ruan Yishan, who has dedicated years to the preservation and study of ancient cities, including some early research notes. The book is richly illustrated, with images complementing and enriching the text, fully respecting the reading habits and trends of readers in the visual age.
My hometown is in Suzhou's Niujia Lane. In front of my house is a small river parallel to the lane, with one end connected to the Lin Dun Road River and the other to the Pingjiang Road River. Tall old trees are planted along the riverbank, and at the lane's entrance stand six majestic Chinese catalpas. As I approach my house, thick elms line the lane, stretching all the way to the end. The largest tree in front of my house is so thick that two adults cannot embrace it. The trunk is covered with several bumps, which children love to climb. The canopies of these giant trees resemble enormous green umbrellas, shading the entire lane.
The riverbank is paved with neat stone embankments, with stepping stones at regular intervals, each with stone steps extending into the water. Since boats need to dock, railings are not installed, and I've never heard of anyone falling into the river while walking. The opposite bank is also residential, with small wooden bridges spanning the river for access. These bridges vary in style—some are simple wooden beams with planks and railings but no roof; others are more elaborate, featuring railings, decorative lattice windows, tiled roofs, and even doors on the outside, known as covered bridges.
The Yezhai opposite my house has such a meticulously crafted covered bridge. These bridges naturally become places for people to rest and conduct small businesses—shoemakers, bucket repairers, and lock repairers set up shop here. Over time, due to their shelter from sun and rain, they became semi-permanent stalls (though they had to close at night). There are about a dozen such bridges along the lane, dividing the river into segments.
The large trees, covered bridges, and flowing river...