Huaxia Yijiang -- Analysis of Principles of Classical Chinese Architectural Design

Author: Li Yunbo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: The Artistic Craftsmanship of China covers a very broad academic scope, extending beyond directly related art and technology to include disciplines such as history, philosophy, literature, politics, and religion. Its content is profound, and its language is elegant and engaging, making it a timeless masterpiece in the field of Chinese architectural culture. It is an invaluable reference for architects, designers, artists, archaeologists, historians, and others engaged in general cultural activities or with an interest in Chinese art and culture.
The author, Li Yunbo, through years of dedicated research on Chinese architectural traditions and extensive field studies of both Eastern and Western architecture, as well as a comprehensive review of architectural classics worldwide, has validated the existence of ancient Chinese architectural and planning theories with distinct national and geographical characteristics. Many of these design ideas and techniques are uniquely Chinese or pioneering in the world. He further confirms that the principles of classical Chinese architectural design are the crystallization of China’s long history and culture, as well as a treasure within the global architectural and cultural heritage.
The Artistic Craftsmanship of China summarizes the principles of classical Chinese architectural design. The book subtly reflects the author’s deep love for his country and pride in its outstanding national culture, countering the arrogant and narrow-minded academic views of some Westerners and the Western-leaning tendencies of certain Chinese "scholars" who lack national confidence. It fundamentally corrects long-standing errors and biases in academia, dispels misconceptions about traditional Chinese architecture, and comprehensively resolves issues related to the understanding and evaluation of classical Chinese buildings.
Li Yunbo extensively employs comparative and synthetic methods, confirming the differences between Eastern and Western architectural philosophies while proving that ancient Chinese craftsmen, with their diligence and wisdom, skillfully utilized precise mechanical knowledge to overcome the limitations of timber structures in constructing large-scale buildings. They maximized the potential of wood, confirming this structural form as rational and perfect, and thus paved the way for timber architecture as the mainstream, while Western architecture predominantly used masonry materials, focusing on load-bearing masonry structures.
"Chinese architecture and Western architecture took different paths, achieving different accomplishments and experiences." It is wrong to measure the traditions and achievements of Eastern and Western architectural arts with the same standards, as this will not yield correct conclusions. The book provides numerous vivid and typical comparative examples, fully reflecting the achievements of ancient Chinese architecture.
Wooden and stone structures each have their strengths and weaknesses, making it difficult to declare one superior to the other. Wooden structures are lightweight, economical, simple to process, and quick to construct, but they are less resistant to earthquakes, windstorms, and fires. Stone structures are imposing in appearance, durable, and long-lasting, but they are heavy, expensive, complex to construct, and take a long time to build. From a purely technical perspective, Chinese wooden architecture is no less superior to Western stone architecture.
For example, Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, built in 1174 and standing 54.5 meters tall, was constructed in 1065. The Liao Dynasty’s Wooden Pagoda at Fogong Temple in Yingxian, Shanxi, stands 67.13 meters tall, 13 meters taller than the Tower of Pisa. Wood is only 1/20 as strong as steel, meaning building a 60-meter-tall wooden tower in ancient times was equivalent to constructing a 1,200-meter-tall steel building today, and the Fogong Temple Pagoda was not even the tallest wooden tower in Chinese history. Thus, Chinese wooden towers are a marvel of world timber structural engineering.
The different design philosophies and structural styles between the East and West led to Westerners focusing on expanding architectural scale in space, while the Chinese primarily concentrated on expanding on a flat plane. For instance, the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Louvre in Paris, built around the same time, have similar total floor areas. However, the Western design intent was to create a multi-story building, while the Forbidden City was organized into a compact complex through a vast and profound flat layout. Its site area is almost twice that of the Louvre.
While introducing Eastern and Western architectural theories, Li Yunbo also teaches readers different methods and principles for appreciating classical architecture in the East and West from an artistic perspective. Visually, people typically observe and experience the form and beauty of buildings from three different distances: far, medium, and close. Chinese architectural design places great emphasis on the effect of the distant view, presenting elegant and soft outlines through meticulous overall planning, unlike the simple geometric "box-like" shapes of Western architecture.
At a medium distance, Western architecture leaves a clear and profound impression with its rich volumes and varied convex-concave plane compositions, while the facades of Chinese buildings are relatively plain, likely due to their enclosed "courtyard-style" layouts. At a closer distance, one can clearly see the intricate and delicate construction of Chinese wooden architecture, with its ornate beams, brackets, and decorative details, as well as its vibrant colors—far surpassing the rigid, monotonous, and lifeless stone buildings of the West.
Therefore, the visual effects and artistic experiences of observing Chinese and Western architecture differ depending on the observer’s position and perspective. Another feature of the book is its wide range of sources, discussing numerous works and viewpoints from both Eastern and Western traditions, both ancient and modern. The author clearly presents his own insights on various issues, going beyond mere compilations of general knowledge or academic materials.
This book is a timeless masterpiece introducing the theory of traditional Chinese architecture. It is a theoretical work that comprehensively explains and analyzes traditional Chinese architecture from the perspective of modern technology and architectural art. The book focuses on summarizing the design principles and rules of classical Chinese architecture and highlighting their relationship with modern architecture. For professionals such as architects, designers, artists, archaeologists, and historians, the insights provided will certainly be of great interest. For those engaged in general cultural activities or with an interest in Chinese art and culture, it is also an invaluable reference book.