The Temple of Heaven, literally known as the Altar of Heaven, is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in the southeastern region of Beijing.(Courtesy Ivan Walsh/Flickr)
Throughout ancient Chinese history, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism has aligned all things between the heavens, the earth and human beings. Our narrative today discusses how Chinese architects consciously and respectfully harmonized their buildings with the environment – and mankind with their world and the heavens.
This is Grace Mann. Today in Ancient Tales of Wisdom, our storyline is a little different, and it tells of ancient China’s architecture and its correlation and harmony between the heavens and earth. It is entitled Chinese Architecture, a Miniature of the Cosmos.
Modern architecture juts into the sky, declaring its dominance over us mere humans. It doesn’t connect us with the heavens; and it’s as though it challenge heavens for supremacy.
Over thousands of years, the Chinese people have developed their own architectural style. Based on the tenets of Taoism and Buddhism, they reflect Chinese understandings that the heavens, the earth and human beings are intimately and innately connected.
Japan, Korea and much of Asia has also followed the Chinese approach in their architectural structures.
Harmony between Heaven and Earth
In “I Ching—the Book of Changes” and other writings it says that ancient peoples acted according to the laws of heaven, earth, nature and the time of year. Taoist philosophy was based on the central element, that which gives birth to the heavens, the earth and humans.
So too, Confucianism ascribed to the principle of harmony between heaven and earth. The Ancients knew that nature is the big cosmos and a human being is a small one. Because it is a miniature of nature, a human being must live and act within the laws of nature’s cosmos.
This traditional belief enveloped all areas of Chinese life, including architecture. More than location and its practical use, a building had to harmonize with nature both inside and out.
Chinese architects designed elements of the cosmos into every structure. From primitive caves and simple buildings – to complex construction, one finds the elements of the cosmos consistently embedded in Chinese architecture. In a very real way, Chinese architecture portrays a miniature of the cosmos.
Points of the compass
All Chinese architecture started with points on the compass—north, south, east and west. An Architect used charts that astrologers specifically prepared beforehand. Unlike today’s maps, the south was at the top, north was on the bottom, west on the right and east on the left.
Based on China’s location in the Northern Hemisphere, the Chinese people believed a pleasant climate, warmer winters and summer breezes of southern regions—came from heaven. So South became the point of reference for all building.
The architects insulated buildings on the north, west and east and opened it to the south. This prevented other weather currents, such as northern winds or other adverse weather conditions, to affect the temperature in the home.
To protect against weather disasters, four mythical creatures were placed on the rooftops of houses, as protector spirits of the four cardinal points. The black Wen, a fictitious animal, was placed in the North. In the South was the cinnabar canary, in the West the white tiger and in the East the green dragon.
Roofing tiles
Around 3,000 years ago, the first roof tiles were made of clay. Later Ylang-Ylang grass and a clay-and-stone mixture covered the roofs of homes. Roofs soon after were enhanced with glazes and glosses of various hues.
Roof tiles were held together by nails and often adorned with animal or plant motifs, meant to protect against natural catastrophes.
Specific designs were reserved for the emperor’s housing, such as splendid yellow roof tiles, which can still be seen today on the buildings in the Forbidden City in Beijing, and the roof tiles on Beijing’s Temple of Heaven are blue.
Wood—the primary construction material
Wood was the primary construction material used by Chinese architects. It could be easily obtained from the many forests in China, and it was not difficult to get rid of. Wood was preferred as natural construction material, because it gave off a fragrant and pleasant odour in the interior of buildings, while the natural grain and lustre of the earth, like clay, brought a natural living atmosphere into the buildings. For architects, wood was a living building material, which breathed, absorbed and repelled moisture. Though, it did have its drawbacks as houses easily caught fire.
Framing
Chinese architects preferred constructing buildings by first erecting a frame, as it brought a number of advantages to both the builder and the building. They believed that in contrast to a solid structure, a frame building had beams and pillars to carry weight at certain pressure points – and that this construction method allowed wide and open rooms.
Throughout the ages, the ancient Chinese architects consciously and respectfully harmonized their buildings with the environment – and human beings with their world and the heavens.
Thanks for being with us again on Ancient Tales of Wisdom, here on the SOH Radio Network.
I’ll be with you again real soon – and from this day forward, may we all find our personal harmony amidst the heavens and the earth.
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