Chinese Architecture

Chinese architecture is the building tradition that developed over several millennia in China and shaped architecture across much of East Asia. Its structural principles, based on timber framing, have stayed largely consistent over that long span, with most change occurring in decoration rather than underlying construction. From the Tang dynasty onward the tradition influenced building design in Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Mongolia, and it also left a mark on parts of Southeast and South Asia including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Its buildings, from ordinary homes to imperial palaces and temples, typically favor bilateral symmetry, enclosed courtyards, feng shui based siting and a horizontal emphasis over great height. Because wood decays, much of what is known about older buildings comes from surviving ceramic models and written specifications rather than the structures themselves. The craftsmanship for traditional timber structures was recognized by UNESCO as an element of intangible cultural heritage in 2009.