Chinese Architecture | Ancient Chinese Culture

Great Wall of China

Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Architecture on June 22, 2009

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China. It is known to the world for it is said to be the only man-made object visible from space or from the moon with the naked eye.

Its history dates back to the 5th century BC. Its construction lasted for a long period, form the 5th century BC to the 16th century, experiencing building, rebuilding and maintaining. In order to protect the Chinese empire from the Mongolians and other invaders, several walls were built by Chu state during the spring-autumn period. Later, all the states in the period of warring states built their own walls respectively. Up to Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China, all the walls in different states were united together. During Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall was built and restored for more than 18 times. That is the Great Wall we see today!

Yangguan Pass, Ming Dynasty Section of the Wall in Gansu, the silk road key communication line

Beijing Badaling Great Wall is the most visited section of the Great Wall

It stretches over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total.

Jayuguan Pass, known as the first pass of Hexi, the western starting point of a section of the Wall

Section of the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan, the east start point of the Great Wall

As one of the greatest miracles in the world ancient architecture, the Great Wall is also the soul of China.

architecture, great wall

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the Imperial Garden Yuan Ming Yuan

Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Architecture on June 21, 2009

Yuan Ming Yuan, also known as the Garden of Gardens or Versailles of the East，was an extensive collection of gardens, architectures and other works of art.

It was built in the 18th and early 19th century. During Qing Dynasty, it was the place where the emperors resided and handled government affairs.

Consisted of three gardens, namely Yuanmingyuan, Changchunyuan and Qichunyuan, it covered an area of 3.5 km2 (865 acres), 8 times the size of the Vatican City.

The garden collected hundreds of structures, including halls, pavilions, lakes, galleries, temples, etc. Some famous scenery sites of southern China had been reproduced in the garden. It also stored hundreds of masterpieces of Chinese art, antiquities, unique copies of literary work and compilations, making the garden one of the largest collections in the world at that time.

In the garden, one of the most representative works of the blend between Chinese and Western culture were the statues of twelve animals. Each of them had a carved stone human body and an animal head made of bronze. Every two hours a column of water would flow out from one of the twelve animals in turns and at 12 o’clock, all the 12 animals would gush out water simultaneously.

However, it was destroyed by the Anglo-French forces during the Second Opium War in 1860. A large number of collections were plundered by the forces and at the same time as the Garden was burnt down.

Yet miracle and mythological Yuan Ming Yuan was burnt into ashes, only for visitors, dilapidated buildings and regret are left.