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Hope Grigsby

Mrs. Carrie Spencer

History 111

November 23, 2009

Short Paper: 2,367 Words

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Copyrighted © 2009

By

Hope E. Grigsby

All rights Reserved

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China, just the mention of its name, evokes strong images setting our imaginations swirling. In our

mind’s eye, we can instantly summon images of the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, pagodas, temples, and

dragons. This 5,000 year old civilization entices our aesthetic senses as strongly today as when these

architectural wonders were erected. The rich heritage of Chinese architecture demonstrates how

symbolism in cultural icons can be influenced by geography, social, political, historical, and even sacred

canons.

Civilization in China developed within intimidating geographical features. China’s vast land mass

encompasses over a thousand square miles. It traverses steep mountains in the west, grasslands and

forests in the north, and two major river systems, the Yellow and Yangtze that flow from west to east.

Northern China is flatter, colder, and more arid, while the south struggles with flooding and drought. These

diverse climates supplied both the necessary building materials and the impetus for a “unique system of

construction”, called the timber frame, which is made of an interlocking system of wooden supports

(Steinhardt 1). This architectural technique would become the ‘skeleton’ of all future buildings spanning

nearly seven millennia. Two additional features used in Chinese architecture include the foundation

platform and the decorative roof. These three elements form the core of Chinese wooden structures and

demonstrate how the environment manipulated construction.

We must never forget the impact our surroundings have on our actions and how the solution is

intrinsically related to the problem. Timber frame construction required vast resources of lumber, which

were abundantly available in the dense forests of northern China. Using local hardwoods ensured timber

that was acclimated to the native climate conditions and accustomed to “expansion in humid weather,

contraction in the cold, and strong resistance to earthquakes” (Steinhardt 1). This architectural style evenly

dispersed the building weight onto the wooden frame, creating non-load-bearing walls, allowing for

extreme flexibility in the placement of doors and windows. Entries were traditionally on the east which was

the direction of the rising Sun and “foreshadowing what was to become a fascination with the cardinal

directions in Chinese architecture” (Steinhardt 12).

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Chinese society is driven by intellect and order with the people arranging their lives around the four

cardinal directions. Each compass point is represented by a directional spirit. The south, which is always

located at the top of the cardinal compass, is represented by the “Red Phoenix of summer and fire,” and

symbolizes the powerful and divine (Kostof 231). Only the emperor and all significant buildings can face

southward, the direction of Heaven. In the east, the Green Dragon represents growth in the spring. West,

represented by a White Tiger, indicates autumn and its harvest, memory, and regret. The north is

represented by the Black Warrior, who symbolizes marauding hoards and the cold winter. This point is

always located at the bottom of the cardinal compass. Placement of every structure and architectural

element is determined by the cardinal directions which facilitate harmony flowing within its shape and

form.

Geomancy, or feng shui, is “an ancient science of geography applied to building site selection”

(Shunxun 23). Masters of feng shui recognize the life force in the earth called qi. This energy unifies and

connects all living things in society. Believed to have come from the sacred mountain, Kunlun, this cosmic

breath flows west to east, in harmony with the Way, more commonly known as Dao. A fifth century

philosopher, Zhong, stated, “The earth is the origin of all things, the root and garden of all life; and the

place where all things….come into being” (Palmer 153). Feng shui ensured everything humanity built

appeased the ancestors and gods, bringing good fortune. It was through this commitment to ancient rituals

that the common man received permission to live and work.

During China’s Classical period (2000 B.C.E. to 220 A.D.), cultural, political, and historical life

became intertwined. Ancestral worship transitioned from being practiced by the royal family into a public

cult which included the offering of ritual sacrifices to ancestral deities. These rites of worship fused divine

power and kingship together forming a symbolic bond between religious and political authority. Confucius

once said, “When superiors love ritual, the people are easy to direct” (Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook 22)

Confucius, an early philosopher, called these principles of harmony the “Mandate of Heaven” (Ching 90).

This directive gave emperors the right to rule until they became oppressive and cruel causing Heaven to
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revoke their Mandate. Heaven was viewed as the “guiding power of the universe” and became a central

tenant in religious affairs of state (Hammond 11).

The sacred has played many important roles in Chinese history, culture, and architecture.

Confucianism, also known as the Dogmas, is a positive “approach to a world that seeks to understand the

ways in which people can live together in social communities” (Hammond 18). Created by Confucius and

practiced during the Zhou dynasty, it advocated the return to rituals and rites to achieve harmony between

heaven and earth. The ancestral temple celebrated the authority of the state. These ideas were taught

through Li, Ren, De, and Dao, the four key strands of Confucianism. Li focused specifically on customs, Ren

on generosity, De focused on virtue, and Dao meant following the Way. A practical application of Dao is

reflected in how the Chinese aligned their buildings, using the four cardinal directions, to create harmony

between man and nature. Palaces were built in the center of the city, around the Son of Heaven, or

emperor, and are symbolic of his divine power to protect his people and bring good luck.

The Chinese designed their cities to legitimize the divine authority of the emperor. This was

achieved by the location of government buildings, public places, and palaces. The Chinese built in three

stages, base, body, and roof. The base, used as foundational platforms, also known the tai, varied in shape

from a circle to an octagon. These platforms “projected themselves into space as imposing three

dimensional objects, visible from the distance” (Ching 140). The ruler determined the height of the tai,

establishing the image of authority that was critical to his implied authority.

The body was arranged on a north-south axis and was rectilinear in shape because it was believed

to provide order, harmony, and balance with the paramount features of the landscape. The preference was

always for uniformity in the height of all buildings, yet social distinctions were achieved in the size of the

building, their placement, elevation, and ornamentation. The pivotal center of any structure was its inner

courtyard with all rooms facing onto it, symbolic of screening the internal world from the external and

following internal codes of behavior. Another important element of Chinese buildings was the walls

which represented the concept of space. This symbolized defense and the ruler’s strength and nobility and
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was used to ward off evil spirits creating a barrier against negative qi. A balancing architectural feature

called ‘the void’ is represented by expansive spaces inside and outside of buildings. To the Chinese, space is

a philosophical concept and symbolizes the idea of being ‘full’ of possibilities, opportunities, the future, and

the past. Space also represents the perception of being empty. Laotse said, “Thirty spokes share the

wheel’s hub; it is the center hole that makes it useful. Shape clay into a vessel; it is the space within that

makes it useful. Cut doors and windows for a room; it is the holes which make it useful. Therefore, profit

comes from what is there; usefulness from what is not there” (Shunxun 8).

The roof, made of azure or golden tiles, was an important symbol representing entry into the

Chinese sphere of life and sending out a message declaring China was a great power that “must be

reckoned with” (Steinhardt 2). It held a diverse set of characteristics based upon social class. The rich used

interlocking stone that slowly curved upward creating a light and graceful image pointing toward Heaven

reminding the common man of filial piety. It is through the ritual act of sacrifices that man’s feelings of

longing and devotion are satisfied. Ritual conduct is the symbolic expression of reverence. Curved roofs

were believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits by allowing them to slide down the roof and curve

upwards forcing them to return from where they came. This ensured that the lively qi of the prevailing wind

would not be blown away. Thus, the exaggerated upturned rooflines evolved as a symbolic representation

of maintaining the equilibrium between man and nature.

The three main parts of Chinese buildings coexisted with cosmology, the architectural plan,

geography, yin and yang, and adornment. Cosmology focused on the cardinal directions, using their sense

of sacredness to define the universe. Heaven was represented as a circle, earth a square, and humanity in

between acting like a magnet. It maintained balance between Heaven and earth and was symbolic to the

north-south axis buildings were built on. Xunzi said, “Blessings result when you respond to Heaven by

creating order; misfortune results when you respond to it with disorder” (Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook

24). The Chinese believed architecture should help people open themselves “up to the idea that we are
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affected by our surroundings” forcing us to be perceptive and act concurrently with the environment

(Botton 25).

To achieve this they focused on the balance between high and low. High represented the cosmic

and divine laws and proportion, while low symbolized tradition and the vernacular. Geography is

symbolically infused into Chinese culture. The stable, sublime character of mountains, symbolized by the

dragon, creates the image of a man reaching up towards heaven with his feet firmly planted on the earth.

Chinese emperors chose to build their palaces atop a mountain or near one because they were believed to

be full of wisdom. Dragons caused earthquakes to signal the end of a dynasty and the beginning of a new

one. This frightened the emperors because they were afraid of losing their divinity and, in response, many

ruled justly and benevolently. Confucius once said, “Heaven and earth grow within me simultaneously and

all things become one with me” (Shunxun 4). Considered to be the dwelling place of important deities,

mountains are also symbolic of the human soul. Rivers and lakes, symbolized by the tiger, entice our senses

into tranquility, creating serenity and allowing our qi to flow freely, yet it is a constant reminder of the

always moving river of life.

Two important components of qi include yin and yang which represent water, earth, metal, fire,

and wood; the five important elements in Chinese society. Yin and Yang is the balance between the “two

great originating principles by….which everything has evolved” (Shunxun 3). Yin is the white tiger which is

inanimate, north and west, dark, and cool; while yang is the animated dragon, south and east, fiery, and

positive. Each of these elements flows constantly into the other producing balance and harmony.

Chinese palaces are always adorned with chinaiserie, or ornate carvings and images of dragons

symbolizing the emperors Mandate to rule. To be a righteous and fair leader to their people, emperors built

shrines in which they prayed and thanked the dragons for their power, if only to prevent the loss of their

Mandate. They worried the people would erect their own image of a dragon and pray for a new dynasty to

come. To prevent the people from creating an image to worship, the emperor outlawed the use of bright

colors used to depict dragons believing colors gave life and value to the image.
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The language of color conveys a powerful symbolic message. Color is never silent. The depth of its

hues always evokes emotion. Bright colors like blue, green, and gaudy red are considered auspicious,

whereas neutral colors like grey are rarely used since they represent unhappiness and insignificance. Yellow

and blue were specific to emperors because they represented royalty and immortality, whereas red

represented good luck and happiness. Purple, brown, and orange symbolized that a building met the

requirements of feng shui. White, represented by the rabbit, was a color many Chinese feared because it

represented death and mourning.

Serving as omens of good or bad, animal symbols are found throughout China’s rich heritage and

culture. The butterfly represents love, the crab and fish prosperity and wealth. The crane, one of the most

important Chinese birds, symbolizes long life. Cranes are usually depicted with spirits riding on their back as

they are carried to the heavens. Phoenixes are majestic and legendary birds that denote good fortune,

opportunity, and luck. Tigers, an emblem of Yin, represent strength and courage, whereas the dragon

represents yang, the emperor, good fortune, and China as a whole. The blueness of water represents some

immortal Chinese deities, reflection and stillness in life.

Water is a symbolic icon in Chinese culture as are bridges, Water Tigers, devil walls, and door gods.

Each plays its own role in preventing demons from entering sacred places of worship. It is believed demons

travel in straight lines only and cannot cross water in any way. Temples and other religious structures

usually encase an element of water which is protected by the Water Tiger. Devil walls are small walls

located in front of a main doorway and are designed to prevent the entrance of evil spirits, whereas door

gods, portrayed with grim faces, are fierce guardian soldiers that thwart the negative qi of evil spirits from

entering.

Architecture matters. Its physical structure has the power to impose itself upon its surroundings as

well as profoundly affecting those who see it. Buildings create a “spirit of place” with the ability to inform

and inspire, initiating a ‘conversation’ with the observer (Day 16). It is by ‘listening’ with our senses that we

can ‘hear’ the influence our surroundings exert on us critically determining what we believe. In observing
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Chinese architecture, one is immediately aware of the perception of both a physical and psychological

sanctuary. The melding of geography, culture, and sacred values into cultural icons has preserved the

Chinese identity in a way that “renders vivid to us who they might ideally be” (Botton 13). The symbolic

message etched within Chinese architecture can be stated simply, “Remember” (Botton 123).
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