What are the characteristics of ancient Chinese royal architecture and interior decoration during the Ming and Qing Dynasties?
The decoration of ancient Chinese buildings includes paintings and carvings.
Painting has many functions such as decoration, sign, protection and symbol. Paint pigments contain copper, which not only protects against moisture, weathering and erosion, but also repels insects and ants. There are restrictions on the use of colors. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, red and yellow were designated as the most noble colors. Color paintings mostly appear on the beams and brackets on the inner and outer eaves, as well as indoor ceilings, caissons and column heads. The composition is closely combined with the shape of the components, and the drawings are exquisite and rich in color. Liang Fang's colorful paintings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties are the most eye-catching. Qing Dynasty color paintings can be divided into three categories, namely Hexi color paintings, Xuanzi color paintings and Su-style color paintings.
The Ming and Qing Dynasties were the last stage of development of the ancient Chinese architectural system. During this period, although ancient Chinese architecture was increasingly finalized in the technology and shape of individual buildings, it achieved remarkable achievements in the combination of building groups and the creation of spatial atmosphere.
The greatest achievement of Ming and Qing architecture was in the field of gardens. Private gardens in the south of the Yangtze River in the Ming Dynasty and royal gardens in the north in the Qing Dynasty are the most artistic ancient architectural complexes.
China has built a large number of palaces in all dynasties, but only the palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties - the Forbidden City in Beijing and the Forbidden City in Shenyang have been preserved to this day and have become priceless treasures of Chinese culture. The existing ancient cities and residential buildings in the north and south were basically built during this period. Beijing City and Nanjing City in the Ming and Qing Dynasties are the most outstanding representatives of the cities in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The courtyard houses in Beijing and the folk houses in Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the most successful examples of Chinese folk houses. Both altars and temples and imperial mausoleums were important buildings in ancient times. At present, Beijing still has relatively complete preservation of the country's highest-level altars and temples in the Ming and Qing dynasties for worshiping heaven and earth, the country and the ancestors of emperors. The most outstanding representative among them is the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, which still impresses people with its magical art of connecting heaven and earth.
The imperial mausoleums of the Ming Dynasty were unique on the basis of inheriting the shape of the previous generation, and the Qing Dynasty basically inherited the Ming Dynasty system. The Ming Tombs have the most outstanding artistic achievements among the imperial tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Previous architectural history researchers often belittled Ming and Qing architecture due to the decline in the artistry of individual buildings during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In fact, Ming and Qing architecture not only made outstanding achievements in the artistry of creating group spaces, but also made progress in architectural technology. The architecture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties highlighted the direct combination of beams, columns, and purlins, reducing the role of the intermediate layer of brackets. This not only simplifies the structure, but also saves a lot of wood, thereby achieving the effect of obtaining more building space with less material.
Ming and Qing architecture also used extensive use of masonry, which promoted the development of masonry structures. During this period, the beamless temples that commonly appeared in China were a concrete manifestation of this progress. In short, the architectural art of the Ming and Qing Dynasties did not go downhill blindly. It was like the sunset that was about to disappear on the horizon, but it was still radiant. Architecture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
The harsh rule of the Yuan Dynasty was finally overthrown, and the Han people returned to power in China. But the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, who wanted to restore the majesty of the Han and Tang Dynasties, did not bring another glory to China - the decline of the feudal system was irreversible. In the Ming Dynasty, centralization reached its peak, the prime minister was abolished, and the emperor became the head of the bureaucracy. Spy politics have also developed to the extreme, and spy organizations such as Dongxi Factory and Jinyiwei are very developed. Feudal rulers vigorously promoted Confucianism, but at this time Confucianism had long lost the vitality of the pre-Qin period, and its negative factors became increasingly apparent.
With the development of productivity, the improvement of handicraft industry and production technology, and the expansion of domestic and foreign markets, capitalism has sprouted in China. But in the face of the powerful force of Confucianism, this bud never sprouted. During this period, China's scientific and technological development reached its final peak - modern Western culture began to be introduced into China. Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi jointly translated "Elements of Geometry", Li Shizhen compiled "Compendium of Materia Medica", and Song Yingxing wrote "Tiangong Kaiwu" . The harsh exploitation of farmers in the late Ming Dynasty caused a large-scale peasant uprising that overthrew the Ming Dynasty. The rulers of the Qing Dynasty went south to seize the fruits of the revolution and continued the monarchical dictatorship of the Ming Dynasty. They discriminated against the Han people and implemented a policy of ethnic assimilation towards the Han people. However, they were gentle and high-pressure at the same time, encouraged the thoughts of slaves who were obsessed with profit, and established a literary inquisition, which hindered academic development. After experiencing the short-lived "Kangxi and Qianlong Dynasties", the country's power took a sharp turn. The bows, arrows and spears of the Eight Banners were ultimately no match for the powerful ships and cannons of the foreigners. China's thousands of years of feudal society was forced to end and entered a semi-feudal and semi-disaster-ridden state. colonial society.
In terms of architecture, the Ming and Qing Dynasties reached the last peak of traditional Chinese architecture, showing an image of simple shapes and complicated details.
Due to the reduced proportions of the brackets, the reduced depth of the eaves, the slender proportions of the columns, the rise, side legs, and curling are no longer used, the proportions of the beams and squares are heavy, and the soft lines of the roof disappear, thus the official-style architecture presents a restrained but steady and rigorous style. The architectural form is refined and the symbolism is enhanced. Official-style buildings have been completely finalized and standardized. In the Qing Dynasty, the government promulgated the "Regulations on Engineering Practice of the Ministry of Industry", and among the private sector, there were "Formal Construction" and "Garden Management". Due to the improvement of brick-making technology, the number of houses built with bricks increased sharply during this period, and city walls were basically clad with bricks, and brick-built "beamless halls" also appeared in large-scale buildings. Due to the development of architecture in various regions, regional characteristics have begun to become apparent. In terms of garden art, the gardens of the Qing Dynasty had relatively high achievements. Urban Construction 1. Imperial Capital Beijing 2. General Cities
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the number of cities increased rapidly and the urban structure became more complex. Various handicrafts, commerce, foreign trade, and military strongholds appeared all over the country. As a transportation hub, various cities and towns emerged, such as Jingdezhen, Yangzhou, Weihaiwei, Xiamen, etc. At this time, large and small cities all had brick cities and moats, provincial capitals, prefectures, and counties, all with their own rules. The most well-preserved one is the Ming Xi'an City Wall. It was built in the third to eleventh years of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1370-1378). It was expanded on the basis of the Imperial City of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty. In the fourth year of Longqing in the Ming Dynasty (1570), bricks were added and it remains today.
The west and south walls of Xi'an City in the Ming Dynasty were basically the same as those of Chang'an Imperial City in the Tang Dynasty, and the east and north walls were expanded outward by about one-third. The city wall is 12 meters high, 12-14 meters wide at the top, and 15-18 meters wide at the bottom. The city is rectangular, with the south wall being 4255 meters long, the north wall being 4262 meters long, the east wall being 1886 meters long, and the west wall being 2708 meters long, and its circumference being about 13.7 kilometers. There is a gate built on each side of the city, and each city gate has three gate towers: the gate tower is on the outside, the arrow tower is in the middle, and the main tower is the innermost one, which is the main entrance of the city. The arrow tower and the main tower are connected with the wall to form an urn city. Build a turret at each of the four corners of the city wall. There are 98 enemy towers (horse faces and piers) 120 meters apart on the city wall. Watch towers are built on the platforms for soldiers to take shelter from wind and rain and store supplies. There are also 5984 crenellated walls on the outside of the top of the city wall. There are crenels and crenels on them for archery and lookout. There is also a female wall without crenellations on the inside to prevent pedestrians from falling. , surrounded by a moat outside the city. The entire city wall is majestic and constitutes a scientific and rigorous ancient castle defense system. The Bell Tower is located in the center of Xi'an, at the intersection of four streets, east, west, north and south. There used to be a big iron bell upstairs, which struck the bell every morning to tell the time, hence the name Bell Tower. It is 36 meters high and was first built in the 17th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty. It was originally located at the intersection of Guangji Street, West Street and was moved here in the 10th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1582). The bell tower consists of three parts: the base, the body and the roof from bottom to top. The base is square in shape, with openings on all sides, and is 36 meters high from the ground level to the top. The building has five rooms each in depth and width, surrounded by corridors. You can enjoy the whole view of the ancient city by leaning on the railings and looking around. The building is divided into two floors, with three eaves and four corners on the roof. The four corners of the eaves are like phoenixes spreading their wings, the green glazed roof is topped with a golden crown, and the first floor walls are whitewashed, making it look graceful and luxurious, like the style of the Tang Dynasty. Building Groups
In this period, the building groups used overlapping courtyards to expand vertically, in conjunction with horizontal expansion to the left and right, to highlight the main building through changes in different closed spaces. Among them, the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Peking was a typical example. The architectural craftsman has a very flexible and keen sense of scale in organizing space.
On the side, the beams are no longer used. The proportions of the beams are heavy, and the soft outline of the roof disappears. Therefore, it is not as romantic and soft as the Tang and Song Dynasties. Instead, it establishes a serious, restrained and tough tone. The official architecture of the Ming Dynasty has been highly standardized and stereotyped. , while it was further institutionalized in the Qing Dynasty, but the local characteristics of folk architecture are very obvious. But there are a few exceptions, such as the turrets with complex lines in the Forbidden City in Beijing.
★For details of the official buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, see the Forbidden City in Beijing. Feiyun Tower is located in Dongyue Temple, Jiedian Town, Wanrong County. It is said that it was built in the Tang Dynasty. The existing one was built and rebuilt in the first year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (1506). The floor is 5 rooms wide and 5 rooms deep. It has three floors on the outside but five floors on the inside. The total height is about 23 meters. There are many wooden pillars on the ground floor to support the building, forming a chessboard pattern. In the center of the building, four separate and thick sky pillars lead directly to the top floor. These four pillars are the main pillars of Feiyun Tower. There are 32 wooden pillars supporting the Tongtian Pillar, which restrain each other and form a whole.
The plane of the middle floor is square, and the plane of the middle floor becomes an angled cross, surrounded by a corridor, and the roof profile is changeable. The plane of the third floor returns to a square shape, but the roof image is similar to that of the middle floor, and is topped by a cross ridge roof.
Feiyun Building is not large in size, but it has four eaves, 12 triangular roof sides, and 32 corners, giving people a very tall feeling. The roofs of each floor also constitute a very rich facade composition of Feiyun Building. The corner of the house seems to be surrounded by thousands of clouds, flying and light. The roof of this building is covered with red, yellow and green glazed tiles. The wooden surface is not painted, and the entire body shows the natural color of the wood, which is as mellow as amber. There are wind chimes hanging on the building, and the sound of the bells is crisp and sweet.
The Feiyun Tower is exquisite and unique. Buildings with such rich shapes appear many times in paintings of the Song and Yuan Dynasties, but very few of them have been preserved in kind, so it is of great value. The Zhenwu Pavilion in Rongxian County, Guangxi was built in the first year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1573), and was built on the ancient economic strategy platform at the east gate of Rongxian County. The pavilion has three floors. The floor is three rooms wide and one room deep. The ground floor is expanded to five rooms wide and three rooms deep. It has three floors of eaves on the outside, with a hilltop and a height of 13.20 meters. The eaves are very large and the column heights are very low. It feels like The rhythm of eaves eaves is faster than that of ordinary pavilions, making Zhenwu Pavilion not like a three-story building, but more like a single-story building with three eaves. It has a strong sense of rhythm and momentum, but it is more calm than ordinary double eaves buildings. and distinct layers. In addition, the roof slopes are gentle and smooth, and the corners are simple and gentle, which adds to the overall sense of stretch and magnanimity. It is very fresh and elegant. It is a masterpiece that fully expresses the beauty of Chinese architectural roofs. The ground plane is much larger than the upper two floors, which also makes the outline more vivid. Zhenwu Pavilion is not distinguished by its richness and splendor, but by its lightness and elegance. The whole pavilion uses nearly 3,000 ironwood components that are as solid as stone. All exposed wood surfaces are all gray and black. The triple roof is made of green tiles and gray ridges, and the color is very elegant and soft. Looking from a distance from the pavilion, across the vast plains on the south bank, the southeastern mountains stand tall and majestic. The pavilion itself is 13 meters high, and the platform is nearly 20 meters high. It is also an object of appreciation in the surrounding area.
There are four or five gold pillars on the floor, running through the second and third floors. The pillar feet are suspended in the air, 5 to 25 mm below the second floor, forming a characteristic of this building. Religious Buildings
Most of the existing Buddhist temples were rebuilt or newly built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and there are still thousands of them spread across the country. Chinese temples show two styles: first, those located in cities, especially the large temples built by imperial decree, are mostly typical official-style buildings with a standardized layout and overall regularity and symmetry. Roughly speaking, they are: Shanmen Hall and Tianwang Hall. The courtyard between the two is arranged with bells and drums on the second floor; behind the Tianwang Hall is the Mahavira Hall, the east side hall is often the Jialan Hall, and the west side hall is often the Patriarch Hall. Only those with this double courtyard and three halls including the mountain gate, the Heavenly King's Hall, and the main hall can be called a temple. In addition, the Dharma Hall, the Sutra Hall and the abbot, Zhai Hall, Yunshui Hall, etc. in the living area are arranged at the rear, or in small courtyards on both sides. Such as Guangji Temple in Beijing and Chongshan Temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi. 2. Most Buddhist temples in mountain villages are adapted to local conditions, and their layouts change in pursuit of regularity. Most of the Buddhist temples located in the four famous mountains and mountainous areas such as Tiantai and Lushan fall into this category. Most of the large temples in the Ming and Qing Dynasties had an additional Luohan Hall in a courtyard adjacent to the temple. Today, there are still more than ten places across the country, some of which are newly built. In order to facilitate the seven members of the community to receive ordination, some large monasteries that have been chartered often have permanent ordination altar halls. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, many lamaseries were built or rebuilt in areas where Tibetan, Mongolian and other ethnic minorities are distributed and in North China. They are influenced by Han architectural styles to varying degrees, and some are quite Chinese, but they always retain certain basic characteristics that make people recognize them at a glance.
During this period, a kind of arch-type brick structure hall appeared in Chinese Buddhist temple architecture, commonly known as "Beamless Hall". Such hall buildings are found in Linggu Temple in Shanxi, Nanjing, and Longchang Temple in Baohua Mountain. This reflects the increase in brick production since the Ming Dynasty, which enabled the brick coupon technology that had long been used in tombs to be used in ground-level buildings. The Wuliang Hall in the Xiantong Temple in Mount Wutai is a brick-like building with double eaves and a hilltop, 20.3 meters high. This hall is divided into two floors, with seven open and three dark rooms. It is 28.2 meters wide and 16 meters deep. It is made of bricks. Three continuous arches are juxtaposed. The left and right gables become the arch feet. Each room is connected by an arch. With its peculiar shape, exquisite carving and grandeur, it is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese masonry architectural art. There are seven pavilion holes on each floor of the front of Wuliang Hall, with brick plaques embedded in the pavilion holes. Wuliang Hall has high artistic value and is a masterpiece of beamless architecture in my country.
There are many kinds of pagodas in Ming and Qing Dynasties, with many forms. In terms of shape, the brackets and eaves of the tower are very slender, surrounding the tower body like a ring, and the outline is also different from before.
Due to its tall shape and prominent image, the tower plays a large role in the overall outline of the building complex, enriching the three-dimensional composition of the city and decorating the scenic spots. The significance of the pagoda has actually gone beyond religious regulations and has become an important aesthetic object in people's lives. Therefore, not only Taoism and Islam also built some towers with their own styles and connotations, but the folk also built some Feng Shui towers (Wenfeng towers) and lighthouses. In terms of shape, style, craftsmanship, craftsmanship, etc., they are all influenced by the pagoda. The Feihong Pagoda of Guangsheng Temple is introduced as an example. Feihong Pagoda is located in Guangsheng Shangsi, 17 kilometers northeast of Hongdong County, Shanxi Province. It is the most complete preserved attic-style glazed pagoda in China. The exterior of the tower is entirely covered with glazed bricks and glazed tiles. The glazed glaze is of different shades and shines brightly in the sun, making it as bright as a flying rainbow, hence its name. The pagoda was first built in the Han Dynasty and has been rebuilt many times. The current tower was rebuilt in the sixth year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1527). In the second year of Tianqi (1622), an encirclement was added to the ground floor. The tower has an octagonal plan and thirteen levels. Height 47.31 meters. The tower body is made of blue bricks, with eaves on each floor. The tower body gradually tapers from bottom to top, forming a tall and straight outline. At the same time, it imitates the style of wooden architecture, using pendant columns at the corners, carving patterns on the surfaces of flat squares and large squares, and brackets and various components also look very delicate. The shape and structure reflect the typical style of brick towers in the Ming Dynasty. The outer eaves, fringes, doors and various decorative patterns of the tower (such as Guanyin, Arhat, King of Heaven, King Kong, Dragon and Tiger, Linfeng, flowers, birds and insects, etc.) are all inlaid with yellow, green and blue colored glaze. Exquisitely translucent and dazzling, it forms a gorgeous and intricate decorative style. The color is still as new today, showing the superb level of glaze craftsmanship in Shanxi during the Ming Dynasty. The pagoda is hollow and has steps that can be turned over so that you can climb up. It is a representative work of the glazed pagodas in my country.
The Vajra Throne Tower is a group tower, commonly known as the "Five Towers". It originated from the South Asian subcontinent and is represented by the Buddha Gaya Pagoda. It has appeared in the Northern Dynasties murals of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. But it was not promoted. Tibetan Buddhism widely adopts this five-pagoda form as a symbol of the cosmic pattern. In addition to Tibet and Mongolia, some such towers were also built in North China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Most of them are in Beijing and Chengde areas. Famous ones in Beijing include the Zhenjue Temple Pagoda of the Ming Dynasty, the Biyun Temple Pagoda of the Qing Dynasty, and the Qingcheng City Pagoda of Xihuang Temple.
Zhenjue Temple is located outside Xizhimen, Beijing. It was built in the ninth year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty (1473). In the 26th year of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1761), it was overhauled and renamed Dazhengjue Temple to avoid the taboo of Yongzheng Emperor Yinzhen. Because there are five pagodas built in the temple, it is commonly known as the Five Pagoda Temple. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty (around 1413), the Indian monk Bandida came to Beijing and presented five golden Buddhas and the Indian-style "Buddha Gaya Pagoda" pattern. Emperor Yongle ordered the construction of a temple and a pagoda, and it was completed in the ninth year of Chenghua according to the submitted drawings.
The Vajra Throne Tower consists of two parts: the throne and the stone tower. The throne is a 7.7-meter high platform made of bricks and white marble. It is divided into 6 floors and is retracted 0.5 meters from bottom to top. It has a solemn appearance. The bottom floor is the Sumeru Seat, and there are five floors above it. Each floor is a row of Buddhist niches, and each niche is engraved with a seated Buddha. On the platform on the top of the throne, there are five square stone towers with dense eaves: the central tower has 13 floors and is about 8 meters high, symbolizing Vairocana Buddha; the four corner towers each have 11 floors and are about 7 meters high. The east tower symbolizes Azan. Buddha; the south tower symbolizes Baosheng Buddha; the west tower symbolizes Amitabha; and the north tower symbolizes Buddha Amitabha. The Buddha symbolized by the 5 pagodas is called the Buddha of the Five Directions. Each tower is assembled from thousands of pre-hewn stone blocks. There are gates in the middle of the north and south of the throne. There are 44 stone steps in the tower, spiraling up to the upper platform of the throne. The platform is also covered with a glass cover with a round upper part at the bottom. The base and body of the tower are engraved with Buddha statues, Sanskrit inscriptions and religious decorations. The central pagoda is engraved with a pair of Buddha's footprints, which means "Buddha's footprints are everywhere". Each part of the Vajra Throne Pagoda of the Five Pagoda Temple is well proportioned, giving people a solid and unshakable impression.
Residential courtyard houses in Beijing are representative of courtyard architecture in the north. Its courtyard is wide and spacious, and the houses on all four sides are independent and connected by verandas, making living very convenient. Siheyuan is a closed residence with only one street door to the outside. When the door is closed, it can be seen from the sky and the earth. It has strong privacy and is very suitable for exclusive living. In the courtyard, all the houses on all sides open to the courtyard, and the family can be harmonious and happy inside. Because the courtyard is spacious, you can plant trees and flowers, raise birds and fish, and stack rocks to create landscaping. Residents not only enjoy comfortable housing, but also share a beautiful world given by nature.
The screen wall is an important decorative wall inside and outside the gate of Beijing's courtyard house. Most of it is made of bricks. Its main function is to block the messy and boring walls and scenery inside and outside the gate, beautify the entrance and exit of the gate, and let people enter and exit the house. When you arrive, the first thing you see is the exquisitely stacked and beautifully carved walls and the auspicious words of praise inlaid on them. Through a small hanging flower door, you can reach the inner house of the courtyard. The inner house is a courtyard surrounded by buildings on four sides: the north room, the east and west wing rooms and the hanging flower gate. In feudal society, the allocation of residence in the inner house was very strict. The main house with a superior location and a prominent position must be given to the older generation of masters and wives. Only the middle one of the three rooms in the north opens to the outside and is called the main room. The two rooms on both sides only open to the main room, forming suites, forming a pattern of one light and two dark. The main room is a place where family members live, entertain relatives, or worship ancestors during festivals. There are multiple bedrooms on both sides. The bedrooms on the east and west sides are also distinguished by superiority and inferiority. Under the polygamy system, the east side is the superior one and is occupied by the main room, while the west side is the inferior one and is occupied by the side room. The east and west wing rooms can have single doors or can be connected to the main room. They are generally used as bedrooms or study rooms. The east and west wing rooms are occupied by younger generations. The wing rooms are also light and dark. The middle room is a living room and the two sides are bedrooms. You can also divide the room on the south side and use it as a kitchen or dining room. Siheyuan of medium size or above often has a rear military room or a rear mansion, which is mainly used for the residence of women or maids who have not left the palace. The residential courtyards in the south are very small, and the surrounding houses are connected into one, called "one seal", which is suitable for the climate conditions of the south. The residences in the south mostly use the bucket structure, and the house combination is relatively flexible, suitable for the uneven terrain. Southern folk houses mostly use whitewashed walls and black tiles, giving people a sense of simplicity and elegance. In the south, the gables of houses are often made into "volcano sealing walls", which can be considered an exaggeration of hard hills. In some densely populated southern cities in ancient times, this kind of gable that was higher than the roof could indeed play a role in setting fire, and it also had a very good decorative effect.
Hakka earth buildings are unique mythical mountain village residential buildings in the world. There are two types of earth buildings: square earth buildings and round earth buildings. The circular earth building is the richest in traditional Hakka color and the most shocking. The Hakka people were originally the Han ethnic group in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China. They were forced to migrate south more than 1,900 years ago during an era of frequent wars. During this long period of historical turmoil, the Hakka people had to rely on the mountains to operate and live together in groups in order to avoid external impacts. At first, single houses were built using local raw soil, sandstone and wooden strips, and then connected into large houses, and then multi-story square or round earth buildings were built to resist external oppression and guard against bandits. This unique earth building later spread to Hakka areas in Fujian,
Guangdong, Jiangxi and Guangxi. Since the middle of the Ming Dynasty, earth buildings have become larger and larger. In ancient times and even before liberation, earth buildings were always strong fortifications used by the Hakka people for self-defense.
In addition, the folk houses in other parts of our country are also very distinctive. In short, folk houses are the crystallization of the wisdom of working people. They are relatively free in form and are not constrained by "French style", "rules" and other restrictions. There are many things in it that we can learn from.