Chinese architecture: The Chinese Ground Plan

During the Han dynasty a characteristic ground plan was developed; it remained relatively constant through the centuries, applied to palaces and temple buildings in both China and Japan. Surrounded by an exterior wall, the building complex was arranged along a central axis and was approached by an entrance gate and then a spirit gate. Behind them in sequence came a public hall and finally the private quarters. Each residential unit was built around a central court with a garden. Based on imperial zoos and parks, the private residential garden soon became a distinctive feature of the walled complex and an art form in itself. The garden was laid out in a definite scheme, with a rest area and pavilions, ponds, and semiplanned vegetation.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Modern Styles
• The Forbidden City
• Architectural Development: T'ang Dynasty and Thereafter
• The Pagoda
• The Chinese Ground Plan
• Structural Elements
• Early Architecture
• Bibliography

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