The Forbidden City (five books on ancient architecture in Beijing) For Discount

The traditional Chinese Architecture Series – five books on ancient architecture in Beijing

Language: English

Publishing Date: 2012

Pages: 375

Size: 16 K

There are causes and effects behind the trends of all ages, which seem to contain unavoidable factors. Fortunately, in our times, an awareness of national culture has grown in China as well. And it is in the modern spirit of pursuing scholarly studies to collect material objects and do research about the past Efforts should be made today to seek new development in the bloodstream of tradition.

As Chinese buildings represent a kind of engineering technology that lasted for over two thousand years, they form an independent art system. The Chinese culture finds its expression in many buildings, which constitute a large portion of the Chinese art legacy. We must respect the brilliant ancient Chinese culture, we cannot afford to neglect researching the history of these Chinese buildings if we are determined to rejuvenate our nation and carefully sort out and protect the cultural relics of our past generations.

If we attempt to awaken society by providing objective academic research, we can contribute to protecting cultural relics and can gradually reduce the damage to them. Even if such a work is a force against the trend of times, there must be no delay, as it is similar to rescuing valuable articles and precious paintings from a raging fire. It is a sacred duty to cherish and protect these valuable Chinese cultural relics.

——Liang Sicheng

 

Content:

Illustrating the Layout of the Forbldden City

Before tbe Forbidden City 6

[1] The Takeover 8

[2] Book of Experiences 18

[3] Direct Models of the Forbidden City in Beijing 26

[4] Zhu Di s Plan 34

The Ideal City 38

[1] ATheory 40

[2] A Set of Grids 51

[3] Calculation and Collation 58

The Vicissitudes of the Ideal City 68

[1] The Young Emperor s Task 70

[2] The Old Man s Foresight 91

My Quatrevingt-treize 104

[1] Structures According to Mr. Zhao 106

[2] Construction According to Another Mr. Zhao 109

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, a Double-eave Principal Hall 114

[1] Two Groups of Troublesome Data 116

[2] ACoincidental Square? 125

[3] Why 7.459 zhang? 129

[4] Liang Jiu s Mistake? i33

The Hall of Exuberance Flower, a Single-ease Hall 139

[l] 1 4zhang 140

[2] 1 4chi 144

[3] 1 4cun 148

The Pavilion of Embodying Benevolence and the Pavilion of Spreading Righteousness, Iwo Han-style Pavilions 152

[1] ZhangXisheng 156

[2] Zhang Xisheng s Design of Pavilion of Embodying Benevolence 160

[3] Zhang Xisheng didn t Know Much about Pavilion of Spreading Righteousness 166

Pavilion of the Rain of Flowers, a Tibetan-style Pavillion 174

[1] On the Tibetan Style 176

[2] The Structure and Decoration of the Pavilion of the Rain of Flowers 184

The Corner Tower 194

[1] Design Starts from the Plan: Comer Cross 196

[2] The Expression of the Pediment of the Comer Tower 204

From the Old House of Nurgaci to the Palace of Earthly Iranqutlity 222

[1] 1587 224

[2] 1627 228

[3] 1656 230

The Hall of Mental Cultivation 232

[1] The hnperial Kitchen, the Bed Chalnber, the Classroom and the Household Workshop 234

[2] A Place for Industrious Reign 240

[3] The Owner Has the Say 246

[ 4] Regency and Emperorhood 251

From Banmu Yuan to Juanqin Zhai 256

[1] Banmu Yuan, the Half-Acre Garden 258

[2] Studio of Esteemed Excellence 263

[3] Juanqin Zhai, the Studio of Exhaustion of Diligent Service 267

Studio of Cleansing Fragrance 272

[1] The Present Cannot be Compared with the Past 274

[2] Those Enclosed Small Chalnbers 280

[3] Unveiling the lnterior Theatre 283

Paxvlion of Met Expectations 286

[1] Ambiguity of the Bright Hail 288

[2] LiZhiying 294

[3] Handicraft in South China 298

Palace for Nurturing Joy 306

[1] Its Present Conditions 308

[2] The Labyrinth Was Not Built in A Day 312

[3] Not A Labyrinth at First 320

Palace of Peaceful Longevity 1 324

[1] The Forty Happy Years of the Qianlong s Mother 328

[2] The Renovation Long Awaited by Emperor Jiaqing 332

[3] The Owner Reluctant to Move into the Palace 336

From Palace of Eternal Spring to the

Palace of Accumulated Purity 342

[1] The Heritage of Emperor Xianfeng 344

[2] The Balance Between the Eastern Palace and the Western Palace 351

[3] The Lost Theatre 354

List of Illustrations 362