History of Chinese Architecture

Take a look at the Chinese architecture from ancient times to the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.
A milestone work that brought Chinese architectural history into the field of scientific research.
Mr. Liang Sicheng’s life’s work!
Based on the original version of this book, the author's original intention is restored to the greatest extent possible.
Editor's Recommendation: A classic work by Liang Sicheng, a master architect well-versed in both Chinese and Western culture, and a pioneer in preserving and inheriting cultural heritage. The first draft was written during the Anti-Japanese War in Lizhuang, Nanxi County, Sichuan Province, and later compiled into lecture notes for teaching purposes. The vast majority of the material in this book is the result of field research and testing conducted by researchers and staff of the Architectural Society of China at the time. Together, they helped restore the splendor of this treasure of ancient Chinese architecture to the world's cultural landscape.
◎This is the first impartial and authoritative history of Chinese architecture written by Chinese people. It was the first time that Chinese architectural history was incorporated into the field of systematic scientific research, forming an independent discipline. It has an unshakable position in the history of architecture and has won great admiration and praise from the academic community at home and abroad.
This new edition of "A History of Chinese Architecture" is based on the original mimeographed edition of the book, published in the early 1950s. Nearly 200 illustrations have been added, combining both text and images to facilitate readers' understanding of the various buildings described in the book. Based on ancient texts and Republican magazines, a few typos and inaccuracies have been corrected, making the content more comprehensive and accessible. This effort aims to maximize the preservation of Mr. Liang's original intentions.
Covering Chinese architecture from ancient times to the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, this book combines historical documents with case studies to reveal the design principles and key technical points of ancient Chinese architecture, summarizing the achievements and key characteristics of Chinese architecture throughout its eras. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the architectural characteristics of each period, clarifying the strengths and weaknesses of each period, making it an invaluable reference.
Brief Introduction: "A History of Chinese Architecture" is the first impartial and authoritative history of Chinese architecture compiled by Chinese people, a pioneering work in the discipline. The book comprises eight chapters, categorizing the characteristics of Chinese architecture from ancient times to the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. Examining extant buildings from each period, the book explains the characteristics and inheritance of each architectural form, encompassing timber, brick and stone structures, bridges, memorial archways, palaces, gardens, temples, altars, mausoleums, and residences. The book also addresses the inherent strengths and weaknesses of each architectural system, as well as the similarities and differences between various ethnic groups and China.
This book, "A History of Chinese Architecture," was completed in 1944, but the conditions for publication were unavailable at the time. Several mimeographed copies were published in the early 1950s as lecture notes, but due to limited availability, illustrations were not included. This edition uses this mimeographed copy as the basis, and with reference to subsequent editions, we have corrected some typos and added relevant illustrations to best reflect Mr. Liang's original intentions.

2023-11-01

海峡书局

the new wave

384

9787556711390