Materials and history Chinese architecture

models of watchtowers , other buildings made during eastern han dynasty (ad 25–220); while these models made of ceramics, real versions made of perishable wood , have not survived.

unlike other building construction materials, old wooden structures not survive because more vulnerable weathering , fires , naturally subjected rotting on time. although now-nonexistent wooden residential towers, watchtowers, , pagodas predated centuries, songyue pagoda built in 523 oldest extant pagoda in china; use of brick instead of wood had endurance throughout centuries. tang dynasty (618–907) onwards, brick , stone architecture gradually became more common , replaced wooden edifices. earliest examples of transition can seen in building projects such zhaozhou bridge completed in 605 or xumi pagoda built in 636, yet stone , brick architecture known have been used in subterranean tomb architecture of earlier dynasties.

a stone-carved pillar-gate, or que (闕), 6 m (20 ft) in total height, located @ tomb of gao yi in ya an, sichuan province, eastern han dynasty (25-220 ad); notice stone-carved decorations of roof tile eaves, despite fact han dynasty stone que (part of walled structures around tomb entrances) lacked wooden or ceramic components (but imitated wooden buildings ceramic roof tiles).



these rammed earth ruins of granary in hecang fortress (chinese: 河仓城； pinyin: hécāngchéng), located ~11 km (7 miles) northeast of western-han-era yumen pass, built during western han (202 bc - 9 ad) , rebuilt during western jin (280-316 ad).

in 20th century there no known wood-constructed tang dynasty buildings still existed; oldest far discovered 1931 find of guanyin pavilion @ dule monastery, dated 984 during song. until architectural historians liang sicheng (1901–1972), lin huiyin (1904–1955), mo zongjiang (1916–1999), , (1902–c. 1960s) discovered great east hall of foguang temple on mount wutai in shanxi reliably dated year 857 in june 1937. groundfloor dimensions monastic hall measures 34 17.66 m (111.5 57.9 ft). year after discovery @ foguang, main hall of nearby nanchan temple on mount wutai reliably dated year 782, while total of 6 tang era wooden buildings have been found 21st century. oldest existent wooden pagoda has survived intact pagoda of fogong temple of liao dynasty, located in ying county of shanxi. while east hall of foguang temple features 7 types of bracket arms in construction, 11th century pagoda of fogong temple features total of fifty-four.

the earliest walls , platforms in china of rammed earth construction, , on time brick , stone became more used. can seen in ancient sections of great wall of china, while brick , stone great wall seen today renovation of ming dynasty (1368–1644).