China- an underrated Gem- Part 2

….

I would now like to climb you down the mountains and talk about the millimeter precise architecture that you see everywhere across China. From the grounds of Zhanjiajie, to the mausoleums in Nanjing, to the hundreds of temples and gardens like Yue Garden in Shanghai. This style of architecture has taken shape in East Asia over many centuries. One of the main features to talk about is the emphasis on bilateral symmetry, which signifies balance. From palaces to humble farmhouses you will always find their strive for symmetry. Another main characteristic is it’s floating like ceilings and large roofs. These stress the visual impact of the width of the buildings, making them sometimes look like a woman’s skirt.

Regardless, all of this would not seem like much if I would not mention the extreme amount of symbolism and imagery that appears in these buildings. I am talking about the use of colors like red for good fortune, yellow as the imperial color, blue to symbolize the sky, or black, because the gods were inspired to descent to earth by the black color. I am specially, also talking about the different talismans carved in stone, wood, or precious metals that lie all around the buildings, representing different gods, animals, fruits, creatures, that come all together in one building to give you a detailed to the millimeter visual show and a perfectionist eye feast. This is the kind of ancient unique architecture you will find in China.

Leave a Reply