Architecture of China-Late (Ming-Qing Dynasties)

Until recently, architecture of the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) periods received far less scholarly attention than that from earlier periods. The first generation of Chinese architectural historians in the early- to mid-20th century mainly devoted their research to the architecture of the late Tang (618–907), Song (960–1279), Liao (907–1125), Jin (1115–1234), and Yuan (1279–1368) periods. Buildings from these eras were considered more valuable than those of the Ming and Qing due to their relative scarcity and old age. In the last few decades, however, an increasing amount of literature has been published on architecture of the last two imperial dynasties. This new research has helped provide a more complete picture of the richness of the Chinese architectural tradition. One of the benefits of studying Ming and Qing architecture is that far more buildings and building types survive from this time than from earlier periods. These dynasties left us with imperial palaces and wealthy people’s homes, from which we can learn a great deal about domestic architecture, fengshui, garden design, and interior decoration. Beyond individual buildings, we can examine entire towns and villages, such as Pingyao in Shanxi, Huizhou in Anhui, and Lijiang in Yunnan. Due in part to new territories being incorporated into China’s borders, “Chinese” architecture from these last two dynasties additionally encompasses the complex and diverse building traditions of China’s ethnic minorities. Also, during the Ming and Qing periods important new technological developments were made in carpentry, causing buildings to be constructed according to different sets of principles than those before the Ming. The study of architecture from this time is thus indispensable for our understanding of the long evolution of the Chinese building tradition.