Those of us who haven't had their heads buried in the sand for the last 20 years will be aware that China is a place that is constantly changing. As one of the many examples of change in this country, the city of
Beijing has seen its fair share. In my 2 years here I have seen the city skyline change in ways I could never have imagined. The face of China's capital is changing so fast, gigantic structures pop up in the CBD almost over night. Within
Beijing's vast sprawling urban landscape there are ancient temples and seats of power, there are monuments and buildings that commemorate times of revolution, and now there are gleaming towers that symbolize yet another new era for China. To my ignorant eyes,
Beijing's CBD looks like it would be quite at home in any modern city in the world. So I wander, is there underlying traditional Chinese design or cultural influences within these modern towers? To answer this question (if I ever can) I think I should first try and gain a deeper understanding of some aspects of ancient Chinese design.
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The red lanterns of the 3 Yintai towers in Beijing's CBDPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comSo far on my rather limited travels around China, this vast country has offered up many a fascinating example of traditional Chinese architecture. But as of yet I have not had an opportunity to find out the in depth history and meaning behind so many wonderful designs. As a former student of urban planning I can look at modern buildings, road layouts and use of open space around
Beijing and analyze them from a western perspective. But that's as far as I can go, so I need help to try and further understand the complexity of ancient Chinese architecture. That's where Hu Leike comes in. Hu, a design teacher here in
Beijing, has agreed to show me around and answer some of my questions about Prince Gongs Palace near Hou Hai Lake in
Beijing.
PPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comTo help set the context of the palace, I have taken the liberty of copying (and editing any mistakes) the introduction posted at the entrance;
PPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.com"Prince Gongs Palace is the most completely preserved royal residence that still exists today. Two of its owners were illustrious figures of the Qing Dynasty: one was Emperor Qianlong's favorite courtier He Shen, who was the Grant Secretary residing here between the years 1776 and 1799; the other was Prince Gong, also called Lixin, Minister of Legislation during Emperor Tongzhi's reign, who lived here between the years 1852 and 1898. Hence the name of the palace.
PPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comThe palace consists of the Mansion and the Garden. The palace has a total are of 60,000 square meters. The palace was listed as a major historical building under the protection of the state in 1982.
PPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comThe residential portion is arranged in three sets of courtyards occupying central, eastern and western axes conforming to the standard mansion of a prince. The green glazed tiles on the roofs of the houses in the middle column designate an architectural grade second only to the imperial palace. These grand and exquisite buildings are a poignant reminder of the pageantry and splendor that was so much a part of China's imperial past.
PPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comThe garden, surrounded by artificial mountains, is known as Cuijin Yuan, meaning concentrated cream of the most beautiful flowers. It is of high standing on account of layout and distinct design. The garden consists of the east wing, the west wing and the middle section. In the centre of the garden is a hill bearing a stone tablet with the Chinese character ‘fu' (implying a blessing), personally handwritten by Emperor Kangxi (1662-1723).
PPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comThe palace represents half the history of the Qing Dynasty, and exemplifies the rich and splendid culture of Qing princes' mansions."
PPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comPPPwww.Chinakindnesstour.comWe westerners are often intrigued by the many shapes and colors incorporated in traditional Chinese architecture. Some questions I have asked or heard others ask include, "what do all the paintings mean?", "why are the windows so complicated and varied?" and "why are the roofs always pointed?" I want to find out some of the answers to these questions and see if they hold any significance in
Beijing's modern CBD. So, on our walk around the countries most complete example of an imperial garden I ask Hu Leike a few questions on a subject she knows quite a lot about, hopefully shedding some light on the subject.
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