China, one of the most ancient countries in the world, has a history of more than 5,000 years. At the mention of the Chinese civilization, and its architectural achievements in particular, we customarily call to mind monuments like the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. These structures do indeed represent the essence of traditional Chinese architecture. But it has to be noted that other ancient structures in countless numbers can also be found on the vast land of China. To name just some: cities and towns of classical beauty, imposing palace complexes, magnificent tombs and mausoleums, awe-inspiring temples and altars, gardens that feature a harmony of natural and artificial beauty, and residential buildings beautiful with a primitive simplicity. These provide ample material evidence to the development of the Chinese civilization over the millenniums. Whatever it is, an ancient structure enlivens the spirit of China’s traditional culture and, in one way or another, represents ancient China’s accomplishments in construction techniques and architectural art.

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