Introduction

Chinese architecture is mainly wooden and has relied on a strict principle based on a wooden frame that carries the load of the roof without any help from the walls. Yin houses are tombs built for the dead, and these are made from more durable stone and brick. The yang home, traditionally made of wood, is for the living. The tombs often also contain pottery models of the human and animal inhabitants of the house, as well as some of the furniture. Over the centuries, Chinese architecture has followed these principles and has changed little. The most magnificent example of imperial architecture is the Forbidden City in Beijing. Some of the earliest people living in southeastern China in Zheijang province built homes using interlocking pieces of wood. The building of any Chinese structure takes into account the Chinese belief system of Feng Shui. The great variety of designs and styles of pavilions are a reflection of the Chinese culture.