ABSTRACT
The emergence and development of the profession of the architect had a profound significance on the architectural history of modern China. It was a breakthrough in the practice of family inheritance, oral teaching, and craftsmanship of the feudal society. It changed the long-standing separation between the literati-intellectual and the artisan-builder; it established a system of the professionals equipped with scientific knowledge and design skills. This chapter analyzes the identification, the institutional form, and the practice of the profession. It also explores the role of state authority involved and aims to gain insight into a special development of early modern China.
