Changes in Chinese architectural design
Before the early 20th century, the Western mansions in the Winter Palace led a trend characterized by imitation or copying of Western architecture in China's architectural history - eclecticism.
After the 1920s, church buildings led another trend characterized by imitation or reform of Chinese ancient architecture by Chinese modern architecture - revivalism.
With the introduction of Christianity to the East, they became the earliest Western-style church buildings in China and seemed to have the same mission as priests in China. In addition to the previously mentioned Sinicization of church buildings, the design methods of Western architects also influenced and stimulated exploration by Chinese architects.
This process in addition to Sun Yat-sen's thought on nationalism produced architectural works that were compatible with national forms in Chinese architects' exploration of China's inherent architectural forms, such as the North Tower of University of Nanking, built in Nanjing in 1919, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, built between 1926 and 1929, and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, built in Guangzhou in 1931 to honor Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), the "founder of the nation" and one of China's greatest reformers.
In the mid-1930s, some of the insightful Chinese architects, who were dealing with both the new functional requirements of architecture and the features of modern technology, brought into expression through the course of continuous exploration a national style of architectural forms, thereupon called "new national formalism architecture."
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
Before the early 20th century, the Western mansions in the Winter Palace led a trend characterized by imitation or copying of Western architecture in China's architectural history - eclecticism.
After the 1920s, church buildings led another trend characterized by imitation or reform of Chinese ancient architecture by Chinese modern architecture - revivalism.
With the introduction of Christianity to the East, they became the earliest Western-style church buildings in China and seemed to have the same mission as priests in China. In addition to the previously mentioned Sinicization of church buildings, the design methods of Western architects also influenced and stimulated exploration by Chinese architects.
This process in addition to Sun Yat-sen's thought on nationalism produced architectural works that were compatible with national forms in Chinese architects' exploration of China's inherent architectural forms, such as the North Tower of University of Nanking, built in Nanjing in 1919, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, built between 1926 and 1929, and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, built in Guangzhou in 1931 to honor Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), the "founder of the nation" and one of China's greatest reformers.
In the mid-1930s, some of the insightful Chinese architects, who were dealing with both the new functional requirements of architecture and the features of modern technology, brought into expression through the course of continuous exploration a national style of architectural forms, thereupon called "new national formalism architecture."
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
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