What is the basic feature of ancient Chinese architecture？
2 min readVisitors who come to China for the first time may be struck by some traditional Chinese buildings with their curved roofs，bold colors and intricate outlines.They may wonder how the Chinese ever came up with this unique architectural style.In order to appreciate ancient buildings in China，visitors should know the prominent feature of such buildings as follows：
a.Most buildings are made of wood.A timber framework is a basic feature of ancient Chinese architecture.
b.Courtyard composition and layout is another feature.A courtyard is a space enclosed by walls，or a yard surrounded by buildings.
c.Varied roof patterns have been added to enhance the beauty of these ancient buildings.
d.Paint is much used as an architectural ornament.
e.Ancient Chinese buildings keep in harmony with their natural surroundings.
What are the features of the timber framework in ancient Chinese architecture？
Ancient Chinese buildings use timber extensively as a building material in addition to bricks and tiles.Chinese wood represents”life.”Moreover，timber waseasily available，transportable and practical at that time.The timber framework consists mainly of wooden vertical pillars and crossbeams.They are perfectly interlocked with brackets so that the whole weight of a house is transferred to its foundations through the pillars，beams，lintels and joists.Walls bear no load；the only separate space.The timber framework supports most of the weight of the house.
There is an old saying that，”A house still stand even if its walls collapse.”
Two things are worth attention when you view ancient buildings.One is the wooden tenon，and the end of a piece of wood perfectly shaped to fit into a corresponding wooden mortise in another piece of wood.This technique was invented 7，000 years ago.The other is the system of support brackets，calleddougong. These are wooden brackets on the top of a column to support the crossbeam；they rise up level by level from each pillar.These brackets both support the structure and are also a distinctive and attractive ornamentation.This invention came into being about 2，000 years ago，during the Warring States Period.
