Siheyuan

For more details on a siheyuan, this link explains it best. 

UPDATE: Tang Chang'an: Urban Planning Successes?

Mingde Gate; Southern Gate in T'ang Chang'an (Source unknown)

This project is definitely taking longer than I expected; I first focused on Traditional Chinese Urban Planning, then realized the gigantic amount of info I would have to cover. Finally, I had to narrow it down to T'ang Chang'an by tackling the following questions:

What made Chang'an a successful city, and what did the city lack? What can urban planners learn from Chang'an for future use?

Given the enormous amount of research I have dedicated to this (and the amount that is coming up, given the shift of topics), I fell in love with Chang'an and its cosmopolitian feel (Chang'an -- the end of the Silk Road and where many cultures, from the Middle East, all the way to Japan, Korea, Tibet, and India meet to sell wonderful goods; the Silk Road Foundation notes that:

"Exotic foods and beverages, such as spinach, garlic, mustard and peas, and sugars from cane, from Indian merchants, ]were some of the goods sold from foriegners]. In return, the Chinese sold silk textiles, tea, paper, and ceramics." Meanwhile, think of all the culutral activities going on in Chang'an, and of course, tea-drinking flourished among the working class in Chang'an!

Some of this stuff is what makes an Urban Planner drool! Hopefully, this will give you a glimpse of T'ang Chang'an.

A Japanese-looking house in Piedmont, CA

Click here for more photos.

This house is about $1.495 million, or about $528 per square foot, according to the SF Chronicle, and it's in Piedmont. Also, the article states that this was built in 1953. 

Next Anshina Arch. project: Traditional Chinese Urban Planning

Hopefully, I can get this done by the end March. My next episode will explore traditional Asian urban planning, which the Zhou Dynasty established (a very daunting project). Read here if you want a quick preview.

Anshina's Architecture (Episode 2): The Chinese Roof Figures (走兽, zǒu shòu)

Due to the semi-complexity of this topic, I decided to post some photos and explainations about the subject to give you a better understanding of these Roof Figures. Watch the video for your basic facts, and refer to here for supplemental info. Again, if there are any facts I miscorrectly stated, let me know what the error is, and I will fix that. Take advantage of the photos by clicking on them to get enlarged versions so that you can look at the details placed.

1.  Actual photos
2. Graphics of Roof Figures + Explainations
3. Symbolism

1) Actual photos (click to see enlarged version):

(Above; Forbidden City) Photo by avirus. 

(Above; Summer Palace (Beijing, China) photos by Fang Chen)

Chen has the larger versions of those photos (and amazing photos of China) if you click on the photos.

Above; Forbidden City Photo by Saad.Akhtar.

(Will add more later, if possible)

2) Graphics of Roof Figures + Explainations

These are graphics I gathered from the ChinaHistoryForum website from a forum user who scanned these out of Chinese (I assume, textbooks). They were really difficult to find, and they helped utilized my research. For those who can read Chinese, this is useful for you. I don't have the specific textbook source, unfortunately. Click the photos for a better view.

The order of all of the roof figures goes like this, from left to right:  Hen, Dragon, Phoenix, Lion, Celestial Horse, Seahorse, mythical lion (狻猊), wind-and storm-summoning fish (狎魚), courageous goat-bull (獬豸), 斗牛 evil-dispelling bull, and immortal guardian (行什, hangshi)

It's important to note that not every royal building in China has to have all these animals, but they must be in this specific order. The more roof figures, the higher the rank. The maximum amount, excluding the hen and the last guy on the right, must be nine.

According to what I read up, supposedly the last guy in the right is actually an immortal, due to its long ears. You can only find it in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City in China.

3) Symbolism 

I'll just mention the more prevalent animals and what they symbolize.

• The dragon, which is a yang (feng shui), is in charge of water. It is supposed to bring rain and water to the lands, especially in a country like China which relies heavily on farming. It is closely related to heaven, so you could think of it as being the gatekeeper of rain. The dragon is also a symbol of royalty, since Chinese culture believed in divine right of emperors.  
• However, since this dragon is a qiwen, or the second son out of the nine descendants of the dragon, it is supposed to protect the structure against any fire hazards.
• The Phoenix, or Fenghuang, represents high virtue and grace. It is actually a combination of two birds – a male bird, feng, and a female bird, huang, but it closely looks like a peacock. It unites yin, feminine values, with yang, male values, which combines beauty and power together. It does not tolerate those who break the rules, and is a very kind being.
• The lion represents power, which is why it protects from evil spirits. You also see lions on imperial doorways, gates, temples, and tombs.
  
  
  

Chinese Roof Figures (蹲兽, Dūn shòu)

Photo by avirus. 

My next project for this three-day weekend of the next episode of Anshina's Architecture - Chinese roof figures. This photo was supposedly taken at a "minor" building of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. These are known as 蹲兽 (Dūn shòu), according to Wikipedia. 

7th & Saeping [Blvd]

Preservation impetus for designs of Chinatown

The United Commercial Bank building at 743 Washington St. is adorned with showy Oriental features. Much of Chinatown's Asiatic architecture is a result of the rebuilding effort after the 1906 earthquake and fire, according to historian Philip Choy. (Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle)

Coicidentally, I stumbled upon an article by John King, from the SF Chroincle, about the self-preservation of San Francisco Chinatown's architecture. The Chinese wanted to keep their architecture alive after the 1906 Earthquake because it wanted to convince the SF Board of Supervisors that it can make Chinatown attractive, instead of giving it a presence of a "sinful, unclean" pleace.

The fact I didn't know was that European architects actually designed some of the buildings in Chinatown to convey its exotic feeling. 

Phillip Choy wrote a book on this, titled: "The Architecture of San Francisco Chinatown", which seems interesting to look at. I haven't read it, and don't know if I'll have time to look at it. It could help me in my future goals, I guess. 

Anshina's Architecture (Episode 1): Dougong (斗拱)