The Chinese dragon,also known as the loong,long or lung,is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology,Chinese folklore,and Chinese culture at large. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms such as turtles and fish,but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs. Academicians have identified four reliable theories on the origin of the Chinese dragon:snakes,Chinese alligators,thunder worship and nature worship. They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers,particularly control over water.
The Forbidden City is a palace complex in Dongcheng District,Beijing,China,at the center of the Imperial City of Beijing. It is surrounded by numerous opulent imperial gardens and temples including the 22 ha (54-acre) Zhongshan Park,the sacrificial Imperial Ancestral Temple,the 69 ha (171-acre) Beihai Park,and the 23 ha (57-acre) Jingshan Park. It is officially administered by the Palace Museum.
The Temple of Heaven is a complex of imperial religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for a good harvest. The Temple of Heaven was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1998 and was described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world's great civilizations..." as the "symbolic layout and design of the Temple of Heaven had a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries."
Chinese mythology is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature throughout the area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions. Much of the mythology involves exciting stories full of fantastic people and beings,the use of magical powers,often taking place in an exotic mythological place or time. Like many mythologies,Chinese mythology has in the past been believed to be,at least in part,a factual recording of history. Along with Chinese folklore,Chinese mythology forms an important part of Chinese folk religion and Taoism,especially older popular forms of it. Many stories regarding characters and events of the distant past have a double tradition:ones which present a more historicized or euhemerized version and ones which present a more mythological version.
Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest cultures,originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia with Sinosphere in whole and is extremely diverse,with customs and traditions varying greatly between counties,provinces,cities,towns. The terms 'China' and the geographical landmass of 'China' have shifted across the centuries,before the name 'China' became commonplace in modernity.
Chinese architecture is the embodiment of an architectural style that has developed over millennia in China and has influenced architecture throughout East Asia. Since its emergence during the early ancient era,the structural principles of its architecture have remained largely unchanged. The main changes involved diverse decorative details. Starting with the Tang dynasty,Chinese architecture has had a major influence on the architectural styles of neighbouring East Asian countries such as Japan,Korea,Vietnam,and Mongolia in addition to minor influences on the architecture of Southeast and South Asia including the countries of Malaysia,Singapore,Indonesia,Sri Lanka,Thailand,Laos,Cambodia and the Philippines.
Hutong are a type of narrow street or alley commonly associated with northern Chinese cities,especially Beijing.
A paifang,also known as a pailou,is a traditional style of Chinese architecture,often used in arch or gateway structures.
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest mosque in Beijing,China. It was first built in 996 during the Liao dynasty and was reconstructed as well as enlarged under the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty.
A siheyuan is a historical type of residence that was commonly found throughout China,most famously in Beijing and rural Shanxi. Throughout Chinese history,the siheyuan composition was the basic pattern used for residences,palaces,temples,monasteries,family businesses,and government offices. In ancient times,a spacious siheyuan would be occupied by a single,usually large and extended family,signifying wealth and prosperity. Today,remaining siheyuan are often still used as subdivided housing complexes,although many lack modern amenities.
Lotus Pond is an artificial lake and popular tourist destination on the east side of Zuoying District in Kaohsiung,Taiwan. Opened in 1951,it is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake,including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions (春秋閣),the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔),and the Confucian Temple (孔廟).
The Taotie is an ancient Chinese mythological creature that was commonly emblazoned on bronze and other artifacts during the 1st millennium BC. Taotie are one of the "four evil creatures of the world". In Chinese classical texts such as the "Classic of Mountains and Seas",the fiend is named alongside the Hundun,Qiongqi,and Taowu. They are opposed by the Four Holy Creatures,the Azure Dragon,Vermilion Bird,White Tiger and Black Tortoise. The four fiends are also juxtaposed with the four benevolent animals which are Qilin,Dragon,Turtle and Fenghuang.
Huabiao is a type of ceremonial column used in traditional Chinese architecture. Huabiao are traditionally erected in pairs in front of palaces and tombs. The prominence of their placement have made them one of the emblems of traditional Chinese culture. When placed outside palaces,they can also be called bangmu. When placed outside a tomb,they can also be called shendaozhu.
The Hall of Mental Cultivation is a building in the inner courtyard of the Forbidden City in Beijing,China. The hall is a wooden structure with dome coffered ceilings,and was first built during the Ming dynasty in 1537,and was reconstructed during the Qing dynasty. During the early Qing dynasty under the reign of the Kangxi Emperor the hall was mostly used as a workshop,wherein artisan objects like clocks were designed and manufactured. From the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor during the 18th century,the hall was the residence for the emperor. Under the reign of the Qianlong Emperor until the fall of the Qing dynasty,the hall became the centre of governance and political administration. In the Western Warmth Chamber,the emperor would hold private meetings,and discuss state affairs with his mandarins. After the death of Emperor Xianfeng,from inside the Eastern Warmth Chamber,empress dowagers Ci'an and Cixi would hold audiences with ministers and rule from behind a silk screen curtain during their regencies for emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu,who both succeeded to the throne as children in the second half of the 19th century.
Ancient Chinese urban planning encompasses the diverse set of cultural beliefs,social and economic structures,and technological capacities that historically influenced urban design in the early period of Chinese civilization. Factors that have shaped the development of Chinese urbanism include:fengshui geomancy and astronomy;the well-field system;the cosmological belief that Heaven is round,and the Earth is square,the concept of qi;political power shared between a ruling house and educated advisers;the holy place bo;a three-tiered economic system under state control;early writing;and the walled capital city as a diagram of political power.
Mount Ni is a hill about 30 km (19 mi) to the southeast of the city of Qufu in Shandong Province,China. The hill is culturally significant because it is traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Confucius. It is also the site of a historical temple dedicated to Shuliang He,the father of Confucius,a Confucian academy,and the Yusheng Memorial Temple. In 2016,a statue of Confucius was completed on the Mount. Standing at 72 meters,it is the tallest statue of Confucius in the world.
The que is a freestanding,ceremonial gate tower in traditional Chinese architecture. First developed in the Zhou dynasty,que towers were used to form ceremonial gateways to tombs,palaces and temples throughout pre-modern China down to the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). The use of que gateways reached its peak during the Han dynasty,and today they can often be seen as a component of an architectural ensemble at the graves of high officials during China's Han dynasty. There are also some que found in front of temples. Richly decorated,they are among the most valuable surviving relics of the sculpture and architecture of that period.
Fu was a tally,which was used as a proof of authorization in ancient China,which typically consists of two parts. Generals would use the fu as an imperial authorization for troop movements and for other purposes while amongst the populace,it was used as a proof of authorization for goods exchanges or for leases. The official fu was made of bamboo,wood,metal or jade. Although it could be made in various shapes,most of them come in the shape of a tiger.
A Nine-Dragon Wall or Nine-Dragon Screen is a type of screen wall with reliefs of nine different Chinese dragons. Such walls are typically found in imperial Chinese palaces and gardens.
Chinese auspicious ornaments in textile and clothing refers to any form of Chinese auspicious ornaments,which are used to decorate various forms of Chinese textile and clothing,fashion accessories,and footwear in China since the ancient times. Chinese auspicious ornaments form part of Chinese culture and hold symbolic meanings. In ancient China,auspicious ornaments were often either embroidered or woven into textile and clothing. They are also used on religious and ritual clothing and in Xifu,Chinese opera costumes. Auspicious symbols and motifs continue to be used in present day China in industries,such as home textiles and clothing;they are also used in modern design packaging and interior design. Some of these Chinese auspicious ornaments were also culturally appropriated by European countries during the era of Chinoiserie,where they became decorative patterns on fashionable chinoiserie fashion and textiles.
