The Differences in History and Culture between Chinese and western Architecture

建筑是人类文明的沉淀，也是人类文明的载体。它以其独特的语言方式向人们倾述着各地区、各民族的思想观念、宗教情感、审美情趣等等。所以地域和历史文化截然不同的中西方也有着不同的建筑理念。同时中西方的人审美理念、性格气质也有着相当的差异，这些都在无形地影响着当地的建筑设计艺术。 Architecture is not only the precipitation of human civilization,but also the carrier of human civilization.It reveals the ideological concept ,religious feelings and aesthetic interests of all people in all regions to us with its distinctive language expressions.Therefore,Chinese and the west with different regions,history and culture also have different architectural philosophy.Meanwhile,the Chinese people and westerners also have quite differences on aesthetic standards,character and temperament.All these impact the local arts of architectural design. 01 02 03 模板来自于 http://docer.wps.cn 04 2

Chinese and the west with different regions,history and culture also have different architectural philosophy. Meanwhile,the Chinese people and westerners also have quite differences on aesthetic standards,character and temperament.All these impact the local arts of architectural design. 地域和历史文化截然不同的中西方也有着不同的建筑理念。同时中西方的人审美观念、性格气质也有着相当的差异，这些都在无形地影响着当地的建筑设计艺术。 Therefore,at first ,we specially discussed some differences on the root of the architecture between the east and the west.Herein,I take Greece as the western representative.因此，特地探讨一下中西方的建筑根源上的一些差异。在这里，一希腊为西方的代表。

Building materials, reflected the different between Chinese and western material culture and philosophy of the differences

Next, we explored the spirit of ethics in Chinese architecture Next, we explored the spirit of ethics in Chinese architecture. Contrary to the tendency of pursuing formal beauty, attractive appearance and sculpture in Greece, the Chinese people don’t pursue the external beauty but consider that the architecture is the place of living, thinking and cultivating moral, and should focus on ethics. 接下来探讨中国建筑的伦理精神。与希腊人追求形式美、造型美、雕塑感的倾向相反，中国人不求外在式的美感，而是认为建筑是生活思考养德的地方 应以伦理为重点。

群体和谐的思想是中国建筑美学的特征，也正是中国建筑的独特理念。因此中国建筑以向水平方向发展为主，极力削弱个体建筑的突出。这种形式的布局，不是以单体建筑的造型取胜，而是以群体的对称、呼应、错落有序形成整体气势。中国人有着令人惊讶的对建筑群体的驾驭能力。 The thought of group harmony is the characteristics of Chinese architectural aesthetics, but also the unique ideas of Chinese architecture. Therefore, Chinese architecture is mainly in horizontal development, as to weaken the highlight of the individual architecture greatly. This kind of layout became dominant depending on the overall The first difference momentum of the symmetry, concert and good order among groups instead of the modeling of individual architecture.Chinese people have surprising control ability to the architectural groups.

The first difference

The first difference In the group harmony of Chinese architectures,it is charaacterized by"courtesy"of the confucianism."Courtest"is the criteria of dividing into the differences among people .architectures with different grades have the corresponding position,form,color and roof styles,etc.All these also reflected the ethics of Chinese architecture.For instance,in the Forbidden City,all the buildings are arrangd in a certain courtesy order,so as to show the tremendous momentum.中国建筑的群体和谐中，以儒家的“礼“的思想为特色。“礼”是一种划分人与人之间差异区别的标准，因此，建筑中有着鲜明的主次表达。不同级别的建筑有着与自身级别相应的位置、形式、色彩、房屋样式等等。这也正体现了中国建筑的伦理观念。

the west and autocratic and hierarchical thinking in China. The second difference The second difference on history and culture between Chinese and western architecture is the spirit of democracy in The second difference the west and autocratic and hierarchical thinking in China. 中西方建筑历史文化的第二个差异是西方的民主精神和和中国的专制等级思想。

In the ancient Greek architectures, the large-scale buildings are often established according to the topography, not emphasized the axis symmetry and hierarchical thinking. For instance, in the Acropolis of Athens, the layout of buildings is in accordance with the topography. The free and lively layout makes people full of vigor more than in a solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere. 在古希腊建筑中，大型建筑往往依地势而建，并不强调中轴对称和等级思想。 如雅典的建筑卫城中，建筑物的安排顺应地势，布局方式自由活泼，给人的感觉是生机勃勃多于庄严肃穆。

In the ancient Chinese architectures, there always showed the well-fortified hierarchy from the layout, dimension, structural units, architectural ornaments, building materialso to the city size, even the road width,etc. The strong hierarchy regulations are filled with everywhere. Even some relative laws and regulation involved. 而中国古代建筑中，有着壁垒 森严的等级制度，从建筑的布局方位、 形体大小、结构构件、建筑装饰、建筑 材料到城市大小、道路宽度等等，处处 凝聚着强烈的等级规范。甚至还有相关 法律规定。

The third difference is the mysterious religious content of the western architecture and harmonic realism in China. The westerners believe in god and have a kind of extraordinary devotion to religion. However, the Chinese people believe that their fates will be in their own hands. They will be safe and sound if abiding by the laws and behave themselves. They will be punished if making mistakes. The Chinese people are very realistic. They will not believe in God too much but live in peace and coordinate with reality. Even the ancient Chinese religious buildings are also filled with quite a strong secular color. 第三个差异是西方建筑神秘的宗教色彩和中国调和的现实主义。西方人相信神灵， 对宗教有一种极度的虔诚。而中国人相信自己的命运掌握在自己的手中，安分守己 就会平安，犯错就会受惩罚。中国人都很现实，不会过分信仰神灵，而是安安稳稳 过日子，与现实相协调。就算是中国古代的宗教建筑也有着相当强烈的世俗色彩。

The westerners paid more attention to the religious buildings. In the ancient buildings, the religious buildings often represent the top level of the architecture at that time. The designers applied the vertical space sequence and upward straight form to express the people’s worship to the God and the eager yearning and infatuation to the heaven. The westerners paid less attention to the secularity and authority than the Chinese, but paid more attention to the God in their minds. They established many immortal temples and churches with the best materials and techniques. 西方对宗教建筑极为重视，在古建筑中宗教建筑往往代表着时代建筑的最高水平。设计师们使用垂直发展的空间序列和挺拔向上的形式，来表达人们对神的崇拜以及对天国的热切向往和痴迷。西方人不像中国人重视世俗皇权，而是重视自己心灵中的神，用最好的材料、最好的技术来建造一座座名垂千古的神庙和教堂。

此外，建筑师往往在宗教建筑里利 用光影营造出浓郁的神秘气氛， 无论是帕提农神庙，还是万神庙和基督教的教堂，它们的内部空间都具有某种神秘的感召力量，讲置身其中的人们的精神引导向缥缈的远方。 In addition, the architects often make use of shadow to create the rich and mysterious atmosphere in religious buildings, whether Parthenon orthe Pantheonand temples and Christ church, their internal space have some mysterious power to guide the spirit of the present people to the elusive and distant place.

In conclusion ,there are many differences on ancient architectural culture between the east and the west. Herein we do not expound in detailed any more.Thank you.