Urban Impression

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Although roofs may seem insignificant, they are a very important part of Chinese architecture. Roofs not only protected residences from the elements but also had deeper meanings. For example, the Buddhist curved their temple roofs because they believed that the shape helped ward off evil spirits. The roof of the temple is made of glazed ceramic tiles and has an overhanging eave, distinguished by a graceful upward slope. The intricate fit of merging rafters forms the complex arc at which the roof curves. The Chinese also used this concept in the construction of elaborate roofs on expensive homes. The building materials used to cover the ridge and gutters improved, over time, from regular mud to the earth tiles. They plastered the floors and walls with a combination of lime and sand, giving them a hard and smooth surface. They also made the north walls of their homes thicker to protect and insulate from the strong and cold winds. Perhaps one of the most important architectural advancement was the invention of corbel brackets (known as "dugong" in Chinese) placed on column heads which support the projecting eaves. Later, these became a unique feature to the classical Chinese architecture.