What were some of the main architectural achievements of Ancient China?
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The Great Wall of China
China had many impressive architectural achievements. Three of them were The Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven, and the Sakyamuni Pagoda. These three were some of the main architectural achievements. Each was built for its own purpose. The Great Wall of China was built for defense. The emperor decided to make the wall to keep out nomadic troops from the north. The wall was 9 meters high so horses couldn't climb over it. Also the wall was made wide enough so that armies could walk through it. The wall is not one wall but many made in different periods of time. The construction of it began in the Qin Dynasty. The Wall stopped years of fighting between the north and China. The emperor, Huangdi's main purpose for the Wall was to keep out invaders, but also to define his empire. In the book, The Great Wall of China, by Joseph O'Neill, it is stated that, "Conservative estimates of the Great walls length make it 2400 miles, while other estimates are as much as 3,930 miles. The Great Wall's thickness ranges from 15-30 feet and it reaches as high as 25 feet". For a while, when China was invaded by a nomadic tribe called Manchus. At that time the construction of the Great Wall stopped. A few decades later the construction continued. The Great Wall that we see today is nothing like the ones in ancient times, but both of them are amazing.
China had many impressive architectural achievements. Three of them were The Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven, and the Sakyamuni Pagoda. These three were some of the main architectural achievements. Each was built for its own purpose. The Great Wall of China was built for defense. The emperor decided to make the wall to keep out nomadic troops from the north. The wall was 9 meters high so horses couldn't climb over it. Also the wall was made wide enough so that armies could walk through it. The wall is not one wall but many made in different periods of time. The construction of it began in the Qin Dynasty. The Wall stopped years of fighting between the north and China. The emperor, Huangdi's main purpose for the Wall was to keep out invaders, but also to define his empire. In the book, The Great Wall of China, by Joseph O'Neill, it is stated that, "Conservative estimates of the Great walls length make it 2400 miles, while other estimates are as much as 3,930 miles. The Great Wall's thickness ranges from 15-30 feet and it reaches as high as 25 feet". For a while, when China was invaded by a nomadic tribe called Manchus. At that time the construction of the Great Wall stopped. A few decades later the construction continued. The Great Wall that we see today is nothing like the ones in ancient times, but both of them are amazing.
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Temple of Heaven
Another amazing architectural achievement of Ancient China was the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven was used as a place of worship by a succession of emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are many parts to this temple, for example, the fasting palace, the danbi bridge, and more. Also the Temple of Heaven is huge. In the Secrets of the Temple of Heaven, it says, "The Temple of Heaven is enclosed by two walls and stretches 1,700 m from east to west and 1,600 m from north to south. There are square corners in the southern side and round corners in the northern side, symbolizing the roundness of heaven. East of the front (west) gate, within the inner wall there is a zhaigong (fasting-palace) in the south for the emperor to fast and bathe before worship. Further east is a north-south vertical axis formed by the main buildings. Huanqiu is in the south with a three-layered stone terrace. Within the Beiyuan courtyard of Huanqiu is a round hall - the imperial vault where the spirit tablet of the heavenly god lies". Again such amazing architecture.
Another amazing architectural achievement of Ancient China was the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven was used as a place of worship by a succession of emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are many parts to this temple, for example, the fasting palace, the danbi bridge, and more. Also the Temple of Heaven is huge. In the Secrets of the Temple of Heaven, it says, "The Temple of Heaven is enclosed by two walls and stretches 1,700 m from east to west and 1,600 m from north to south. There are square corners in the southern side and round corners in the northern side, symbolizing the roundness of heaven. East of the front (west) gate, within the inner wall there is a zhaigong (fasting-palace) in the south for the emperor to fast and bathe before worship. Further east is a north-south vertical axis formed by the main buildings. Huanqiu is in the south with a three-layered stone terrace. Within the Beiyuan courtyard of Huanqiu is a round hall - the imperial vault where the spirit tablet of the heavenly god lies". Again such amazing architecture.
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Sakyamuni Pagoda
Another famous building in China is the Sakyamuni Pagoda. According to the Ministry of Culture,in the article Sakyamuni Pagoda - The Tallest Wooden Structure in the World it says, "The Sakyamuni Pagoda is a Buddhist Palace Monastery in Yingxian County, Shanxi Province, or called the Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian County, built in the second year (1056) of the reign of Liao Dynasty Emperor Daozong". Summarizing it up, the Sakyamuni is a religious hotel that was built in the year 1056. The Pagoda is also the tallest wooden structure in the world. Also the Sakyamuni Pagoda was built on a 4 meter high platform. From the outside it looks there are five layers but on the inside there are 9 layers. In Sakyamuni Pagoda - The Tallest Wooden Structure in the World it says, "...the whole pagoda, 67.31 meters high". It also says, "For nearly a thousand years the Wooden Pagoda has withsood numerous strong earthquakes. According to historical records, during a severe earthquake lasting seven days during the reign of Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty the pagoda stood firm. Though the Yingxian County area was affected by the big earthquakes in Xingtai and Tangshan of Hebei Province and in Helinger of Inner Mongolia in recent years, the Wooden Pagoda did not suffer any damage. Tire pagoda's antiseismic strength, proved by these earthquakes, demonstrated the achievement of wooden structures in ancient China". This is only few of the many things that makes the pagoda amazing. It is, like all the architecture in Ancient China, amazing.
Another famous building in China is the Sakyamuni Pagoda. According to the Ministry of Culture,in the article Sakyamuni Pagoda - The Tallest Wooden Structure in the World it says, "The Sakyamuni Pagoda is a Buddhist Palace Monastery in Yingxian County, Shanxi Province, or called the Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian County, built in the second year (1056) of the reign of Liao Dynasty Emperor Daozong". Summarizing it up, the Sakyamuni is a religious hotel that was built in the year 1056. The Pagoda is also the tallest wooden structure in the world. Also the Sakyamuni Pagoda was built on a 4 meter high platform. From the outside it looks there are five layers but on the inside there are 9 layers. In Sakyamuni Pagoda - The Tallest Wooden Structure in the World it says, "...the whole pagoda, 67.31 meters high". It also says, "For nearly a thousand years the Wooden Pagoda has withsood numerous strong earthquakes. According to historical records, during a severe earthquake lasting seven days during the reign of Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty the pagoda stood firm. Though the Yingxian County area was affected by the big earthquakes in Xingtai and Tangshan of Hebei Province and in Helinger of Inner Mongolia in recent years, the Wooden Pagoda did not suffer any damage. Tire pagoda's antiseismic strength, proved by these earthquakes, demonstrated the achievement of wooden structures in ancient China". This is only few of the many things that makes the pagoda amazing. It is, like all the architecture in Ancient China, amazing.
There are many differences and similarities between the architectural achievements of Ancient China and Ancient Greece. An architectural achievement in China was/is the Great Wall of China. In Greece, a big achievement was the Athens Parthenon. These two pieces of great architecture have many similarities and differences. Both of these are great, and many people worked hard to build them. Also the Athens Parthenon was not only built to honor the Goddess Athena, but is was also built, by Pericles to define his empire. In the end after he was rich and everyone loved him he decided not to rebuild and fix it. The Parthenon did its job, to make everyone think Pericles was great, and then Pericles thought nothing about it. Similarly the Great Wall of China was not only built to protect China from invading troops but also to define Qin Shi Huangdi's empire. Like Pericles, Huangdi wanted everyone to think he was a great emperor, so he built the Wall. The Great Wall would protect China and everyone would love and thank him. Those are a few of the similarities between Chinese and Greek architecture.
There are also many differences between Greek and Chinese architecture. For instance, the Great Wall of China was built mainly to protect and separate China from invading troops and the north. Meanwhile, the main purpose of the Athens Parthenon was to honor the Goddess Athena. Also the structures of the two are very different. The Great Wall of China is a lot of walls that create a border. The Athens Parthenon was built in one place, it was built as a temple. In fact, according to Ancient History Encyclopedia, the Athens Parthenon was built, "between 447 and 432 BCE...". On the other hand, the Great Wall of China was built over different periods of time. Those are a few of the differences between the Great Wall of China and the Athens Parthenon. There are many similarities and differences between the architectural achievements of Ancient China and Ancient Greece.
There are also many differences between Greek and Chinese architecture. For instance, the Great Wall of China was built mainly to protect and separate China from invading troops and the north. Meanwhile, the main purpose of the Athens Parthenon was to honor the Goddess Athena. Also the structures of the two are very different. The Great Wall of China is a lot of walls that create a border. The Athens Parthenon was built in one place, it was built as a temple. In fact, according to Ancient History Encyclopedia, the Athens Parthenon was built, "between 447 and 432 BCE...". On the other hand, the Great Wall of China was built over different periods of time. Those are a few of the differences between the Great Wall of China and the Athens Parthenon. There are many similarities and differences between the architectural achievements of Ancient China and Ancient Greece.