Title: The Civil engineer and architect's journal, scientific and railway gazette
Identifier: civilengineerarc13lond (find matches)
Year: 1839-1850 (1830s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture; Civil engineering; Science
Publisher: London : (William Laxton)
Contributing Library: Northeastern University, Snell Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Northeastern University, Snell Library

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1850.) THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 73 LECTURES ON ARCHITECTURE, By SajMuel Clegg, Jun., Esq. ; Delivered at the College for General Practical Science, Putney, Surrey. (president, his guace the duke of buccleugh, kg.) Lecture III. Chi.va.—Central America.—Celtic remains. We have hitherto been following the traces of the Agrioulturist: in approaching China, we come upon tlie footsteps of the Pastoral tribes, the dwellers in tents,—anionj;st wliom any great progress in the science of Architecture may be looked for in vain. As it will not be necessary again to refer to China in the course of these Lectures, I must be allowed, instead of confining myself to an historical period, to speak of the architecture of this singu- lar country as it exists at the present day; thus substituting dis- tance of place for distance of time. In China, the adlierence to the original type of the tent is everywhere apparent: their pagodas and towers resemble a num- ber of tents placed one over another, instead of side by side; the houses of the mandarins chiefly differ from those of the lower orders by covering a greater extent of ground; and the palace of Pekin is merely like a camp within an outer encampment, formed by the tent-like houses of the city. Owing to the frail- ness of material and peculiarly slight style of buihling, it is not likely that the Chinese edifices could long resist the devastating march of time; indeed, it is supposed that with the exception of the Great Wall, and perhaps a few pagodas, no building exists in that country more than 300 years old. Any description of the ancient architecture of China would, consequently, he merely conjectural. But from the religious and political thraldom to which the Chinese are subjected, from their natural repugnance to change, and from the simplicity of their present style of build- ing, there is no reason to suppose that it differs in any material respect from that of 3000 years ago.
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Elevation of Chinese House. Timber, crude and burnt brick are the materials most in use; the bamboo, which in China grows to a remarkable height and size, is also employed. Stone and marble are rare, and are only partially used even in the public buildings and tombs. The cha- racteristics of Chinese architecture are extreme lightness and giiety of effect, the tent-like form, the coloured and varnished r ofs, and variously-tinted walls—giving, as Sir William Ciiambers observes, "a pretty and toy-like appearance" to their buildings. The height and size of each dwelling-house must be in exact accordance with the caste of tlie proprietor; and even the details are regulated by law. A mandarin, who had ventured to erect a mansion of superior elegance, was summoned before the emperor to answer for his presumption; and thought it wise to raze the ol noxious structure to the ground, in order to avert fine or other punishment. The roofs of the Chinese buildings are convex in their sides, spine, and ribs, presenting the appearance of a pliant material; '50.—Vol. XIII.—.March, 1S50. they are supported by wooden columns without capitals, having, instead, ornamental consoles projecting from the sides, which give additional support to the verandali. The roofs turn up at the eaves, and are finished with a si)ike, like the hook or fastening of a tent; and this part is frequently decorated with the figure of a dragon, which is the national emblem. The wooden columns being the main support of the roof, the side walls are very slight. The window frames are filled-in with open rectangular patterns, inter- secting each other; tlie railwork of the balconies and verandahs is formed in a similar manner. The interior walls are gaily orna- mented with variegated matting, and painted paper or silk. Some- times, in the upper stories, the partition walls are partly formed of cane trellis-work covered with painted gauze, admitting light and air. The aperture leading from one room to another, or from the corridor to the garden, is frequently a lunette; a circular opening, instead of a rectangular doorway, giving a picture-like effect to tlie vista beyond. As these round doors are considered lucky, the evil spirit not being supposed to be willing to enter by them, there is always one at least of this form in every Chinese building. The gardens are cultivated with great taste and skill. The houses of the lowest class are miserable and poverty- stricken, being nothing more than mud or crude brick huts, and covered with straw or rushes. The farm-houses are not much better, having generally a mud floor, and the apartments frequently being only separated by mats hung from the ceiling. The custom of plastering the inferior kind of houses with mud gives them a dingy appearance. Lime is a scarce commodity in the country, the only kind being prepared from shells and stones cast up by the sea. The cities of China are by no means imposing in effect, as the surrounding walls are higher than the buildings they inclose—the Taas or towers being the only lofty structures. These towers are formed of several tent-like 'stories, diminishing in size as they ascend; and they are gaudily decorated, and hung with little tinkling bells at each angle of the many roofs. The celebrated porcelain tower at Nan-king is of nine stories, forming a height of 216 feet; the roofs are covered with pale green glazed tiles, whence it derives its name. Tlie pagodas are surrounded by courts and vestibules, the cells of which serve as a residence for the priests or bonzes. The Chinese have a great taste for gay and fanciful decoration: the glazed tiles of the roof are frequently arranged in the form of fishes' scales, and the pa\e- ments occasionally formed of shells laid in a pattern like mosaic- work. The timbers of the roof, which are always left exposed, are, in the habitations of the higher castes, formed of costly woods, or inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. As engineers, the Chinese were skilful in very early times; their bridges and canals bear as ancient a date as those of any of the great eastern nations, and th.at they were not ignorant of the art of building in its most solid and imperishable form, the Great Wall remains to testify. This stupendous undertaking separates China from Northern Tartary, and was completed about 211 B.C.; its length is computed at about 1500 miles; and a curious calculation has been made, that the materials of this wall, including the earth- work, would be sufficient to surround the world with two walls each six feet high and two feet thick. It is said that every third man in the kingdom was summoned to assist in its construction. It pursues a direct course over hill and valley, passing the rivers on arches; the only interruption is a ridge of lofty mountains in tlie province of Pe-tche-lee, and the broad river Iloang-ho. The foundation is formed of large stones laid in mortar; upon this ;s raised a mound of earth, cased in some places with brick, in others with stone. On the elevated ground it is only from 15 to 20 feet high, but along the valleys it is raised to the height of 30 feet. It is paved on the top with flat stones and is wide enough for six horsemen to ride abreast. In the valleys, and those places most open to attack, projecting towers are constructed witlyn bow-sliot of each other. Notwithstanding the enormous extent of this wall, it is said to have been finished in five years.—The Imperial or Grand Canal is a work of nearly equal magnitude, traversing a length of 900 miles. There is so very little really interesting or instructive in Chi- nese architecture, that I shall pass on without further notice of it. The countries of which mention has hitherto been made are contiguous, or nearly so, so that mutual intercourse and inter- change of ideas has aided the progress of civilisation : I have now to s)ieak of a far-off country, and to describe ruins tliat lie amidst the forest and jungle till lately unknown and uiithought of, unless in the dreams of the poet. 11

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