Why Do Chinese Roofs Curved Upwards

The classic chinese roof is a light roof built on a flexible frame of timbers and is very different than western roof types.

Why do chinese roofs curved upwards.

If evil spirits were to descend from the sky for instance they would hit the roofs and be sent shooting back up and away however gods were also inspired to descend onto earth by the color black. Roofs are very important to chinese architecture. The upturned roof design appeared during the han dynasty 206 bc 220 ad and were the standard type used until the song dynasty 960 1279. Why do some chinese houses have curved roofs.

This is a traditional chinese architectural style. The upturned eaves on roof corners are the most identifiable mark of chinese roof architecture. Asian roofs are gently curved out at the corners in order to allow more light to enter the windows in winter and provide extra shade in the summer. Chinese architecture demonstrates an architectural style that developed over millennia in china before spreading out to influence architecture throughout east asia since the solidification of the style in the early imperial period the structural principles of chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged the main changes being only the decorative details.

A curved roof with overhanging eaves which a wooden skeleton supports. Some say the curved upturned roof in chinese architecture originated out of buddhism and its ancient principles of warding off evil with curves. It s called flying eaves 飞檐 a very light and wonderful name. Create a clean and professional home studio setup.

Not only do they protect residences from the elements but they also have a deeper meaning. This happens because in summertime the sun is more directly overhead while in the winter it only gets about 35 degrees above the horizon at noon. This kind of architecture is very scientific and practical in some part of china there is a heavy rainfall throught the year the curved roofs make. This is strikingly different from most western roofing systems they put a lot of stress on the outer walls.

For example temple roofs are curved because buddhists believed that this helped ward off evil spirits which were believed to assume the form of straight lines. The roofs in both of the above photos show what liang ssu ch eng in chinese architecture called the immediately outstanding feature of chinese architecture. Subject to building materials ancient chinese architecture is dominated by wood.