Building Customs of Ancient China

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: There is a medium-sized fishing village named Shitang in the coastal area of east Zhejiang...

: In a tranquil hutong, A tree-lined narrow slate path zigzags through; Few people are passing...

: For decades and hundreds of years, even longer, those gate piers, sitting there in silence, have...

In the past, building houses was widely considered a project of vital and lasting importance in terms of family and career successes as well as the prosperity of future generations. So, there were lots of building customs, many of which are still kept alive today and followed in a wide range of places.

Customs

Orientations

Orientations

Though there may be some absurd superstition involved in ancient geomancy, it reflected the importance ancient people attached to the building environment and the basic principles in site...
The Selection of Auspicious Days

The Selection of Auspicious Days

In the past, house-building days, such as when to lay the foundation, when to erect pillars, when to install beams etc, were selected by a hired fortune-teller.
Putting the Main Beam in Place

Putting the Main Beam in Place

Putting the main beam in place is one of the most important procedures in building a house, indicating the imminent completion of the house. So, there were more customs involved than in any other...
The Heights of Houses

The Heights of Houses

Generally speaking, houses of different families in the same area were supposed to be of a similar height.