Product Review

Vernacular Dwellings traces the evolution of dwellings throughout ancient China, from the earliest cave dwellings occupied by nomadic tribes, to the traditional vernacular dwellings of the first pastoral communities. Examples of many different types of housing survive- a testament to the ethnic diversity and sheer size of Ancient China. Dwellings were often designed to harmonize with their surroundings, and each of the building cultures represented by the round buildings, cave-houses, siheyuan compounds and other dwellings are unique.

As they developed over generations, traditional Chinese vernacular dwellings came to have a standardized form: a wooden-framed house surrounded by a court. The Chinese courtyard house is deeply embedded in Chinese culture and often serves as a source of inspiration for official architecture, such as palaces, official residences, temples, and mausoleums. Relatively unrestricted by formalities or regulation, dwellings could develop freely, resulting in a multiplicity of styles. Traditional vernacular designs began to disappear when western technical methods, such as the use of reinforced concrete, became popular in China.

In Vernacular Dwellings, Wang Qijun discusses the techniques and materials used to construct traditional dwellings, from early mixed clay and wood construction, to the brick and concrete used in the modern era. He also explores the layouts of towns and villages in terms of feng shui, including the position of towns, the configuration of streets, and the placement of squares. This volume includes 121 color photographs, 86 illustrations and figures, and 2 maps. The photographs in Vernacular Dwellingsillustrate, province by province, the unique and varying vernacular dwelling characteristics of China.