Traditions

The Architectural Art of Longtang

2008-07-07 09:46:20
ADD TO FAVORITE
PRINTER FRIENDLY

: An Overview of Hutongs in Beijing

: In the old downtown area of Beijing, the traditional courtyard houses are quite impressive for...

: Sichuan folk residences are evolved from the remote stilt houses, the earliest of which...

There is a variety of ways for architectural decoration of longtangs (alleys). In most cases, these decorating ways serve as the main signs differentiating one longtang from another in terms of visual features. What makes a longtang identifiable is its unique decoration. That's why each and every longtang is built with meticulous attention paid to architectural decoration.

Topics in Detail

The Decoration of Longtang Entrances

The Decoration of Longtang Entrances

The entrance serves as the gateway to a longtang and its image is supposed to be the mark of the whole longtang.
The Gable

The Gable

The top of a gable is mostly likely to form the first visual impression of a longtang, because of its big size and predominant location.
The Bridge Gallery

The Bridge Gallery

A bridge gallery is a storied building that passes over a longtang.
The Small Yard

The Small Yard

The small yard in a longtang serves the same purpose as a courtyard inside a traditional residence—creating more room to the compactly laid out longtang.
The Garret

The Garret

A garret is small, dark back room tucked away above the kitchen and the turn of the staircase between the first and second floors or between the second and third floors of an old-style storied house.
The Dormer Window

The Dormer Window

The dormer window, or "dormer" for short, is a kind of window built upright in a sloping roof.
The Gate of Shikumen Houses

The Gate of Shikumen Houses

The gate of a shikumen house is composed of the frame, lintel and door leaves of big sizes.