Who were the most famous architects in ancient China? China has been a big infrastructure country since ancient times, and those ancient Chinese architects have left many breathtaking buildings. This article takes stock of the top ten architects in ancient China, including Lu Ban, Guo Anxing, Yu Wenkai, Li Chun, Zhang Zhichun, Yan Lide, Li Jie, Yu Hao, Liu Bingzhong, Pu Xiang and others, let's take a look at these famous ancient Chinese architects!
1. Luban
Lu Ban, a Native of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period, was known as the originator of Chinese civil architecture and carpenters, and was the inventor of the tenon structure commonly used in ancient Chinese wooden buildings, as well as the inventor of carpenter tools such as drills, planers, shovels, curved rulers, and ink buckets. Lu Ban's invention liberated the craftsmen at that time from the original and heavy labor, and the labor efficiency was doubled, which made the civil craft take on a new look. Today, in honor of the most famous architect of ancient times, the "Luban Award", one of the highest awards in the Chinese construction industry, has been established.
2. Guo Anxing
Guo Anxing, a famous ancient Chinese architect, is revered as a pioneer in Chinese pagoda construction technology, and the Jingming Temple and Yongning Temple (147 meters high, the largest pagoda in ancient times) built by emperor Xuanwu and Xiaoming Emperor of Northern Wei are two of the most representative ancient Buddhist temples in China, and are called the two major Buddhist temples in Luoyang in Northern Wei. Under the technical conditions at that time, these two Buddhist temples could be built with such a huge volume and such a height of wooden structure, which is a miracle in the history of Chinese architecture and even in the history of world architecture.
3. Yuwen Kai
During his lifetime, Yuwen Kai was appointed by the Sui Emperor Yang Jian and was an expert in urban planning and construction engineering in the Sui Dynasty. The most famous architect of ancient times has left behind a number of famous projects, including the capital Daxing City, the new capital Luoyang City, Renshou Palace, the Sui Wen Emperor's Mausoleum and the Guangtong Canal. These buildings have achieved many major achievements and are also of epoch-making significance. However, in addition to the Guangtong Canal, which is conducive to the national economy and people's livelihood, the rest are mostly to meet the needs of the ruler's rule, especially the palace architecture.
4. Li Chun
Li Chun, a famous bridge craftsman in The Sui Dynasty of China, the world-famous Zhaozhou Bridge is his greatest masterpiece, this iconic bridge that condenses the wisdom of the Chinese people, has created a new situation in the construction of Chinese bridges, created many technical achievements in design and construction, and raised the ancient Chinese construction technology to a new level. This ancient Chinese architect was the first bridge expert in the history of chinese and world architecture.
5. Yan Lide
The most famous architect in ancient times was ordered to build the Tang Gaozu Mountain Mausoleum, supervise the construction of the Two Palaces of Cuiwei and Yuhua, build the Zhao Tomb, and preside over the construction of the Guo and City Towers outside the Chang'an City of the Tang Dynasty. Among them, Zhaoling is the most famous and representative, and it is the largest and most funerary tomb in the imperial cemeteries of Chinese dynasties, and is known as the world's famous mausoleum. However, the mausoleum was built for 107 years, and Yan Lide and his brother Yan Liben were the original designers, and the overall style was modeled on the style of Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty, covering an area of 200 square kilometers.
6. Li Admonition
Li Jie was a famous architect of the Northern Song Dynasty, overseeing the affairs of the palace, the castle, the bridge, and the boat and car camp. During his tenure, he presided over the construction of large-scale buildings such as the Suzaku Gate, the Kaifeng Mansion, the Taimiao Temple, and the Buddhist Temple of Empress Qinci. This famous architect in ancient China also wrote China's first book on the practice of construction engineering in detail, "Construction of The French Style", which inherited the past in the history of ancient Chinese architecture and had a profound impact on the development of construction technology in later generations.
7. Zhang Zhichun
Zhang Zhichun was one of the important figures of Taoism, and Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, once gave him the title of "Chongzhen Baode Master" and "Tianni". Zhang Zhichun built and rebuilt dozens of Taoist buildings on Mount Taishan, such as the Chaoyuan Temple, the Jade Nuns' Ancestral Hall, the Gaolishan Shrine, and the Huizhen Palace, and even designed and supervised the construction of the famous South Heavenly Gate on Mount Taishan. Zhang Zhichun's architectural style is rich in Taoist elements, and the building itself can be integrated with the environment, and he is a unique famous architect in ancient China.
8. Yu Hao
Yu Hao's birth and death records are lacking, only that he was born at the end of the Five Dynasties and the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, and worked as a material smith (carpenter in charge of design and construction). As far as the editor knows, Yu Hao has been engaged in architectural practice for a long time, especially good at multi-storey pagodas and pavilions, fully inheriting the tower building technology of his predecessors, especially the more creative development in the construction of wooden towers. Ouyang Xiu, one of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties, once praised him in the "Guitian Record" as "only one carpenter since the National Dynasty".
9. Liu Bingzhong
The Great Mongolian State was an outstanding politician and the most famous architect in ancient times from the early Yuan Dynasty. The most significant architectural work of his life was the planning of the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, laying the foundation for the initial urban prototype of Beijing. This famous architect in ancient China not only follows the ancient precepts of architecture, but also dares to innovate and develop, his unique design, scientific planning and reasonable layout can be called a miracle in the history of ancient Chinese architecture, and the influence on the architectural style of later generations is the most brilliant historical contribution in his life.
10. Ku Xiang
A famous architect of the Ming Dynasty, he participated in or presided over a number of major imperial projects, such as the first three halls of the imperial palace, changling, xianling, Beijing Xiyuan temple, Yuling and so on. However, the most famous and internationally influential is the Tiananmen Tower. In the fifteenth year of Yongle (1417), the most famous architect of ancient times was appointed as the designer of the major project of the imperial palace, responsible for the design and construction of the Chengtian Gate (i.e., Tiananmen). After its completion, the Yongle Emperor praised him as "Kuluban".
11. Nguyen An
Eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, architect of ancient China. In the second year of orthodoxy (1437), he replaced Cai Xin in charge of building the Nine Gates of Beijing City. At the same time deepen the moat. The following year, he was ordered to renovate the Tongji River. After the completion of the project, Emperor Yingzong ordered Yang Shiqi to write the "Monument to the Tongji River" and erect a monument to commemorate his exploits. Later, he participated in the reconstruction of the three major halls of the Imperial City and the governance of yangcun river, and made great contributions. Ten years (1445) together with Zhu Yong, Duke of Chengguo, Shen Rong and other overseers to build the city wall of Beijing, changing the internal and external bricks of the wall to bricks and stones inside and outside.
12. Liang Jiu
The most famous architect of the Qing Dynasty, Feng Qiao, a famous craftsman of the late Ming Dynasty, took over his post in the Ministry of Works and was responsible for important construction projects in the Qing court. In the thirty-fourth year of the Kangxi Dynasty (1695), Liang Jiu presided over the reconstruction of the Taihe Hall in the Forbidden City. Before the construction began, he made a wooden model of the Taihe Temple in one-tenth of the scale, and its shape, structure, and decoration were the same as the real thing, and it was built accordingly, which was known as a special skill at that time.
13. Lei is developed
Lei Developed, the head of the "style room" of the early Qing Dynasty court (chief designer), is known as the world's famous architectural master in modern times, and is an outstanding representative of the famous architects in ancient China. In addition to the construction of the imperial palace, Lei Develop also wrote architectural works such as "Rules of Engineering Practices of the Ministry of Works" and "Catalogue of Engineering Construction". After Lei Fengfeng's death, his son inherited his father's business until the end of Guangxu, and the family participated in the design of famous buildings such as the Yuanmingyuan, the Summer Palace, and the Jingyi Garden.