Principle And Methods Of Construction On Chinese Traditional Living Space

Chinese traditional building system has entered a new development path when the western architecture appears in the concession area of Shanghai since the late of the nineteenth century; even itself has already continuation of the millennium. This is an unavoidable stage once China starts the process of modernization, and at this point, Chinese people have realized that ancient Chinese civilization and Western civilization must be fused. This is not an easy question; one fact is such system was formed in its own geographical environment,under the premise of social conditions and natural limitations; it belongs to an organic context and shows the answers of a series of questions about where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? These answers all based on the meanings of "being-dwelling",and were given by ancestor whom lived on this land. Through hundred years of fusing, are we found a solution which use oriental cultural for the kernel and western industrial technology as the complement? I’m afraid the answer is negative. The key reason lay on we only seen buildings or architectures as material that we need to live but as one method about reveal the relationship between human and living in the land. Such prejudices and limitations must be avoided.In fact, the collision and blending of multiculturalism had occurred in the Yuan Dynasty at 13th to the 14th centuries. From the results, although Mongol whom taken "prairie -Migration" as Gene of Residential Culture can not conquer the "Central Plains - Settlement"one accustomed by Han people, but does not mean there is no changes when the Mongols as the ruling class. Therefore, the main subject of this study is to make a thorough inquiry in thinking and solutions way that Confucian scholars who lived in South of Yangtze River area are made at that time when such fusion has started. The paper is divided into six chapters,the first one focuses on the definition about the concept and range of the study and selects the research methods through summary the research content about traditional architecture,space of building and the dwelling of Yuan Dynasty. The second chapter is a discussion about the social background of Yuan Dynasty and social circumstances of Confucian scholars at south of the Yangtze River,by analysis one saying goes "No. Nine is Confucian scholars and No. ten is beggar" (Jiu Ru Shi Gai) to expound the reason, innate character and its impact of such saying which spread in Yuan Dynasty. The third chapter focuses on showing the residence space pattern of Confucian scholars at Southern Yangtze delta,answered the question about what their home and houses looks like, takes Zongyi Tao’s Nancun Cottage, Buddhist monk Weize’s Lion Grove, Ying Gu’s Yushan Garden as the research point, plus other historical information such as painting, poetry, text and notes, book illustrations and murals of Yuan Dynasty. The fourth chapter is an explanation about the reason why their home and houses looks at that way, by analysis the relationship between the mind of Confucianism and housing construction to confirm the truth of one concept; that is the extensive of universe are all in their mind but other substance, and they believe they need dedication to Dao whatever they living. The fifth chapter is a discussion about how they build their house, involves three level, Garden house system that indicates how to use their farmland and house-land; purlin and roof beam shift, which indicates how to expand the interior space; roof truss and other building components that indicates how to ensure the comfort of living. The last chapter is the conclusion, by borrowing an abstract philosophical argument to explain the context and causal connection between Confucian scholars and their living space formation and on the basis of such explains to point the ultimate thoughts turn towards the way of modernization of Chinese traditional architecture.