View Of Spirit World In Traditional Residence Architecture From Doors And Windows

Doors and windows occupy large areas in Chinese traditional architectures. They are the closest parts to people in a building and also the easiest and clearest parts to observe; therefore, they have become the emphasis of architecture ornament in a whole building. Our ancestors had created plentiful varieties of colorful and vivid, doors and windows, which are plain but elegant. These designs not only show artful outlook, but also convey deep meaning.This thesis starts from the origin and development of doors and windows in traditional enclosed courtyard residence. Then, the author compiles and summarizes the basic types and styles of doors and windows. Further, the author explores in depth the history, cultural psychology and feudal ethic and moral systems reflected from the design of traditional doors and windows. Finally, the author tries to find the influence and enlightenment to modern architecture from the spatial meaning and human-cultural interior refracted from traditional doors arid windows.There are eight chapters in the thesis. In the first chapter, the origin and development of doors and windows are surveyed. In the second chapter, the author categorizes and comments on doors and windows of traditional dwellings according to regions and materials. The third chapter is on manufacturing techniques and ornamental themes, which leads to a discussion of multiple-cultural symbolization in architecture ornament. In the fourth chapter, the definition of doors and windows are extended to include door accessories and decorations on doors and windows, whose cultural meaning are further exploited. The fifth chapter stresses the important position of doors and windows in a residence from the architectural angle. The sixth chapter provides analysis on the impact and implementation of feudal morality, ethics and Fengshui on doors and windows, which interprets ancient people's belief on the Heaven, the Earth and humans. In Chapter seven, enlightenment from traditional architecture is investigated from both explicit and implicitsides. The last chapter concludes modern architecture can benefit from traditional architecture and we should keep our cultural and traditional characteristics in our architecture.