The Imperial Chinese Cities I

A. Introduction: Urban Form and Urban Process

1 Features and Components of Chinese Imperial City

 pattern/structure: well, gate, moat;  axis; city / Imperial city / palace city
 monuments: alters, towers, temples, palace, gate
 fabric/district: road of cardinal system, rectangular blocks, market
 siting: mountain / river, necropolis,  transportation, defense
 landscape: park, garden, lake, mount
 size

Beijing in Qing Dynasty/清代北京平面圖

Map of cities and sites

2 Imperial City Sites in History

Changan through history/歷史上的長安（西安）

Luoyang through history/歷史上的洛陽

Kaifeng through history/歷史上的開封

Beijing through history/歷史上的北京

Nanjing through history/歷史上的南京

3 Theory and Discourse of Chinese Imperial City Form

Zhou Li周禮 / Kaogongji考工記 /  Wangcheng王城制  周禮：天地、春、夏、秋、冬 (考工記)
 

Yin Yang & five elements  陰陽、五行、月令、天文、數理、九宮 

Fengshui & Natural Environmen  形勢派、理氣派 

The city as a diagram: metaphysical concept and social economical mechanism 

The Wangcheng Diagram/王城

The jiangren constructs the state capitals. He makes a square nine li on each side; each side has three gates, Within the capital are nine north-south and nine east –west streets. The north-south streets are nine carriage tracks in width. On the left (as one faces south, or, to the east) is the Ancestral Temple, and to the right (west) are the Altars of Soil and Grain. In the front is the Hall of Audience and behind the markets.

匠人營國，方九里，旁三門。國中九經九緯，經途九軌，左祖右社，面朝后市，市朝一夫。

          ——考工記-匠人營國

Mamian/馬面

4 Early Cities & Archaeological Sites

Shang 商：商州，安陽小屯，二里頭 ； 盤龍城
Western Zhou 西周：洛邑， 成周
Spring & Autumn 春秋and Waring States 戰國：
齊臨淄，燕下都，趙邯鄲，魏安邑，秦咸陽，秦始皇陵

Chengzhou/成周 1038 BC

Plans of Capital Cities during Zhou and Warring States Period/戰國王城

Plan of Anyi/魏 安邑

Plan of Jiang/蔣

Plan of Handan/趙 邯鄲

Plans Plan of Linzi/齊 臨淄