Architectural Styles
Ming Dynasty
Alt names / subperiods
Timeline
Distinguishing Features
Geographic Presence
1368–1644
- Symmetry and Balance
- Brilliant Colors
- Decorative Elements
- curved and overhanging roofs
- covered with glazed tiles
- decorated with ridge beasts
- ornamental eaves
- courtyards
- wooden structures
- advanced joinery techniques without the use of nails.
- China. Influence on
- Korea
- Japan
- Vietnam
Common Building Types
Landmark buildings
Historic Accommodation Types
Accommodation Examples
- Imperial Palaces
- temples
- city walls
- gates
- residential
- pagodas
- The Forbidden City Beijing
- Temple of Heaven Beijing
- Great Wall of China,
- Ming Tombs
- City Walls of Nanjing,
- Linggu Temple Nanjing,
- Liuhe (Six Harmonies) Pagoda Hangzhou
- Official guest residences (馆 / 会馆-type official lodging)
- Commercial inns / guesthouses (客栈 / 旅店)
- Merchant guild halls with lodging (会馆, huìguǎn)
- Guesthouses (Zhaodaisuo) basic family-run lodgings
- Imperial Government relay / postal stations (驿站, yìzhàn) for govt officials
- Canal and river-route lodging
- Temple and monastery lodging for pilgrims
- Charitable lodging / relief shelters
- Private lodging in merchant houses / rented rooms
- Pingyao Ancient City (Shanxi) — 客栈 (kezhan) style courtyard inns/ guesthouses
- Merchant guild halls (会馆) and huiguan /trade lodging networks canal/trade cities (Suzhou/Yangzhou/Hankou
Adaptive Reuse –
- Ancient villages of southern Anhui (Hongcun / Xidi) — merchant houses adapted as guesthouses
- Hongcun / Xidi Hui-style Ming houses converted to guesthouses
Landmarks
Original Accommodation
Adapted Visitor Accommodation
Name
Address
Website