The pavilion (Ting, 亭) is a type of traditional Chinese architecture, originating from the Zhou Dynasty. Often built along roadsides, it serves as a place for pedestrians to rest, cool off, or enjoy the scenery. Pavilions are usually open-sided structures, without surrounding walls, and their roofs can take various shapes such as hexagonal, octagonal, or circular. Due to their lightweight design, diverse materials, and flexible layout, pavilions are widely used in garden architecture.
The Forbidden City's Imperial Garden boasts twelve pavilions, while the Summer Palace features over forty pavilions. In the Humble Administrator's Garden and the Garden of Pleasance, pavilions actually make up more than half of all the structures in the gardens. "No pavilion, no garden" - you may have encountered pavilions to a greater or lesser extent in various gardens, but only briefly stopped to rest or admire the view, without truly observing the pavilions themselves.
Are they square or circular? Hexagonal or octagonal? What decorations adorn the pavilions? What wisdom lies in the arrangement of pavilions? Some say, "Pavilions are one of the simplest architectural types." But are pavilions truly that simple, to the extent that they are overlooked by most people?
Architecturally, pavilions have actually reached the pinnacle of artistic creation in classical Chinese architecture, yet their charm remains unnoticed by many. Functionally, the versatility of Chinese pavilions far exceeds imagination. Emerging from the historical mists of over two thousand years ago, the journey of pavilions is a song filled with both vicissitudes and full of enjoyable.
1-History of Chinese Pavilions
In the history of China, there was a renowned figure known as the "Sishui Tingzhang" - Liu Bang, the Emperor Gaozu of Han. Despite his fame, many are aware that the title of "Tingzhang (亭长, pavilion overseer)" was essentially a position of minor local authority. The establishment of pavilion overseers demonstrates the existence of pavilions as grassroots administrative units during the Qin and Han periods.
During the Qin Dynasty, the system of "ten miles set a pavilion, ten pavilions as a township" was established. Later, the Qin and Han in the middle of two pavilion and added a short pavilion, "ten miles set a long pavilion (Chang Ting, 长亭), five miles set a short pavilion (Duan Ting, 短亭)," the formation of the scene. Short pavilion is relatively short, only for rest; long Pavilion is taller and more spacious, convenient for people to set up banquets and farewells, but also can stay overnight.
The poetic verses of later generations are imbued with the sentiments of "long pavilions" and "short pavilions" amidst partings and melancholy. The origins of pavilions can be traced back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, with the appearance of the character for "pavilion" taking place around the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, possibly due to the significant role of pavilions during that era.
The pavilions of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were more akin to small fortresses, primarily tasked with defense responsibilities. They were mostly found on the frontiers, serving military defense purposes, requiring high-ranking officials to conquer the border pavilions in order to attain prestigious positions and rewards.
Such pavilions also served as beacon towers. According to the "Mozi" text, they stood over three Zhang in height, with ladders leading directly to the top for easy surveillance of enemy movements. Surrounding the pavilion were inner and outer moats; inside the pavilion, there were drums, stoves, and beacon fire materials, with the beacon fires being lit or extinguished according to the changing enemy situations. Additionally, there were pavilions on city walls and military passages, manned by pavilion officers responsible for city defense and inspecting passing pedestrians. Particularly strategic locations even had three pavilions built nearby for mutual lookout and assistance.
Apart from their roles in grassroots management and military defense, pavilions extended into broader domains. Pavilions ventured into urban settings - Qi Ting (旗亭, flag pavilions), whose forms can still be seen on some surviving Han dynasty brick reliefs. Equipped with drums, these pavilions signaled the opening and closing of markets, maintaining market order. Pavilions also ventured into civilian life - Jie Ting (街亭, street pavilions), primarily responsible for maintaining street order, somewhat akin to today's street offices, offering a resting place for common folk passing by. Pavilions even extended to transportation arteries - You Ting (邮亭, postal pavilions), primarily handling the transmission of official documents, many of which also served as relay stations accommodating traveling officials, eventually evolving into bustling transit hubs.
Legend has it that the name of present-day Gaoyou City in Jiangsu Province originated from the high platform and postal pavilion established there by King Ying Zheng of Qin after defeating the Chu state. Functionally and architecturally, these pavilions differed significantly from their modern counterparts.
Initially designed for military purposes, pavilions were generally large in scale, constructed with earth and timber, featuring thick walls. Even in urban settings, pavilions depicted on Han dynasty stone carvings exhibited considerable size. Beneath the pavilion was usually a raised platform with a door, supporting a pavilion with or without walls, often multi-storeyed with ladders for ascent, prominently showcasing characteristics of defensive fortresses and advantageous high-ground surveillance.
If pavilions were to be classified based solely on function, they might indeed appear simple. More accurately, pavilions are classified as an architectural type based on form. Buildings referred to as pavilions may vary significantly in nature and function. Some pavilions are built for scenic purposes; the Memorial Pavilion of the Broken Bridge and Lingering Snow by West Lake serves as a shelter pavilion for a specific object; memorial pavilions are erected in honor of individuals, providing spaces for endless reminiscences.
These diverse pavilions, some originally designed to meet functional needs based on the pavilion form, evolved over time as they became inadequate, leading to the development of new architectural types or replacement by other forms. Some were initially intended to serve functional purposes through different architectural forms, only adopting the pavilion form due to limited space.
Certain pavilions may unexpectedly bring joy to people. If one were to travel back to the Tang and Song dynasties and step into an inconspicuous roadside pavilion for a rest, they might discover it as a gathering place for poetry and literary discussions. As the tides of history carried pavilions through the ages, they gradually assumed familiar appearances in the river of history, evolving into something far from simple.
2-The Development Process of the Pavilion
Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, pavilions depicting landscapes began to emerge, becoming favored by the imperial palaces and prestigious families during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. According to the Tang Dynasty's "Da Ye Za Ji," Emperor Yang of Sui had twelve pavilions in one of his Yulin palaces; the earliest surviving ancient capital chronicle, "Records of Chang'an," records, "In the Forbidden City to the north of the imperial palace, there were a total of twenty-four palace pavilions."
With the increasing favor of pavilions in royal gardens, the architectural forms became more diverse, featuring hip roofs, hip-and-gable roofs, and tented roofs; the pavilion shapes included square pavilions, octagonal pavilions, round pavilions, with simple and robust structures. As Buddhism flourished, pagodas pavilions also appeared.
The architectural style of the Tang Qujiang Pavilion, was similar to today's halls. Both the old and new books of the Tang Dynasty documented that emperors frequently hosted banquets for officials here.
In the Song Dynasty woodcut of the Tang Xingqing Palace, it was confirmed that the Chenxiang Pavilion was a three-bay wide pavilion with a heavy eave, providing a spacious setting. Yuan Jiang of the Qing Dynasty also restored the grand scenes of that time based on textual and visual materials.
During the Song and Yuan dynasties, advancements in landscaping techniques and the integration of mountain and water principles further propelled the development of classical gardens, leading to more intricate and exquisite pavilions. In the renowned imperial garden of Genyue, the pavilions' roles in spotting scenery and admiring scenery became prominent, increasingly harmonizing with the overall garden layout.
The construction techniques for wooden structures became more sophisticated during the Song and Yuan dynasties, with the emergence of standardized books such as the "Mu Jing" and the "Yingzao Fashi," summarizing the materials for pavilions in line with architectural mechanics and aesthetics, facilitating the construction of pavilions. The "Yingzao Fashi" stipulated that pavilions generally used materials of the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, indicating that the scale of pavilions had significantly reduced compared to previous generations, laying the foundation for the compact and delicate pavilions seen today.
The increasing brilliance of literati paintings and literati poems has made pavilions appear more frequently in poems and paintings, with a distinctive flavor. Masterpieces such as the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," "Lotus Pond in Summer," and "Conversations by the Stream Pavilion" captured the essence of pavilions at that time. The names of the pavilions were imbued with poetic meanings by literati and scholars, such as the Canglang Pavilion and Xianyin Pavilion, drawing exquisite imagery from poetry to enhance the pavilions.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, with the flourishing of the commodity economy and the rise of the urban middle class, pavilions reached their golden age alongside the peak of garden construction. The construction methods for pavilions had reached perfection, with peak numbers, varieties, and forms, including double pavilions, half pavilions, composite pavilions, etc. The shapes became more diverse, incorporating designs such as crabapple, plum blossom, fan-shaped, double-ring patterns, creating a fresh perspective.
Works like the Ming "The Craft of Gardens" and the Qing "Gong Cheng Zuo Fa and "Gong Duan Ying Zao Lu" further perfected the construction system of pavilions. The architectural styles of pavilions in the north and south exhibited more distinct differences during this period, presenting an overall characteristic of "majestic in the north, elegant in the south."
Northern pavilions, represented by those in imperial gardens, were meticulously crafted, grand and magnificent, with larger scales, often featuring double eaves and glazed tiles on the roofs. In contrast, southern pavilions, exemplified by those in private gardens, were mostly single-eaved with tiered roofs, small and delicate, simple and elegant, with high eaves rising sharply, built in harmony with the surrounding landscape. Though pavilions were small in size, their forms were rich, versatile, and no less impressive than some larger architectural structures. Through centuries of exploration, craftsmen "exhausted the essence of earth and wood, and mastered the art of shaping," creating an immensely profound legacy.
3-Classic Chinese Pavilion
Through the ages, not only have the sea and land outside the pavilions changed, but the pavilions themselves have mostly disappeared in the long river of time. Nowadays, the ancient pavilions that have been left behind, although mostly serving as scenic spots, upon closer inspection, reveal that they are not just for admiring the views, but also hold a rich and profound historical and cultural significance, as well as deep artistic realms of life.
01 Taoran Pavilion
For those who appreciate ancient wisdom, many have longed for the joy described in Bai Juyi's poems of being "carefree and content with wine" with a close friend. Therefore, in the thirty-fourth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, Jiang Zao, a supervisor of a kiln factory, named his newly built pavilion "Taoran" to enjoy drinking and chatting with his friends. As the number of friends increased, and with the clinking of glasses or the melodious songs and dances, the small pavilion could no longer accommodate them all. Jiang Zao's elder brother, Jiang Fan, then expanded it, creating the Taoran Pavilion we see today.
This pavilion is more like three open halls. Due to the passage of time, we cannot ascertain why Jiang Fan did not change the name from "Ting" to "Xuan," whether he retained the old name or imitated the atmosphere of ancient pavilions. However, such a unique pavilion inevitably evokes the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty's Qujiang Pavilion and Chenxiang Pavilion. If the old appearance still existed, what a magnificent sight it would be.
Today, the famous inscriptions in Taoran Pavilion are not limited to those left by Jiang Zao. The black background with gold characters under the eaves on the east side was inscribed by Qi Baishi; the couplets on the columns were written by Weng Tonghe; the three-character plaque "Taoran Pavilion" hanging under the eaves on the west side is signed by Guo Moruo. In addition to these, there are Suzhou-style colored paintings on the beams, and the carved beams and painted rafters display the magnificent style of the northern official pavilion architecture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
02 Huxin Pavilion
Huxin Pavilion is located in the center of the outer West Lake, on the smallest of the three islands in West Lake. Standing in the pavilion, looking around, one can take in the beauty of the lake and mountains. It is well known that a rainy West Lake is better than a sunny one, and a snowy West Lake is even more enchanting.
Visiting Huxin Pavilion during heavy snowfall is a sight to behold over the entire lake. Sitting in Huxin Pavilion, where the sounds of people and birds fade away, one can watch as the pure white snow gradually blurs the boundaries between mountains, water, and sky. This elegant experience was enjoyed by Zhang Dai over three hundred years ago. In the vast expanse of snowy scenery, the hustle and bustle of the world quietly fades away, leaving only tranquility and joy.
03 Canglang Pavilion
Canglang Pavilion is located to the south of Suzhou. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the poet Su Shunqin, exiled and inspired by the words "The water of Canglang is clear and can wash my hat, the water of Canglang is muddy and can wash my feet" from the "Chu Ci," named this pavilion garden "Canglang Pavilion."
After Ouyang Xiu wrote the teasing line "The clear wind and bright moon are priceless, but unfortunately, they are only sold for forty thousand dollars," Canglang Pavilion became even more famous. The combination of Canglang Pavilion with Suzhou's garden art is a perfect match. The entire Canglang Pavilion garden is known for its elevated terraces and extensive waters, with most buildings surrounded by mountains and connected by long corridors, creating a unified space with pavilions and terraces built along the pond. The water outside the garden complements the mountains inside, showcasing the epitome of borrowed scenery.
04 Zuiweng Pavilion
Zuiweng Pavilion, the first of the four famous pavilions in China, is also known as the "number one pavilion in the world." Built in the Northern Song Dynasty, the renowned scholar Ouyang Xiu penned the enduring masterpiece "Record of the Zuiweng Pavilion" during his exile as the Governor of Chuzhou. In particular, the line "The intention of the drunken weng is not in the wine, but in the mountains and rivers" captures the hermit-like sentiment towards nature that has been talked about throughout history. The beauty of Zuiweng Pavilion against the backdrop of the picturesque mountains and waters of Langya Mountain has brought it worldwide fame.
Descendants who came in admiration have built pavilions and gardens around Zuiweng Pavilion. Today, there remain nine gardens and seven pavilions, each with its own unique style, collectively known as the "Nine Scenes of Zuiweng." The design of Drunken Weng Pavilion with its curved roof and beast-like ridge, where the corners of the pavilion rise like bird wings, embodies the graceful posture described by Ouyang Xiu as winged.
The entire pavilion is delicate and exquisite, showcasing the characteristics of Jiangnan gardens. Not far from the pavilion, spring water emerges from the ground. Next to the spring water, a square stone pool is built, into which the spring water flows before merging into a mountain stream. The temperature of this spring water remains relatively constant throughout the year, at around seventeen to eighteen degrees Celsius.
Reflecting on the nearly three thousand years of history of pavilions, recalling the grandeur of the Qin and Han dynasties, envisioning the splendor of the Tang and Song dynasties, even after the ebb and flow of the years like flowing water, the eternal beauty within and around the pavilions remains.
