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I like Japan, I've been there before, but personally Chinese architecture appeals to me more right now. The Japanese temples tend to be very simplistic and wooden while china's are more intrinsic with the background and have better mythological connections to me at least.
that's upsetting. I am still wondering (or holding out hope at least) that the Chinese are still building new structures modeled after classical dynastic china architecture or even rebuilding previously destroyed temples, buildings, etc. Their age doesn't matter to me that much, I care more for the feel and style.
Thankfully, there are an increasing number of new developments that mimic the classic style popping up in big cities... the complex I live in has a bunch of hutongs that look like they were made hundreds of years ago, but are actually 7 or 8 years old. One problem is that Chinese cities are increasingly high-density and land is super-valuable, and so many developers are disinclined to put up one or two-story classical buildings or remake temples when they can erect a 35-story condo building and make a billion dollars.
In my wife's hometown, there are a ton of very old buildings; her family actually gifted us their ancestral home, the main section of which is something like 300 years old (two other wings were added in the last 100 years). The sad thing is that it's basically laid unused for about a decade and a half now... they chose to gave it to us because I am the only person in the family who wants to preserve it. Everyone else could care less what happens; a few months ago, a tree fell and knocked out one of the newer sections, and no one seems interested in trying to fix it. Convincing my wife that it needs to be repaired and restored is an uphill battle as most people in China see buildings like this as old pieces of junk and would rather live in a modern concrete box covered in tile.
The bed is what breaks me up the most; that bed is a couple hundred years old and even here in China would be worth a big brick of cash if restored (personally, I care more about it for the historical and familial value), but again, no one in her family seems overwhelmingly bothered by the thought of it decaying into moldy splinters.
One very sad thing that google has at least impressed upon me is that there aren't that many traditional Chinese temples (daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, etc.) left in china.
I hope someone with more knowledge on this can provide more information but it seems to me the main cities don't have that sort of traditional architecture that I'm hoping to see.
One of the best places to see traditional Chinese architecture, houses, and temples is actually Malaysia.
Thankfully, there are an increasing number of new developments that mimic the classic style popping up in big cities... the complex I live in has a bunch of hutongs that look like they were made hundreds of years ago, but are actually 7 or 8 years old. One problem is that Chinese cities are increasingly high-density and land is super-valuable, and so many developers are disinclined to put up one or two-story classical buildings or remake temples when they can erect a 35-story condo building and make a billion dollars.
In my wife's hometown, there are a ton of very old buildings; her family actually gifted us their ancestral home, the main section of which is something like 300 years old (two other wings were added in the last 100 years). The sad thing is that it's basically laid unused for about a decade and a half now... they chose to gave it to us because I am the only person in the family who wants to preserve it. Everyone else could care less what happens; a few months ago, a tree fell and knocked out one of the newer sections, and no one seems interested in trying to fix it. Convincing my wife that it needs to be repaired and restored is an uphill battle as most people in China see buildings like this as old pieces of junk and would rather live in a modern concrete box covered in tile.
The bed is what breaks me up the most; that bed is a couple hundred years old and even here in China would be worth a big brick of cash if restored (personally, I care more about it for the historical and familial value), but again, no one in her family seems overwhelmingly bothered by the thought of it decaying into moldy splinters.
Thanks for sharing. It's so sad to here what is happening to home, I wish more countries would care for their tradition rather than let it be lost. Hopefully, as China develops people will become more interested in preserving what they have left like what happens in many fully develop countries like in the west.
In some respects yes. Malaysia didn't have a Cultural Revolution, no civil war, less damage in WW2, not as much rapid modern growth, etc. Obviously China has a lot more to see, but what's in Malaysia is very well preserved.
All those not so old farm houses are crumbling. It is amazing that Emperor's palaces are still standing after 500+ years and many earthquakes. Here is why. Secrets of the Forbidden City | NOVA | PBS
Some of what you're praising is just a natural by-product of being so large, you know.
Few nations can occupy such a huge ariable land in the temperate zone. Actually only two nations did.
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