Ancient Chinese Urban Planning

In this episode, we focus on ancient Chinese urban planning and how it shaped the design of cities, buildings, and daily life from the Neolithic period through the Ming and Qing dynasties. We examine how cosmological ideas such as square-earth theory and fengshui influenced the orderly, symmetrical, grid-based layouts of major capitals like Chang’an and Kaifeng, reflecting both spiritual beliefs and imperial power. The episode also explores the architectural systems that supported these cities, including standardized timber-frame construction and the enduring use of dougong brackets, as well as the role of official texts like the Kaogongji and Yingzao Fashi in preserving building practices across centuries. We also discuss how residential forms such as the siheyuan expressed Confucian ideals of family structure and harmony, while pagodas, royal tombs, and marketplaces reveal the close relationship between religion, governance, and urban space in ancient China.