The dominating feature od Chinese life is a conservatism that has followed certain habits and traditions for 40 centuries. Altthough there was some culture in China five thousand years ago, we shall begin our study with the Chou Dynasty (1125-255 B.C.), during which time China reached its zenith of intellectual and artistic achievement. Confucius (552-479 B.C.) was almost a comtemporary of the Golden Age of Athens. The Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 221) marked …showed first 75 words of 316 total…

…showed last 75 words of 316 total…known, being four-sided but not square, built in two sections with a steep overhanging roof with upturned corners, a raised ridge board with an elevated section at each end. The buildings in the Forbidden City, Peiping, are beutifully proportioned and are embelished with glaze tile, lacquers, and gilding. The work of the Ming and Manchu emperors, these buildings are typical of the finest Chinese architecture. Few buildings now standing are older than the Ming Dynasty.