The difference between China ancient architecture and western ancient architecture is more specific.

The ancient buildings in China form a courtyard-style group layout in a balanced and symmetrical way, which is characterized by the unity of heaven and man. Western ancient buildings are characterized by three-dimensional senses, single layout, deification and religion. Their different characteristics have different cultural connotations.

First, the characteristics of ancient buildings in China

(A) courtyard-style group layout

From the images of ancient buildings in ancient documents and paintings to the existing ancient buildings, the plane layout of ancient buildings in China has a concise organizational law, that is, every building such as residence, palace, government office and temple is a courtyard surrounded by several single buildings, some cloisters and walls. Generally speaking, most courtyards are connected in series, reaching the backyard through the front yard, which is the product of China's feudal society's thought of "orderly aging, different inside and outside". The main characters in the family, or people who should be isolated from the outside world (such as girls from aristocratic families), often live in courtyards far from the outside door, forming a deep spatial organization of courtyards after courtyards. In Dead Hua Lian written by Ouyang Xiu in the Song Dynasty, there is the word "how deep the courtyard is". The ancients once described the residence of a big bureaucrat as "the door is as deep as the sea", which vividly illustrated the important features of the layout of China architecture.

(B) the axis of space art

This courtyard-style group and layout are generally designed symmetrically along the longitudinal axis and the horizontal axis. This is mainly reflected in the architectural system greatly influenced by China's "Zhou Li" thought. In the planning of the ancient capital, the main palace is located on the central axis, the palace is the main body, and the secondary buildings are located on both sides. The layout is symmetrical, such as "the former dynasty is in the city" and "the left ancestor is in the right society", such as the planning layout of the Tang Dynasty and the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing. Another example is the ancient temples in China, where there are many examples of axis spatial layout with strong tone. Generally, the main hall is placed in an important position on the central axis, and the auxiliary hall is on the left and right. "Left Pavilion and Right Hide", "Left Bell and Right Drum" and so on. The progressive space and dense courtyards are closely related to the patriarchal clan system and the ethical code system in China feudal society. It is the most convenient way to express the feudal patriarchal clan system and hierarchical concept, which makes the housing obviously different between the old and the young, men and women, masters and servants.

(C) the "harmony between man and nature" architectural environment

Advocating and loving nature has existed since ancient times. Ancestors have long noticed the coordination and unity of "time, place and people". Whether it is "Up and Down with Heaven and Earth" in Confucianism ("Mencius") or "Heaven and Earth are my life, and everything is one with me" in Taoism ("Zhuangzi's Theory of Everything"), people are closely linked with everything in heaven and earth and regarded as an inseparable body, thus forming a subjective force to urge people to explore, get close to and develop nature. Under the influence of this aesthetic trend of thought, when dealing with the relationship between architecture and natural environment, people do not take an attitude of opposition to nature, but use architecture to control the natural environment; Instead, they hold an affinity attitude, thus forming an environmental attitude that makes architecture and nature harmonious. For example, Shi Chong, a great bureaucrat of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, built a special merchant of Heyang (Jinguyuan) in the suburb of Luoyang: "Building the side of the house, but blocking the long embankment, there are tens of thousands of cypress trees in front of it, running water around the house" ("Preface to Shi Chong's Return to Hometown"); Hui Yuan, a Zen master, runs Tuolin Temple in Lushan Mountain: "Only the peak of incense burner and the valley of waterfall still have stone barriers, that is, planting pine ditches. Clear springs ring the steps, and white clouds fill the room. Mo Zen forest in the temple, the forest trees condense smoke, and the stones are covered with moss. Everyone who looks forward to Monkey has a clear mind and calmness "(Biography of Monk Hui Yuan). Such descriptions are common in the literature. Since then, Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, other industries and mountain village settlements built in the landscape area outside the city have attached great importance to site selection. The purpose is not only to meet the needs of their respective functions, but also to give full play to the flexibility of the plane layout of building groups, so as to adapt to the local landscape and coordinate with the overall natural environment. They are no less than "landscape architecture", dotted with the landscape of the earth, making it vivid and picturesque. This is the unique environmental consciousness of the Chinese nation in dealing with the relationship between architecture and nature. Although not completely conscious, it is very obvious. Traditional landscape painting theory has made some aesthetic and scientific explanations for this environmental awareness.

Second, the characteristics of western ancient buildings

(A) strong three-dimensional sense, single layout

Compared with China's ancient architecture, western ancient architecture, as a whole architectural system, has the same architectural style and can be traced back to ancient Greece. The "column" in ancient Greek architecture is the outstanding performance of "three-dimensional sense and single layout" The external form of these cylindrical buildings intuitively shows a harmonious, perfect and lofty style. The stigma of some columns is simple and rigid inverted cone, and there is no column base. The majestic column body rises from the table, revealing the beauty of majestic posture. Some are slender and beautiful, and the stigma has two graceful whirlpools, showing the delicate and soft beauty of women's posture. Although the principle of column composition presents a single layout, the lofty beauty of its vitality brings visual impact and shock to people's three-dimensional view.

(b) Sacred and religious nature

The characteristics of western ancient buildings are deification and religionization. This is influenced by religious culture. Especially in medieval Europe, Christian culture stood out and deeply influenced the development of western civilization. It is under this influence that a brand-new architectural style has emerged-Gothic architecture with the most religious and deified atmosphere among western ancient buildings. The overall style of Gothic architecture is characterized by ethereal, slender, towering and sharp. It directly reflects the new structural technology and strong religious consciousness in the Middle Ages. The ethereal artistic conception and vertical upward form are the most accurate expressions of the spiritual connotation of Christ. The lofty, ethereal and ethereal image seems to refer only to God, enlightening people to get rid of this miserable and sinful world and move towards "paradise in heaven".

As a representative of the gothic church with strong deification and religious color, its internal structure is completely exposed, almost frame-shaped, and vertical lines command all parts, making the space extremely towering, symbolizing the yearning for heaven; Whenever the sun shines through the stained glass covered with windows, the whole church space is filled with confusion and illusion, and the church seems to be a paradise. This atmosphere fully demonstrates the Christian spirit, among which Notre Dame de Paris, Milan Cathedral in Italy and Cologne Cathedral in Germany are typical representatives of Gothic architecture, thus vividly interpreting the theology and religion of western ancient buildings.

Third, the eastern and western cultural characteristics embodied in ancient buildings.

(A) the cultural characteristics of China embodied in ancient buildings.

1, pragmatism

Some features of ancient farming civilization in China and its architectural ideas all reflect the practical and rational spirit of traditional culture in China. China's classical architecture system has always adhered to the principle of moderate humanistic construction, always taking the human scale as the starting point, not seeking height and eternity. No matter what type of building, there are few things that exceed the scale like western churches. The huge buildings in China are constantly and regularly derived from the courtyards of small-scale units. No matter how huge the building complex is, the feeling of people moving in will always be the measure of peace with others. This design orientation embodies the dominant feature of practical idealism in China's traditional culture, which is different from the super-scale pursued by the west under the theological fanaticism.

2, the concept of eternal change

The traditional Chinese house design principle adopts the general design idea. A house is a house, and it is hoped to be suitable for any purpose. Therefore, over time, people have formed a permanent concept. China architecture does not pay attention to the external intuitive image, but pays attention to the sequence arrangement of people in it. As the road passes through the gate, there will be a courtyard, which will make people suddenly enlightened again and again. Architectural sequence is like a long scroll, you can think while walking, but you can't think until the climax, which is particularly fully reflected in garden design. Classical architecture pays great attention to understanding, hierarchy and atmosphere, but it is indifferent to single building. The ancients' demand for feeling and understanding far exceeded their concern for the building itself. With permanent components and unchangeable courtyards, architecture can deduce endless changes through infinite derivation, thus forming the eternal connotation of China culture.

3. The golden mean.

China's architecture often puts the climax and essence in the innermost part and the last part, while the front part is a simple wall and the courtyard is a little deep. All the wonderful things are solved in this paper. The introverted nature of farming culture determines that the ancient architecture in China must choose this architectural layout mode that emphasizes perception and connotation.

Because of this, it embodies a basic spirit of China people-the golden mean, where the golden mean means adaptation, mediocrity means persistence, and the golden mean means application and persistence. China's architecture has created a gentle and modest gentleman style that people don't pay attention to strong self-expression in individual thoughts.

(B) the impact of ancient buildings on Western culture

1, independent and free

Western ancient architecture often emphasizes the eternity and sublimity of architectural art with huge volume and transcendental scale. They usually have strict geometry. Western ancient architecture formed a unique grid on the independent architectural system. Their layout is single, and it seems that they don't need redundant buildings to set off. Western architects skillfully integrate western ideas into architecture and form different styles. Therefore, it is precisely because of those buildings that try their best to express human nature that people are more eager to pursue independence and freedom.

2. Think carefully and creatively.

Since ancient times, when western architects design buildings, they not only pay attention to the structure and accuracy of buildings, but also usually consider their functions, efficacy, waterproof and fire prevention, convenient transportation and so on. With the continuous development of western civilization, the styles of western ancient buildings are also changing. From ancient Greece, Rome to Byzantium, from Gothic to Baroque and Rococo, architects always work with high imagination and creativity. People in these buildings are inevitably unaffected by architectural styles and form a good creative atmosphere, which is also the reason why western civilization is more creative and imaginative.

What affects the development of ancient architecture in China is the moral norms and abstract philosophical theories established by the specific political system, in which the traditional Confucian thought of rule of etiquette is the main idea guiding the creation of ancient architecture, and the ancient architecture in China embodies order, practicality and moderation everywhere. In the west, whether it is the temple of Zeus in ancient Greek architecture, the Colosseum in ancient Roman architecture, the Pantheon in Byzantine style or Notre Dame in Gothic style, these buildings stand there independently, directly and clearly, and are self-contained without other decorations. This is a direct expression of emphasizing personal praise and material life enjoyment. Ancient culture influenced the architectural style, while ancient buildings influenced the development of Chinese and western cultures. Culture and architecture complement each other, and * * * has written a splendid cultural epic combining Chinese and western culture.