Ronald G. Knapp - Chinese Bridges : Living Architecture from China's Past MOBI, PDF, TXT
9780804843768 English 0804843767 Bridges, the least known and understood of China's many wonders, are one of its most striking and resilient feats of architectural prowess. Chinese Bridges brings together a thorough look at these marvels from one of the world's leading experts on Chinese culture and historical geography, Ronald G. Knapp. While many consider bridges to be merely utilitarian, the bridges of China move beyond that stereotype, as many are undeniably dramatic, even majestic and daring. Chinese Bridges illustrates in detail 20 well-preserved ancient bridges, along with descriptions and essays on the distinctive architectural elements shared by the various designs. For the first time in an English-language book, Chinese Bridges records scores of newly discovered bridges across China's vast landscape, illustrated with over 400 color photographs, as well as woodblock prints, historic images, paintings and line drawings., In Chinese Bridges , Ronald G. Knapp, one of the foremost experts on Chinese culture and historical geography, gives these under-regarded marvels of Chinese architecture their due. Guiding readers on an erudite and enlightening tour of both famous Chinese bridges and those newly discovered by western eyes, Knapp shows that-far from merely utilitarian-the bridges of China are dramatic, majestic, and even daring. Through descriptions, essays, and more than four hundred color photographs as well as woodblock prints, historic images, paintings and line drawings, Knapp documents the history of these Chinese bridges, illuminating the distinctive architectural elements they share and their role as "living architecture." Marking the first time that many of these bridges have been documented in an English-language book, Chinese Bridges is a breathtaking work of architectural history and a comprehensive introduction to these often overlooked feats of architectural prowess., While many consider bridges to be merely utilitarian, the bridges of China move beyond that stereotype, as many are undeniably dramatic, even majestic and daring. Chinese Bridges illustrates in detail 20 well-preserved ancient bridges, along with descriptions and essays on the distinctive architectural elements shared by the various designs. For the first time in an English-language book, Chinese Bridges records scores of newly discovered bridges across China's vast landscape.
9780804843768 English 0804843767 Bridges, the least known and understood of China's many wonders, are one of its most striking and resilient feats of architectural prowess. Chinese Bridges brings together a thorough look at these marvels from one of the world's leading experts on Chinese culture and historical geography, Ronald G. Knapp. While many consider bridges to be merely utilitarian, the bridges of China move beyond that stereotype, as many are undeniably dramatic, even majestic and daring. Chinese Bridges illustrates in detail 20 well-preserved ancient bridges, along with descriptions and essays on the distinctive architectural elements shared by the various designs. For the first time in an English-language book, Chinese Bridges records scores of newly discovered bridges across China's vast landscape, illustrated with over 400 color photographs, as well as woodblock prints, historic images, paintings and line drawings., In Chinese Bridges , Ronald G. Knapp, one of the foremost experts on Chinese culture and historical geography, gives these under-regarded marvels of Chinese architecture their due. Guiding readers on an erudite and enlightening tour of both famous Chinese bridges and those newly discovered by western eyes, Knapp shows that-far from merely utilitarian-the bridges of China are dramatic, majestic, and even daring. Through descriptions, essays, and more than four hundred color photographs as well as woodblock prints, historic images, paintings and line drawings, Knapp documents the history of these Chinese bridges, illuminating the distinctive architectural elements they share and their role as "living architecture." Marking the first time that many of these bridges have been documented in an English-language book, Chinese Bridges is a breathtaking work of architectural history and a comprehensive introduction to these often overlooked feats of architectural prowess., While many consider bridges to be merely utilitarian, the bridges of China move beyond that stereotype, as many are undeniably dramatic, even majestic and daring. Chinese Bridges illustrates in detail 20 well-preserved ancient bridges, along with descriptions and essays on the distinctive architectural elements shared by the various designs. For the first time in an English-language book, Chinese Bridges records scores of newly discovered bridges across China's vast landscape.