| The architectural art of tall buildings was
highly developed in ancient China, dating back to the Warring States Period (475 - 221
B.C.). Among them, the classical Chinese storied buildings ("lou"
in Chinese) has been regarded as one type of the representatives works. In modern
Chinese, the word "lou" might refer to any building of two or more stories.
Strictly speaking, however, it means a storied building with a horizontal main ridge and
usually, all-round verandas. Many such buildings also feature sloped, double-eaved roofs,
and dou gong brackets (carved brackets supporting the overhanging eaves from the
columns).
In ancient times, this kind of buildings served a variety of purposes, but most often,
they were belvederes for enjoying distant scenery. Ancient cities usually had storied
buildings housing a huge bronze bell or drum to announce time, respectively called "zhong
lou" (bell tower) and "gu lou" (drum tower). According to the
old rule, the local officials would open the city gate at the toll of the bell in the
morning, and close it with the strike of the drum at dawn.
In the Forbidden City of Beijing, there are four so-named jiao lou (corner
tower) on the four corners, which used to be stationed by the emperor's guardsmen. During
the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), each city gate of Beijing was also guarded by a jian
lou (archery tower), and two of them have been well preserved.
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