Chinese Houses

January 15, 2006
Much as he did in "China's Old Dwellings", Knapp here examines vernacular architecture in northern and southern China. He discusses the elements that make up a Chinese home while revealing the cultural, historical, political, and sociological aspects of Chinese life that have gone into the development of the architecture and decorative ornamentation. The focus is on 20 -heritage homes - that have been preserved and typify a vernacular style (e.g., cave dwellings in the northern provinces) or are deemed significant because of their inhabitants (e.g., Mao Zedong's boyhood home). This scholarly, detailed work, beautifully illustrated with historic black-and-white photos, contemporary color photos, floor plans, and elevations, is recommended for large collections.

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