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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