The Borders of Chinese Architecture

An exceptional book that significantly increases our knowledge about the extent of Chinese architecture across a land whose borders have been fluid over the millennia. No one in the West knows this material better than Nancy Steinhardt, who brilliantly weaves Korea and Mongolia into the story of the development of Chinese architecture. Her work is rooted not only in written records and visual materials, but in personal exploration of the sites themselves. Her mastery of the Chinese building system, both above and below ground, and her command of the full range of built structures is outstanding. -- Ronald G. Knapp, coauthor of <i>Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage of a Nation</i> A fascinating look at architectural examples from China and neighboring regions that are related to China's long building tradition but not usually included in Chinese architectural history. Steinhardt demonstrates that the cultural 'boundary' of Chinese architectural traditions and practices was actually much more porous than expected. By putting border crossing into sharper focus, she argues for a much broader understanding of Chinese architecture as a dynamic cultural expression across East Asia, and even beyond. A delightful treat and indispensable reference for anyone interested in border-crossing issues in art and architectural history. -- Wei-Cheng Lin, author of <i>Building a Sacred Mountain: The Buddhist Architecture of China's Mount Wutai</i>