Gavin: This gate is a western design; did western architecture have a big influence on Chinese architecture?

Hu: This is called xiyang men, which means ‘modern western gate'. It's a white marble stone arch. It's the main gate of the garden, and is in the western baroque style. It shows the foreign influence of the colonial days of China. Western culture had come into china by historical necessity. The yuanming yuan (Old Summer Palace), the qianmen railway station and tsinghua university garden all have western design. Architecture is meant to be tangible history. The fusion of eastern and western style architecture in Beijing portrays a certain period of time, and needs to be cherished.




Gavin: Are there many different patterns up here; do they have any specific meaning or significance?

Hu: Yeah, here you can see there are many flower patterns which are the most popular style in Chinese decoration. The flowers are normally plum, orchid, asphodel, chrysanthemum, rose, lotus peony, honeysuckle and so on; they all have their own different meanings. For example the peony is the national flower, it has very gentle meaning and also speaks of riches and honors; the plum is the traditional Chinese flower, it is not only praised by Chinese artists and poets for its elegant bearing, but also admired by being compared to the Chinese national soul of elegant demeanor and personality that remains ‘fragrant' even in severe winters… We also have many other patterns that we can paint on architecture, such as animals, humans, and fairy tales and so on. They are all aimed at displaying good wishes, happiness and religion.
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