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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Ting or Chinese pavilion

The poem highlights the considerable structural height the historical ambiguity surrounding ting and similar
of ting, which allowed Zhu Chao to enjoy expansive views of architectural types due to structural resemblances.
the natural landscape in spring. Similarly, Shi Hongyan (504 From the perspective of literati, Ouyang Zhan (755
– 564), a poet of the Chen dynasty (557 – 598), composed – 800), an official and literatus of the mid-Tang period,
a poem about climbing a ting called Wushengping (Deng provided a detailed description of ting in his writing
Wushengping Ting; 登吳升平亭) (Zhang, 2002). Both Ergongting Ji (二公亭记). He wrote:
poems reference ting as an architectural type requiring
ascent, confirming its association with considerable height A beautiful house should be called ting. It should
– either through its structural design or placement atop be famous for [a view of] incredible landscape……
elevated natural features. As ting became more widely Recent revivalists have been building ting. With
documented as landmarks and cultural venues in literary respect to the pleasure it gives people [with
works, it underwent a transition from a primarily military natural scenery], ting is the same as lou, guan, tai,
facility to a space designed to accommodate travelers and and xie. In terms of its construction, ting differs
celebrate cultural and natural landscapes during the Wei- from these structures as it does not require the
Jin and Northern and Southern dynasties. luxury of repeated vertical construction. Adding
railings and balustrades suffices. Building a ting
4. Tang dynasty (618 – 907): Flexibility and is simple, but its usage is broad. Wise men build
multi-functionality them frequently. Once built, it must be located
in a beautiful landscape. (胜屋曰亭，优为之名
During the Tang dynasty, ting evolved into an 也。.近代袭古增妙者，更作为亭。亭也者，
architectural type with diverse formal features suited 藉之于人，則与楼、观、台、榭同；制之于
to various social settings. Some ting structures likely 人，则与楼、观、台、榭殊：无重构再成
retained considerable height. For example, Cao 之糜费，加版筑槛栏之可处。事约而用博，
(2018) argues that a particular type of ting with a tall 贤人君子多建之；其建之，皆选之于胜境)
foundation (高阶基之亭) was constructed in imperial (Ouyang, 1979, p. 27)
cities or temples. Cao believes that this type of ting
usually flanked the main hall, possibly corresponding Ouyang Zhan emphasized that a ting should be located
to an image in Mogao Cave 217 in Dunhuang, Gansu, in beautiful scenery and preferred its structure to be
China, completed during the High Tang period simple, avoiding multiple stories. This belief indicates
(713 – 755) (Figure 5). However, other scholars, such that the association of ting with high elevation may have
as Xiao (2002), identified the structure in Cave 217 as diminished during the Tang dynasty. He also emphasized
a different architectural type, such as louge (楼阁) or the versatile purposes of ting, a view corroborated by other
gaotai (高台). This scholarly disagreement highlights Tang literary works. Tang literati favored ting as multi-
functional facilities within private gardens or residential
compounds, used for dining, resting, and leisure.
One notable advocate for constructing such ting was
Liu Zongyuan (773 – 819), a politician and poet. In his
essay Liuzhou Dongting Ji (柳州东亭记), Liu described
how he developed an abandoned area outside the Liuzhou
prefecture (柳州府) by constructing pleasant buildings,
including a ting for use at different times of the day:
…[I] constructed this ting in the middle [of all
buildings], calling it the middle room. I reside
in the morning room in the afternoon, in the
afternoon room in the morning, and in the middle
room during the middle of the day… (…作斯亭
于中，以为中室。朝室以夕居之，夕室以朝
居之，中室日中而居之..) (Liu, 1979, p. 774)
Figure 5. Anonymous painter, ting (in white box) flanking the Main Hall Although it may seem counterintuitive for Liu
in Guan Wu Liang Shou Jing Bian (观无量寿经变). Source: Dunhuang
Grotto No. 217, Jiuquan, Gansu. E-Dunhuang (https://www.e-dunhuang. Zongyuan to reside in the ting directly under the midday
com/showmural/10.0001/0001/0001/0217/0001/0004/01, accessed sun, its location at the center of a four-piece architectural
August 21, 2024) compound likely made it the most ventilated spot at

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2025) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.4107