History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c34.s8.7

v2.c34.s8.7

it contains the elementary construction of all the temples and halls; sometimes the verandah is carried along the east and west ends, but on the north side it is included in the hall, being covered over with a roof at a lower level. The east and west bays are used for various purposes connected with the structure, whether temple, hall, or palace, and in the latter sometimes utilised as bedrooms or boudoirs. As a rule the halls are ceiled above the tie-beam; the ceiling being divided into coffers; more importance is given to the central bay, which is sunk into deep coffers with bracket friezes round them. Some of the halls are covered with an open timber roof, in which the unwrought rafters covering the roof contrast with the elaborate painting and gilding of the columns and the heavy superposed beams of the roof. There does not seem to be any rule regulating the east and west ends of the main roof; sometimes these are hipped, as in the Tai-ho Hall and the Hall of the Classics, sometimes the I'rimoya prevails, but in both cases the hips have heavy rolls covering them, crowned with a series of miniature griffons. The greater number of the buildings in the Forbidden City have one storey only; to these there are some exceptions, where an upper floor, of the same height as the verandah storey, is carried on the level of the upper portion of the roof of same, and has a projecting balcony round the outside. In these cases there are windows to light the storey. In the Wan-fo pavilion there are three storeys all with verandahs.