Photos

This photo taken at Ling Xian Yan Cave Temple, a bustle shoot with four golden Chinese Deities statues, mural of The Eight Immortals，Statue of Tang-monk sitting on the elephant at right hide behind the tree, is one of the main character for the story of Journey to the West.


Chinese Pavilions (Chinese 亭, pinyin tíng) are covered structures without surrounding walls and are a traditional part of Chinese architecture. Pavilions are often found within temples, but are not exclusively religious structures. Many Chinese parks and gardens feature pavilions to provide shade and a place to rest.

Pavilions are known to have been built as early as the Zhou dynasty, although no examples of that period remain today. The first use of the character for pavilion dates to the Warring States and Spring and Autumn period. During the Han dynasty they were used as watchtowers and local government buildings. These multi-story constructions had at least one floor without surrounding walls to allow observation of the surroundings.

During the Sui and Tang dynasties wealthy officials and scholars incorporated pavilions into their personal gardens. During this period the function of pavilions shifted from the practical to the aesthetic. Pavilions provided a place to sit and enjoy the scenery, and they also became a part of the scenery itself, being attractive structures. Brush-and-ink landscape scrolls of the Song Dynasty show the isolated pavilions of scholar hermits in mountainous regions. Under the impetus of scholarly tastes for the simplicity of a rustic life, while previously pavilions were constructed from stone, other materials such as bamboo, grass and wood came into use.

More information :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_pavilion