Editing Arch (section)

===Ancient China===
[[Chinese architecture|Ancient architecture of China]] (and Japan) used mostly [[timber-framed]] construction and [[trabeated]] system.{{sfn | Lyttleton | 2003 | p=}} Arches were little-used, although there are few [[arch bridge]]s known from literature and one artistic depiction in stone-carved [[relief]].<ref>Needham, Joseph (1986), ''Science and Civilization in China: Volume 4, Physics and Physical Technology, Part 3, Civil Engineering and Nautics'', Taipei: Caves Books, pp. 161–188, {{ISBN|0-521-07060-0}}.</ref><ref>Needham, Joseph (1986), ''Science and Civilisation in China: Volume 4, Physics and Physical Technology; Part 2, Mechanical Engineering'', Taipei: Caves Books, pp. 171–172 {{ISBN|0-521-05803-1}}.</ref><ref>Liu, Xujie (2002), "The Qin and Han dynasties", in Steinhardt, Nancy S., ''Chinese Architecture'', New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 56, {{ISBN|0-300-09559-7}}.</ref> Since the only surviving artefacts of architecture from the [[Han dynasty]] (202&nbsp;BC – 220&nbsp;AD) are [[rammed earth]] defensive walls and towers, [[Chinese glazed roof tile|ceramic roof tiles]] from no longer existent wooden buildings,<ref>Wang, Zhongshu (1982), ''Han Civilization'', translated by K.C. Chang and Collaborators, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, pp. 1, 30, 39–40, {{ISBN|0-300-02723-0}}.</ref><ref>Chang, Chun-shu (2007), ''The Rise of the Chinese Empire: Volume II; Frontier, Immigration, & Empire in Han China, 130 B.C. – A.D. 157'', Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, pp. 91–92, {{ISBN|0-472-11534-0}}.</ref><ref>Morton, William Scott; Lewis, Charlton M. (2005), ''China: Its History and Culture'' (Fourth ed.), New York City: McGraw-Hill, p. 56, {{ISBN|0-07-141279-4}}.</ref> [[Que (tower)|stone gate towers]],<ref>Liu, Xujie (2002), "The Qin and Han dynasties", in Steinhardt, Nancy S., ''Chinese Architecture'', New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 55, {{ISBN|0-300-09559-7}}.</ref><ref>Steinhardt, Nancy Shatzman (2005), "Pleasure tower model", in Richard, Naomi Noble, ''Recarving China's Past: Art, Archaeology, and Architecture of the 'Wu Family Shrines'', New Haven and London: Yale University Press and Princeton University Art Museum, pp. 279–280, {{ISBN|0-300-10797-8}}.</ref> and underground brick tombs, the known vaults, domes, and archways were built with the support of the earth and were not free-standing.<ref>Wang, Zhongshu (1982), ''Han Civilization'', translated by K.C. Chang and Collaborators, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, pp. 175–178, {{ISBN|0-300-02723-0}}.</ref><ref>Watson, William (2000), ''The Arts of China to AD 900'', New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 108, {{ISBN|0-300-08284-3}}.</ref>

China's oldest surviving stone [[arch bridge]] is the [[Anji Bridge]]. Still in use, it was built between 595 CE and 605 CE during the [[Sui dynasty]].<ref>Knapp, Ronald G. (2008). ''Chinese Bridges: Living Architecture From China's Past''. Singapore: Tuttle Publishing. pp. 122–127. {{ISBN|978-0-8048-3884-9}}.</ref><ref>Needham, Joseph. ''The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China''. Cambridge University Press, 1994. {{ISBN|0-521-29286-7}}. pp. 145–147.</ref>
<gallery>
File:Anji Bridge, Zhao County, 2020-09-06 05.jpg|Anji Bridge: segmental arch, open-[[spandrel]] design
</gallery>