How did the post-and-lintel system support traditional Chinese buildings?

In traditional Chinese architecture, the post-and-lintel system serves as the fundamental structural framework for timber buildings. This system consists of vertical posts topped by horizontal tie beams, which together support the weight of the roof and its associated components.1

Key aspects of how this system functions include:

• Non-load-bearing walls: Unlike many other architectural traditions, the walls in Chinese timber buildings are not load-bearing. Instead, the structural load is carried by the post-and-lintel frame, allowing the spaces between columns to be filled with doors, brick, or other materials.1
• Roof support: The frame supports a system of roof-supporting brackets and trusses. A flexible triangular truss, placed transverse to the front of the building, uses a series of elevated tie beams—known as tailiang—to define the roof's profile and bear the weight of the roof purlins and beams.1
• Structural integrity: The system is modular and standardized, with the structural capacity of the building scaling according to its status and size. Because the timber frame is flexible, it allows for various roof profiles, ranging from straight silhouettes to the elevated, concave shapes characteristic of later dynasties.1