On Textbooks On Foreign Architecture History For Undergraduates

The dissertation illustrates the development of Foreign Architectural History Textbook on the basis of the A History of World Architecture (Before the End of19th Century). Foreign Architectural History course is the essential part of the undergraduate curriculum system. Its textbook is the embodiment of the Architectural Education, which will help students to form their comprehensive Architectural Thinking. Currently, although academia has a comprehensive and deep research on Foreign Architectural History in the perspective of Architectural Education and Architectural Teaching, few of scholars are aware of the each edition of the Textbook with the characteristic of the time in which it exists. Chen Zhihua has accomplished A History of World Architecture (Before the End of19th Century) in the early years of the founding of new China. This Textbook is the milestone in the history of compiling Foreign Architectural History Textbook. This paper reveals the development motives on the basis of the A History of World Architecture (Before the End of19th Century) through the formation, development, modification and gives the comments on its application. In the light of the clarification, the present author will fill the gap in academia.The first part clarifies the settings, current situation, significance, research method as well as the mainframe of the dissertation.The second part illustrates the relationships among the Textbook of Foreign Architectural History, Architectural Education, Architecture and Architectural history and clarifies the theoretical basis on the development of the Foreign Architectural Textbook and gives a brief introduction to the compiling process.The third part makes the vertical comparison of the five editions of A History of World Architecture (Before the End of19th Century) since1962, which aims to restore the academic environment of compiling the Foreign Architectural History Textbook since1950s. In comprehensive retrospect, the compiling of the Textbook was under the great influence of the time. Additionally, this passage evaluates the values of the early edition of the Textbook in historical thought and theoretical study.The fourth part demonstrates the status and function of the Textbook in Architectural Education according to the questionnaire survey for the application of the Foreign Architectural History Textbook.The fifth part summarizes the contents of the dissertation and explores the advantages and disadvantages to the current edition of the Foreign Architectural History Textbook. Additionally, Combining the requirements and concept of the modern textbook, the compiling of the textbook should follow the principle of convenient for Architectural Education as well as the formation of the Architectural Thinking for students.The last part studies the relationships between the contents of the Foreign Architectural History Textbook and the requirements of Architectural Education, which confirms the principle of selecting contents and hopefully gives references for the future research.