In the early 1900s, buildings in the U.S. and Europe started to lose the arches, spires, and complex designs that had characterized them for centuries, exhibiting instead a cleaner, simpler look.
據說古老中國門戶始開之際，初來乍到的洋教士最大的視覺震撼，正是那些曲線悠揚的中式木構建築；而明清宮殿建築亮麗眩目的琉璃瓦，也是搶眼難忘的經驗。隨著門戶開放、東西交會，中國也開始走向現代化的路程。